Re-opening information

We’re delighted to be re-opening our doors to the public from Tuesday 1st September, with a new exhibition and eclectic public programme soon to be revealed. In the meantime, we are making the Library safe and getting ready to welcome you back.

Until then, please continue to visit us virtually where you can read illustrated articles, discover our online exhibition, subscribe to our Portico Prize mailing list, listen to a detailed audio tour of the Library, browse our online shop and enjoy our digital activities for all ages. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram or purchase a voucher to spend on anything you’d like when we re-open — such as lunches, books, events, membership and more. We greatly appreciate your continued patience and support during this difficult time and look forward to seeing you soon!

For general enquiries please contact: admin.assistant@theportico.org.uk

For event enquiries please contact: events@theportico.org.uk

For research enquiries please contact: prize@theportico.org.uk

A message from Thom Keep, Librarian of The Portico Library:

‘Following the Government’s advice to avoid all non-essential contact and after speaking to the Chair of the Board, we have taken the decision to close The Portico Library until further notice as of Tuesday 17th March.

Our highest priority is to safeguard the welfare of our staff, volunteers and visitors, as well as to help mitigate the spread of the virus where we can. Given the current situation, we believe that it is untenable to remain open at this time. This closure will last until further notice and is likely to affect our upcoming events programme — any postponements will be announced on our website and via our social media channels. 

During this time the Library will operate where it can remotely and we will continue to support our staff and those we work with. We are determined to find creative ways for our collection to continue to provide inspiration and to champion literacy and learning during this time of uncertainty. 

Please consider donating what you can to support the Library’s future. The Portico is a registered charity (no. 1143639) and your generosity will ensure we continue our work through this challenging period. You can also purchase a voucher to spend on anything you’d like when we re-open — such as lunches, books, events, membership and more.

Please note that the Library building will only be visited once every few weeks for essential maintenance and safety checks. To avoid non-essential staff travel we will fulfil shop orders only at these times so your delivery may take longer than usual. Thank you for your support.

We will keep our audiences updated via our website and social media channels and we look forward to seeing you when we reopen.’