Maughan Library, King's College London | |
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51°30′55″N 0°06′38″W / 51.5153°N 0.1106°W | |
Location | Chancery Lane London, WC2, United Kingdom |
Type | Academic library |
Established | 1232 Domus Conversorum 1377 Chapel/House of Master of the Rolls 1851 Public Record Office 2001 Maughan Library |
Branch of | King's College London Library Services |
Branches | 8[1] |
Collection | |
Items collected | Books, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, maps, prints, drawings and manuscripts |
Size | 750k items (approx.)[2] |
Access and use | |
Access requirements | Students and staff of King's College London and other University of London colleges, some SCONUL Access Card holders and members of the public with legitimate research needs |
Other information | |
Budget | £5,087,981 (Expenditure on print and electronic resources across all branches 2011–12)[3] |
Director | Lis Hannon |
Website | kcl.ac.uk/library |
The Maughan Library (/mɔːn/) is the main university research library of King's College London, forming part of the Strand Campus. A 19th-century neo-Gothic building located on Chancery Lane in the City of London, it was formerly the home to the headquarters of the Public Record Office, known as the "strong-box of the Empire",[4] and was acquired by the university in 2001. Following a £35m renovation designed by Gaunt Francis Architects, the Maughan is the largest new university library in the United Kingdom since World War II.[5]
Designed by Sir James Pennethorne and constructed in 1851, with further extensions made between 1868 and 1900, it is a Grade II* listed building. Inside the library is a dodecagonal reading room, inspired by that of the British Museum, and a former medieval chapel, now an exhibition space showcasing the special collections of the library. The library was named in honour of Sir Deryck Maughan, an alumnus of the university.