Brotherton Library

Brotherton Library
Main reading room at the Brotherton Library
Main reading room at the Brotherton Library
Map
53°48′29″N 1°33′12″W / 53.8080°N 1.5534°W / 53.8080; -1.5534
LocationWoodhouse Lane, Leeds, England
Established1936
Other information
DirectorMasud Khokhar
Websitelibrary.leeds.ac.uk
Building details
General information
TypeLibrary
Architectural styleMix of Neoclassicism and Art Deco
Construction started1930
Completed1936
Design and construction
Architect(s)Lanchester & Lodge
Designations
Listed Building – Grade II

The Brotherton Library is a 1936 Grade II listed Neoclassical building with some art deco fittings, located on the main campus of the University of Leeds. It was designed by the firm of Lanchester & Lodge, and is named after Edward Brotherton, 1st Baron Brotherton, who in 1927 donated £100,000 to the university as funding for its first purpose-built library.

The Brotherton Library is a hub in what has become Leeds University Library. Initially, it contained all of the university's books and manuscripts, with the exception of books housed in the separate Medical Library and Clothworkers' (Textile) Library. As of 2022 it contains the main collections in arts and languages and the Special Collections' Research Centre, and it houses part of the University Library's administration. Science, engineering and social science research collections are located in the Edward Boyle Library, while the Laidlaw Library contains core texts for undergraduates and a high demand collection and the Health Sciences Library contains the University Library's medical and related collections, with a small satellite library at St James's University Hospital. The University Library is also responsible for the University Archives, the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, the Treasures Gallery and the International Textile Collection.