The rare book collection of the Library consists of over 11,000 volumes selected from LSE print collections for their rarity, value or age.
The collection dates from c1485-c1970, with the majority of works dating from the 17th-19th centuries. Its main strengths are in economics, political economy, political theory, British and European political and social history, statistics and law. The collection includes not only items of British origin, but also foreign imprints, including significant numbers of items from France and Germany. Although it does not include many fine bindings, it is rich in Utilitarian bindings, particularly French and German paper bindings from the 18th and 19th centuries.