New chapter as The Leeds Library launches £1 million fundraising appeal

The Leeds Library on Commercial Street in the city centre was founded in 1768 following an advertisement placed in the Leeds Intelligencer earlier that year.

Fast forward to 2022 and bosses have unveiled ambitious plans for the next chapter after a successful acquisition of the property next door to the library.

They have launched an £1 million fundraising drive to transform the building into a contemporary home for culture, and learning as well as making its premises fully accessible for the first time.

The Next Chapter Fundraising Appeal is also urging supporters to comment in favour of the recently-submitted planning application, the outcome of which will determine the future of the building. The deadline for comments is Friday, October 28.

The total cost project so far is in excess of £1.2 million. Money raised will also support the care, preservation, and expansion of the Leeds Library’s unique collection of historic books, the digitisation of its archive, the preservation of its Grade II listed building, and the development of outreach programmes for schools and community groups.

The Leeds Library is also offering bespoke packages for corporate sponsors unique to individual businesses. People can find out more and support the Next Chapter Project by visiting: theleedslibrary.org.uk .

Martin Staniforth, chair of trustees of The Leeds Library, said: “The launch of our fundraising appeal for the development of 15 Commercial Street into an exciting new space for the Library is a real milestone in the Next Chapter project. Delivering the changes that we are planning will transform the Library, opening up the building and our collections to more people and ensuring a bright future for the city's oldest cultural institution. Please help us to turn our vision into a reality.”

Carl Hutton, chief executive of The Leeds Library, said: “We want every resident in the city to be proud of the Library, our heritage and our work and believe that the Next Chapter Project will make this ambition come true. On completion the Next Chapter Project will mean that the Library is fully accessible to all, can deliver ambitious creative projects, learning activities and exhibitions as well as introduce all of the 130,000 items in our collections to visitors to the Library under one roof.”