The Library of the School is the largest in the world devoted exclusively to the social sciences. Founded in 1896, a year after the School, it is also known as the British Library of Political and Economic Science and provides a specialist national and international research collection.
In 2001 architects Foster and Partners redeveloped the Lionel Robbins Building, which houses the Library, into a modern, energy efficient and visually stunning space.
The Library collects material on a worldwide basis, in all major European languages. The extensive collections range from a European Documentation Centre to 90,000 historical pamphlets, with over 95 per cent of Library stock available on open access. 50 kilometres of shelving - enough to stretch the length of the Channel Tunnel! - accommodate over four million printed items including 31,000 past and present journal titles. The Library subscribes to approximately 20,000 e-journals, as part of its electronic information provision.
All collections held at LSE in the Library have been recognised for their outstanding national and international importance and awarded 'Designation' status by the Museums Libraries and Archives Council.
IT Services provides the services, facilities, support and training to support the teaching, learning, research and administrative activities of the School.
See LSE Library