10 Best Free Libraries To Study in London (Or Work)

Trying to find the best libraries to study in London where you can work for free can get quite overwhelming, especially when you have just moved to the city. Some time ago I wrote about the best cafes to work in London and it seems to have helped quite a few of you. That’s why I thought that I would write about amazing London study spots, aka the best free libraries to study in London or work if you’re a freelancer.

Whenever I’m I’m roaming the city, I’m always going to be looking for a public library near me because I always have my laptop on the ready.

However, even if there are a lot of amazing public libraries in London, some are not free, in the sense that you need a paid membership to access some of the study spaces. That’s why I’ve been looking to write for some time a guide to the best libraries and places to study in London and get work done. As freelancers or students, I feel we’re always looking for the best study spaces in London.

Yet, we don’t necessarily have the budget to take the bus here and there, looking for some good free places to study in London. That is where this article on the best free libraries to study in London will hopefully come in handy. However, if you prefer working in cafes, I’ve recently told you about the best chain cafes to work in Central London – you might want to check that out if your budget is a bit tight.

I have already written a few guides about places to study in London so if you haven’t checked them out yet, here you go:

• The best cafes to work in London
• The most aesthetic places to study in London
• Awesome cafes to work or study in Shoreditch

Now, for the best free libraries to study in London, work, or just read quietly, keep on reading!

10 Best Free Libraries To Study in London (Or Work)

There are quite a lot of free libraries to study in London when you think of it, but most are located in what I could qualify as the suburbs of London, in each of the councils. I’ve been lucky enough to live in quite a few parts of London, including Mile End, Bethnal Green, Seven Sisters, Greenwich, and lately, North Finchley. As such, and having been a freelancer for a few years now, I’m always looking for the best free libraries to study in London or work when I’m in such a mood.

Some of the libraries I will talk about in this guide are very famous libraries in London, and they include, of course, the British Library. Still, I also want to share some very underrated public libraries in London, and that would range from the Islington Central Library to the Idea Store in Whitechapel. Without further ado, let’s get on to the best libraries to study in London for free!

Free libraries to study in London: British Library Kings Cross

I debated including the British Library in this guide to peaceful places in London to study or work because it’s really famous, like, too famous. But since it is indeed one of the best libraries to study in London, you’ll understand why it is part of this guide. I always feel amazing when I spend a productive day there. Not only is it one of the top London study spots, but the British Library is also one of my beloved hangout places in London if you just want to grab a cup of coffee in the coffee shop downstairs.

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This is a huge library that I love visiting whenever I’m running out of ideas when it comes to libraries to work in London. I know it’s going to be open every day of the week and if you’re looking for places to go with friends in London to work, study, or put up a business plan, it’s going to be one of the very best libraries in Central London I can think of for you.

The British Library: One of the best libraries to study in London for free

However, since it is indeed one of the best study spaces in London, there are a lot of students and freelancers working there trying to make it happen. After all, you have there some archives, several floors full of tables, free Wi-Fi, a cafe, and a restaurant there, You can of course plug in your laptop and your phone while you’re working. That means that even if this is one of the really pretty places in London to study and work, a lot of other people have the same destination in the morning.

That is why I would advise you to come as early as you can. Yet again, I guess that’s a piece of advice I would give for all the good free public libraries to study in London. The British Library fills up very quickly and if you come during the day, you will definitely have some trouble finding an empty spot on a table. Still, it’s one of the best free libraries to study in London with its beautiful book collection in the background. The artwork there also definitely makes it one of the most attractive London study spots.

Best Libraries To Study in London: Kensington Central Library

Then, you have the Kensington Central Library, another one of the best places to study in London if you’re looking for a huge, peaceful background. It’s also a very interesting study spot, as the Kensington Central Library is open every day from 9:30 until 8 p.m. except on Wednesdays, Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays when it’s closed. It’s also not too far from the European bookshop, one of the best bookshops in London.

However, since it is absolutely free to anyone who is just looking for the best libraries to study in London, it’s always a great idea to travel all the way to Kensington Central Library and make the most out of their super-cool study spaces.

Read: The coolest cafes in South Kensington

The background is huge and this might be one of the most old school public libraries in London. There, you have books all around and very big tables that will make you feel like the person studying in front of you is actually a friend. 

That’s literally something I’m looking for when I look up the best places to study in London if I’m trying to switch things up a little bit. Plus, as far as free places to study in London go, the Kensington Central Library will definitely make you feel more successful while you’re there. 

Best Libraries To Study in London: Idea Store Whitechapel

Back when I lived in Mile End, I found a great public library near me – the Idea Store Whitechapel, not too far from one of the biggest Sainsbury’s ever. That’s definitely one of the best free libraries to study in London, and if you live in the area, you can also sign up for a free library card. Since the Idea Store in Whitechapel is part of the Tower Hamlets libraries, you can use this library card in all the libraries in the East London areas around Tower Hamlets – all you need to do is check out which libraries are included. 

