Gladstone's Library

Warden Andrea Russell is stood in front of the wooden doors and large archway at the entrance of Gladstone's Library. She is wearing the clerical clothing of a Canon.

Warden Andrea Russell is stood next to Bishop Gregory in St Asaph Cathedral, they are both smiling. She is wearing the clerical clothing of a Canon.

Warden Andrea Russell is stood next to a wooden bench of Canon seats in St Asaph Cathedral. She is wearing the clerical clothing of a Canon.

Congratulations to our Warden, Andrea, who was installed as a Canon at St Asaph Cathedral on Sunday in recognition of her work here at the Library!

A promotional poster for ‘Hearth 2026’, a one-day micro-festival at Gladstone’s Library. The event is on Saturday 31st January from 10:30am to 7:30pm. Ticket prices are listed as £110 for a full day and £60 for a half day. Featured authors are Sarah Perry, Harry Man, Dan Kaszeta, and Glenn Malkin. The poster describes four authors giving four talks, ending with a Q&A. The lower half shows an orange-tinted vintage photograph of a person lying on a fur rug reading by firelight, with the words ‘Gather round Hearth’. Gladstone’s Library’s logo appears on the right side. A banner at the bottom reads: ‘Book your tickets now | gladstoneslibrary.org’.

A poster for ‘Hearth 2026’. The schedule lists: • 10:30–11:30 — ‘Death of an Ordinary Man: Sarah Perry talks to Louisa Yates’ • 12:00–13:00 — ‘Popular Song with Harry Man’ • 13:00–14:30 — Lunch at Food for Thought • 14:30–15:30 — ‘What is Ukraine and who are Ukrainians?’ with Dan Kaszeta • 16:00–17:00 — ‘Binding the Booker Prize’ with Glenn Malkin • 17:30–18:30 — Hearth Q&A with all four speakers • 18:30 — Dinner at Food for Thought A banner along the bottom reads: ‘Book your tickets now | gladstoneslibrary.org’. The design includes yellow accents and a ‘Festival’ tag in the top-left corner.

📣Final tickets!📣
📆Sat 31 Jan
🕐10.30AM-7.30PM
📍Gladstone's Library
🎟️3 all-day and 5 morning tickets remain
🎤Four talks, closing with a Q&A. Listen, talk, and eat together
🍴Lunch, dinner, tea and coffee included
🛏️20% discount on accommodation
Our website➡️Events to book

@harrymanonbluesky.bsky.social

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Thursday 8th January 2026. Due to a power cut in the area, we currently have no power. The power should be restored by 2.30pm. Check back here for updates.

IMPORTANT NOTICE Wednesday 7th January 2026: We are open as normal but have intermittent internet on site. Pop in for lunch, a coffee, or to use our Reading Rooms! For updates, follow us on social media.

🔦 A small torch for venturing in and around the shelves
💧 A water bottle
🧶 Knitting or other activities
❤️ An open heart.

We can’t wait to meet everyone who walks through our doors in 2026. Will it be you?
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Are you visiting us this year? Here’s what recent visitors recommended packing:
🧣 Layers! Our Reading Rooms are kept at a comfortable 18–20°C
🧘 A travel yoga mat
📓 A journal (or two… or three!)
👟 Comfortable shoes for walking
🍰 An appetite!
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Alongside good food, beautiful surroundings, and a team renowned for their kindness, this is a place to be still, to learn and to be reminded of the wisdom of the past. Whatever your reason for visiting, you’ll find a warm welcome.
-Revd. Dr Andrea Russell, Warden
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✨We open at 2pm today (Tues 6 Jan)!✨ Gladstone’s Library is a place people come to read, write and rest; to research and retreat; to meet friends and colleagues or enjoy time alone; to attend a course, an event, or simply to have lunch.
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We reopen following the Christmas break on Tuesday 6th January at 2pm. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Promotional graphic for Gladstone’s Library showing the historic library building in the background with six inset photographs. Top left: a cosy bedroom labelled “Rest,” with text inviting guests to stay in one of 26 bedrooms. Top right: a grand wood-panelled reading room labelled “Read,” inviting visitors to sign up for free. Middle left: an audience at an event labelled “Gather,” promoting the events programme and spaces for hire. Middle right: students sitting on the lawn outside the library labelled “Engage,” promoting the youth programme for ages 14–24. Bottom left: two people clinking glasses of red wine labelled “Dine,” advertising the Food for Thought restaurant. Bottom right: a bright chapel with chairs labelled “Pause,” offering sanctuary, silence and inclusive services. Text at the bottom reads “The UK’s finest residential library, Open 7 days a week | gladstoneslibrary.org | +44 (0) 1244 532 350"

