Library Staff

When the Library first opened in February 1856, it had one reading room and one official employee. Today the Library is a large and complex organisation employing over 350 people in a wide range of occupations.

Employing expertise across the Library

From accountants and exhibition curators to reference librarians and communications specialists, staff at the Library not only work in areas that are traditionally associated with libraries but provide expertise in other fields that enable this core work to be carried out.

Organised into ten divisions which cover all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the Library, many of the staff are specialists in information management and librarianship. Their main tasks revolve around: 

• providing information and research services
• cataloguing and classifying items
• preservation and conservation
• digitisation initiatives
• acquiring and processing new material
• developing the specialist collections.

The remaining staff include people with high levels of expertise in strategy and policy, business management, marketing and communications, building and facilities management, human resources, IT development and infrastructure, finance and event management.

Staff professional activities

Throughout the year, Library staff also engage in a range of professional and collaborative activities. These include being committee members of key industry bodies and organisations, contributing to professional, technical and academic publications, and sharing information and expertise via presentations and lectures.