Leeds Central Library

Leeds’ main municipal library, housed in a Grade II-listed late 19th-century building on Headrow, next to Leeds Art Gallery (which you can access via the rather lovely Tiled Hall Café).

Split over multiple floors with a beautiful mezzanine full of floor-to-ceiling shelves

Housed in a Grade II*-listed late 19th-century building on Headrow, Leeds Central Library is how we imagine the Beauty & The Beast library might look if it had been built in Yorkshire. Split over multiple floors with a beautiful mezzanine full of floor-to-ceiling shelves, the library is home to over 250,000 books, journals, and newspapers as well as other resources. 

Particularly strong areas of the collection here include books on history, literature and historical biography, as well as law and rights. Due to the rare nature of its collections, not all of the books here are available for loan but many are – you just need to enquire on your visit to make sure. Staff can also carry out research on your behalf on request, although there is sometimes an additional charge for this service. 

Resources available to access at the beautiful Central Library include online documents, reference books, newspapers, law and citizens’ rights, journals, Census, legislation, special collections, statistics, and more. The library also hosts a range of different events, ranging from author talks and poetry slams to city-wide literature festivals, embroidery workshops, art groups, and even Lego and Coding clubs. 

Hosts a regular open mic night in collaboration with Launchpad every third Wednesday of the month

Every Monday at lunchtime, Central Library hosts free live streamed concerts inside its refurbished Music Library in partnership with Medici TV, the world’s largest collection of classic music, opera, and dance videos dating back to the 1940s. It also hosts a regular open mic night in collaboration with Launchpad every third Wednesday of the month, as well as craft workshops, song writing courses, poetry workshops, and more. 

First opened in 1884, the magnificent Victorian tiled Grade II*-listed building is home to the Art Floor, which includes the Music and Performing Arts library, the Art library, Studio12, and the exhibition space, as well as a specialist book stock of over 10,000 items. It also has a beautiful café where you can enjoy a range of freshly-prepared hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, soups, and tasty cakes in one of the city’s most beautiful rooms. Think floor to ceiling windows, dramatic columns, and beautifully tiled walls and ceilings. 

Also located next to Leeds Art Gallery, which you can conveniently access via the beautiful Tiled Hall café, this city centre cultural stop off is not to be missed.