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As far as free study spaces in London go, the Idea Store is one of the smallest libraries in East London, but it is very functional and peaceful, to be fair. It’s definitely one of the less crowded public libraries in London, and that’s a fact. There are two levels to this place and quite a few big tables where you can just come with your books, notebooks, and laptop and start grinding. By the way, down the road near Aldgate East, you can have some of the most delicious English breakfast in London, so that’s two birds one stone right there. There’s also one of the best art galleries in London, the Whitechapel Gallery, located close by.

What’s super cool about the Idea Store is the opening hours. For some reason, I’m very attracted to libraries open 24 hours in London, but I never seem to find any cool ones, especially since I’m not a student anymore and all the working and studying I do is for myself. Yet, from Monday to Thursday, this East London library is open from 9 am till 9 pm, which is amazing for workaholics like me. Very much underrated compared to all the cool free public libraries to study in London. 

Best Study Spaces in London: John Harvard Library on Borough High Street

There’s no denying that one of the best hangout places in London is London Bridge, especially when it comes to amazing places to go with friends in London and that’s really something I insist on. I stayed around London Bridge for some time and even used to work at The Shard a while back.

The best public library near me at that time was the John Harvard Library on Borough High Street, not too far from Borough Market, one of the best markets in London. That’s definitely not one of the biggest libraries to study in London, that’s a fact. Actually, it’s pretty small, but there always seems to be space there, and there are sockets straight on the tables, just the way I like them to be. 

Read: What to do in London with £10?

The front of this public library has a really cool coffee shop, the Mouse Tail Coffee Stories. In there, they have really amazing coffee (some of the best coffee in London Bridge!), pastries, and some spots where you can enjoy the whole of your lil’ meal. Because no, in the “study spot”, you won’t be able to eat – I know firsthand. 

All in all, the John Harvard Library really is one of the best places to study in London if you’re around London Bridge and would just like to find peaceful places to get some work done. Everyone is super quiet there, and it really elevates the standard of free libraries in London which is, sometimes, very low – gotta say it. 

Best Study Spaces in London: Islington Central Library

Back when I used to live in Seven Sisters, I was starting to get really busy with freelance writing, and looking for peaceful free libraries in London was more a need than a simple choice. I love finding pretty places in London to study and work, however, to be honest, I’ll just get work done wherever. At an airport, in a park, in a London coffee shop – anywhere I feel I will be productive. 

The Islington Central Library quickly became the public library near me I loved more than any other – it’s huge, and that’s an understatement. There are not many free libraries in London that have sparked so much interest and productivity in me as this North London library has. 

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There, you can find several really big rooms that might be one of the best places to go to with friends in London if you need to work on projects together. If you’re just looking for one of the best libraries to study in London, that one is located close to Holloway Road (which also means some of the best charity shops in North London), and it really is one of the best spots in London – and that’s a fact.

Best Places To Study in London: Wood Green Library

Ah, Wood Green Library definitely is one of the best free libraries to study in London, and since it’s also one of the libraries open on Sunday in London, you can get a full day’s worth of work done if you really don’t want to relax during the weekend. I mean, there are people who, like me, will always be onto the case of libraries to study in London open during the weekend because we just don’t want to hit the brake. 

And Wood Green Library, being one of the biggest public libraries in London, with free WiFi, lots of tables, and a huge collection of books, is just one of the best hangout places in London and study spots in the city at the same time.

Read: The Biggest Book Stores in London

Wood Green Library: One of the definitive best libraries to study in London

It’s quite a quiet space to study and work, but since there’s also Wood Green Mall right next to it, you can definitely get there in the morning and enjoy the fact that there’s almost no one there. N

At the Wood Green Library, there are lots of sockets where you can plug in your laptop and your phone and even a specific quiet space to work as well. Not one of the pretty places in London, that’s for sure. The library definitely is one of the most classic ones – no Victorian background or any big bookshelves like at the British Library in King’s Cross. Yet, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Wood Green Library is one of my top favorite places to study in London. 

There’s everything you need there, and I’ll highlight that again: it’s one of the best free libraries to study in London due to how big it is, with all the amenities you could ever wish for (I’m just talking about sockets and free space, to be fair). 

Best Free Libraries in London: Wellcome Collection Library

The Wellcome Collection Library near Euston definitely is one of the best public libraries in London if you’re looking to study and work on your project. It’s open to everyone and is not just another one of those university libraries in London where only students can come to work. That’s definitely what makes the Wellcome Collection Library the best spot to study in London, especially since there are sockets and free Wi-Fi.

