Plans to turn the British Library’s science and social sciences reading rooms into pay-to-use co-working spaces have divided those who use the space.

In an email sent on October 21, the historic library in London’s King’s Cross said the decision came in response to the changing ways its reading rooms are used.

The email read: ‘We want to reassure you that our commitment to science and social sciences remains as strong as ever,’ adding that it hoped the move would enable the library to ‘generate the necessary revenue to keep our core services free’.

Entry into the British Library and reading rooms is currently free. 

It offers an annual membership at a fee, which gives members access to exhibitions and a private member’s room.

A British Library spokesperson told the : ‘Science and social sciences research services will be preserved and relocated within the Library’s other eight reading rooms, maintaining the same level of specialist support for research and access to the collections.

‘Analysis of daily usage levels across our reading rooms shows that we are still able to accommodate demand within a reduced reading room footprint – even including an anticipated increase in demand once full services are restored.’

The British Library said the co-working space will help foster collaboration between businesses, researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators, and a detailed design of the arrangements will be shared in due course.

This is in addition to the development of an extension to the library, which started this summer and is due to open in 2032.

But not everyone is a fan of the plans.

A spokesperson for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents British Library staff, said it was ‘deeply concerning’ that a space designated for public research could be repurposed for commercial gain.

‘Our members are deeply concerned about the proposed closure of the science reading rooms and the impact this will have on both the service the library provides and the staff whose jobs, terms and conditions could be affected.’

Academics and scholars have also voiced concerns over the decision.

Dr Harvey G Cohen, senior lecturer in cultural and creative industries at King’s College London, said the British Library is a special place in which he has spent months of his life.

He now encourages his own students to use it to support their own research.

He told : ‘Removing the reading rooms for business purposes just seems crazy to me. If you drive around central London you’ll find plenty of other co-working spaces that already exist for people to use.

‘If people need to collaborate and network, you can do that without having to take away space from this library that has qualities and resources that you can’t get anywhere else in Europe.’

Cohen understands that budgets are strained, but said funding the library’s future shouldn’t be at the expense of the reading rooms.

‘When you start with taking away a few reading rooms, they’re not going to come back. I’m concerned that the space isn’t being put to the best possible use.’

Georgy Kantor, associate professor of ancient history at the University of Oxford, said on X: ‘This is utterly horrible, but the fault is the government’s for effectively bankrupting a national institution over a hack.’

Cohen believes removing the reading rooms, particularly for science and social sciences, is an insult to the subjects themselves.

‘We have to make sure Britain continues to be one of the top nations for research. To take this away just for business people to be able to do their calls is upsetting.’

A British Library spokesperson said: ‘We have announced a series of changes as part of our Growing Knowledge strategy, a six-year programme to put the British Library on a more sustainable financial footing and ensure it remains accessible, relevant and world-leading for everyone – with core services free to use.

‘As part of this strategy, we will be repurposing our Science and Social Sciences Reading Rooms to create a new flexible workspace.

‘The new space will enable businesses, researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators to work and collaborate at the heart of the Knowledge Quarter, while generating income that can be reinvested in the Library to keep our core services free to users. Detailed design and access arrangements will be shared in due course.’

The spokesperson added that the library would work with an ‘external partner’ to ‘deliver and run the day-to-day operation of the flexible workspaces’.

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