What We Do

The Linen Hall Library is one of Belfast’s oldest charities. Set up in 1788 as a way for the burgeoning business class of Belfast to centralise books and other educational materials, it has blossomed alongside the city in which it stands at the centre.

Housed in a listed Victorian linen warehouse in Donegall Square, the Library is one of Belfast and Northern Ireland’s most important and popular cultural centres.

As well as operating as a general lending library, it is also the custodian of world-famous archives. The main focus of the library is to protect and preserve its collections and make them accessible to the general population.

The Linen Hall is an independent library and a member of the Association of Independent Libraries which works to conserve, support and promote this unique section of the United Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

The Library must be financially self-sustaining and raises funds through many channels such as membership, government and philanthropic funds, fundraising initiatives, donations, gift and book sales.

Gifts in Wills

Legacies are vital for the sustainability of the Linen Hall Library. Your contribution can help us acquire new works for our collections, enable the conservation of our treasures, and make the Library more accessible for the community at large. You can also allocate any legacy to areas of particular interest to you such as supporting a particular archive, restoring and preserving our beautiful Victorian building, or helping us purchase new and valuable books.

Most of all, your support ensures the continuance of one of Belfast’s most special and irreplaceable historic treasures.