We’re the UK's only Prime Ministerial library and one of few residential libraries in the world. With Reading Rooms, restaurant, bedrooms, events, a chapel, sitting room, meeting rooms, and gardens... There's something for everyone.

For more, click the link in our bio!

However you are marking these first days of the year, we hope there is time for rest, joy and thankfulness. We look forward to welcoming you to the Library from Tuesday 6th January at 2pm!

In a complex and uncertain world, your presence and encouragement reminds us why spaces for reflection and connection matter. As we look ahead, we hold hope for new conversations, quiet moments, good books, tasty food, and many visitors, both new and returning, through our doors.

A photo of two hands clinking two glasses of red wine together by the window in Food for Thought restaurant. Text reads 'Happy New Year from all at Gladstone's Library'

✨Happy New Year from Gladstone’s Library✨

We send our warmest wishes to all our friends and supporters. Thank you for being part of the life of the Library; for reading, writing, thinking, resting, eating, learning, laughing, conversing, and sharing this unique place with us.

Three young women looking at large bookcases with text overlayed 'Taken a peep into the Reading Rooms on 27 tours'

An audience at an event with one woman holding a microphone, with text overlayed 'Sent 447 email enquiries (and asked many more in person!) about the Reading Rooms and our collections'

A photo from the top floor of the Theology Room filled with bookcases, with text overlayed 'And sat at our desks more than 1000 times a month!'

An audience listening to a speaker in the History Room with text overlayed 'Thank you for your support of the Reading Rooms in 2025. We look forward to sharing our collections with you all again in the new year!'

👀 taken a peep into the Reading Rooms on 27 tours
❓ sent 447 email enquiries (and asked many more in person!) about the Reading Rooms and our collections
🪑and sat at our desks more than 1000 times a month!
We look forward to sharing our collections with you all again in 2026!

A photo of an audience listening to a speaker in the grand, wooden, two-floor Theology Room. Text overlayed reads 'Reading Rooms Wrapped 2025. In 2025, you have...'

A photo of a doorway with bookcases behind it with text overlayed 'Explored 615 folders from our archives'

A photo of two people looking at books laid out on a table with text overlayed 'Delved into 242 books from our special collections'

A photo of a person picking a book of a bookcase with text overlayed 'Cracked open 4500 books from our circulating collections'

We’ve had a busy year in the Reading Rooms! In 2025 you have…
📜 explored 615 folders from our archives
🔍 delved into 242 books from our special collections
📖 cracked open 4500 books from our circulating collections
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Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

However you mark this day I hope that we all ‘feel our worth’.
Warmly,
Revd. Dr Andrea Russell, Warden

A photo of two hands pulling a Christmas Cracker in front of a Christmas tree covered in tinsel, lights and baubles. Text overlayed reads 'Merry Christmas from all at Gladstone's Library!'

On behalf of the team at Gladstone’s Library may you have a very happy Christmas!

Many of us have a favourite Christmas Carol. Mine is ‘O Holy Night’, especially because of this verse:
O holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth

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Come and meet our first Writer in Residence of 2026, David Hendy, for this Masterclass on writing for radio and on using sound to enrich writing for the page. Refreshments and lunch included, for more details visit our website.