Read: The Best Free Things To Do in London with Absolutely No Money

I would say that the background of the Wellcome Collection Library makes it one of the best hangout places in London if you’re looking to work on a group project, work on building up a business, or are simply looking for amazing London study spots. 

To be honest, I do think this is one of the best places to study in London. Not only for the fact that the Wellcome Collection Library has all the amenities you could ever dream of when trying to study for free in London, but also for the fact that it is one really aesthetic study spot if you’re looking for peaceful places to go with friends in London to try and make it happen.

Libraries to study in London: National Art Library at the V&A

The National Art Library at the V&A Museum is nothing short of the best free library in London, and there is really nothing you can say about that. First of all, if you are looking for amazing public libraries in London open on Sunday, then that’s one of the first study spots in London I could recommend since the National Art Library is only closed on Tuesdays.

However, it’s definitely not one of the best hangout places in London if you’re looking to go with friends and chat about since the National Art Library is really one of the quiet libraries to study in London and nothing else. Although it is a free library, there are some rules that apply to the library at the V&A that do not apply to other libraries in London, like the British Library at King’s Cross or the Wood Green Library.

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For instance, you cannot take your bag with you inside the National Art Library. All bags are to be left in the cloakroom and the staff will give you a transparent bag where you can put all of your working material, including your laptop and your notebooks. You cannot eat or drink, even water, inside the National Art Library so as to protect the collection.

Aside from that, whenever I’m around Kensington and don’t feel like visiting a cafe to work, I feel the National Art Library at the V&A is still one of the best free libraries to study in London. Even with all those rules. It’s also definitely one of the very pretty places in London with a background filled with beautiful books. 

There are other study rooms than the National Art Library at the V&A, which are also cool free study spaces in London, and that includes the RIBA Architecture study room, the Ceramics study room, and the Prints and Drawings study room. All that variety definitely makes the V&A the optimum place to study in London.

Best Libraries To Work in London: BFI Reuben Library at Southbank

If you’ve been to The London Local before, you probably know that aside from always being on the lookout for the best London study spots I am a definite sucker for Southbank. I have written quite a few articles and guides about the best things to do in London Bridge, or the best cafes in London Bridge for brunch and breakfast some time ago.  

And to be fair, walking on the Southbank is an absolute favorite of mine. Especially when I’ve spent the whole day in one of the best libraries in London nearby, like the John Harvard Library. Or have been walking around the Tate Modern and the stunning Millenium Bridge and I’m just looking to relax.

So, one of the best free places to study in London is the BFI Reuben Library, with the British Film Institute in the background being a very lively spot for anyone who loves cinema. Unlike some of the other public libraries in London I’ve mentioned in this guide, you will need to fill in a registration form when you want to come to use the study spaces. 

However, it is completely free and it is one of the best hangout places in London whether you’re alone or with friends. To be very honest, this Southbank library can get quite packed but there, you can really feel the London student vibe in a way that you couldn’t in other London study spots.

Best Free Libraries in Islington: N4 Library

Back when I would be looking for the best free libraries in London around Seven Sisters and Holloway Road, I found the N4 library on Blackstock Road, near Finsbury Park station. There are quite a few amazing libraries in Islington and I have found to be very inspired every time I would visit this specific public library near me. It’s not the biggest library in London, that’s a given. However, the Wi-Fi there works very well, there are sockets on the tables, and the staff really is super friendly. That makes it one of the very best libraries to study in London.

Depending on the day, the N4 Library can be open until 8 p.m. but if you’re looking for libraries open on Sunday in London, that’s not going to be your destination. There is the City and Islington College right next to the N4 library, so you’re bound to find students working there at all times of the day. If you are around North London and looking for libraries to study for free without having to spend even £1 for coffee or anything, then that’s going to be one of the university libraries in London you’re really going to enjoy.

10 Best Free Libraries To Study in London (Or Work)

There you have the best libraries to study in London or work for free. If you’re also looking for peaceful hangout places in London, most surely they are going to be some of the best study spots you could ever find in the city, without having to spend a penny aside from the trip. I couldn’t even select just one favorite out of all those best libraries in London for real – I love to switch things up to get my creative juices flowing! 

If you are more of a coffee shop kind of person, be sure to check out The London Local guide to the best cafes to study in London as I update it regularly. I only ever write about the best places to study in London that I personally visit time and time again when I have work to do (which is always).

As such, I’m always looking for a good free public library near me, and if you are like me, then all those pretty places in London will definitely suit you. 

If you’d like to discover more amazing things to do and places to go with friends in London, I can recommend quite a few cool activities next:

• The cutest Japanese gardens in London
• Amazing cafes in Chelsea for artisan coffee
• Super fun things to do in London this year (with some crazy activities!)

Until next time!

PS. Did you know that there are super historical old streets in London defo worth a visit?