Link in bio or go to our website -> Events.
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A photo of David Hendy with the text 'Writing with an ear to sound with David Hendy. Saturday 17th January 2026 10.30am-3pm. Tickets £70, available now! www.gladstones.org/events'

📣 Tickets available for Writing with an Ear to Sound, a Masterclass with David Hendy

📆 17 January 10:30am-3pm | 📍 Gladstone's Library | 🎟️ Tickets £70
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A photo of Gladstone's Library with text overlayed 'WE ARE CLOSED. WE REOPEN ON TUESDAY 6TH JANUARY AT 2PM See you soon!'

Gladstone’s Library is now closed for Christmas and New Year! We reopen on Tuesday 6th January at 2pm and hope to see you then.

Thank you again and however you celebrate this season I do hope that there is time for rest, joy and thankfulness.

Warmly,
Andrea
Revd. Dr. Andrea Russell
Warden of Gladstone’s Library

If you’d like to read our Jan newsletter, with reflections and a look ahead for 2026, you can sign up on our website.

🎁And if you find yourself with an unexpected guest over Christmas, remember that Gladstone’s Library gift vouchers are available to buy online at any time!

🎄We close today (22 Dec) at 10am, and we reopen on Tues 6 Jan at 2pm

As the year draws to a close I want to wish you all a joy-filled Christmas and a happy new year. Thank you for all your support and encouragement. It has been a full year and we have much to be thankful for.

A photo of Hanan Issa in an armchair surrounded by floor to ceiling bookshelves. She is leaning her chin on her hand propped up on the armchair.

It was wonderful to welcome Hanan Issa back to Gladstone’s Library last week to stay with us during her Artist in Residence visit with Theatr Clwyd in partnership with the Wales Millennium Centre - Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru. Hanan Issa is the current National Poet of Wales!

An upstairs view from a desk in St Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, north Wales, built by William Gladstone for scholars, readers and writers.

And here is the view from my desk @gladlib.bsky.social

📖 A day in the life at Gladstone’s Library 📖
Step inside the quiet magic of the Reading Rooms, relax in the cosy Gladstone Room, and wander around the Grade 1 listed building (one of only a few in the whole of Wales!). Thank you to @alittlemixofvix for capturing this video.

A colourful mug with the writing 'Gladstone's Library is my happy place' is placed on a shelf with a wooden backdrop. Around it is a coaster with a stack of books drawn, a pin badge of a stack of books, a door hanger that says 'shh... I'm reading', a length of green fir branch, and a piece of wrapping paper with a colourful bookcase design.

A three-tiered afternoon tea with sandwiches, cakes and scones placed on a wooden table.

A damaged book laid on a black surface. The book is torn in two with the spine ripped off.

A woman sits in a garden, at a table, reading a book and pouring milk into a teacup.

🎁We’ve got the perfect gifts for everyone on your list!

❄️Gladstone’s Library Gift Vouchers
❄️Befriend a Book 2025: help preserve history!
❄️Shop via bookshop.org/shop/gladstoneslibrary
❄️Exclusive Library Merchandise (in person) Link in bio or visit our website!

Apply by midday, Wednesday 7th January. Full T&Cs & how to apply via the link in our bio (or Website → Events → Writing Kit → Six-Month Writing Course). The bursary recipient will remain anonymous unless they choose otherwise.

We can’t wait to hear from you!
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You’ll receive:
▪️ 2 in-person + 4 online workshops with Kit de Waal
▪️ Small group experience (max 16 writers)
▪️ A night's accommodation for both in-person sessions
▪️ Meals & refreshments (full details on our site)
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A poster with a black background and a headshot of Kit de Waal wearing thick glasses, red lipstick and a black jumper. She is looking off to the left. Text reads 'The Six-Month Writing Course with Kit de Waal and Gladstone's Library. Full Bursary place now available!'

📣Calling writers: Gladstone’s Library is offering one funded place on The Six-Month Writing Course with @kitdewaal.com. For writers who would benefit from the course but may otherwise be unable to access it. We especially welcome those who feel marginalised within the industry.
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