plymouth proprietary library

founded 1810

Background
The Proprietary Library is one of Plymouth's oldest historic institutions, founded in 1810. It was originally situated in a John Foulston-designed building at the centre of the City in Cornwall Street, but was bombed in World War Two and moved to a pleasant mid-Victorian house at the top of North Hill after the war. In 2018 it relocated to the old church in St Barnabas Terrace Plymouth.

It is a Registered Charity run by a Committee of Trustees elected by the members (who are known as Subscribers) at each Annual General Meeting. It has a regular income from investments and this supplements the subscriptions to cover the running expenses of the Library and for the purchase of new fiction and non-fiction books.

Building
The old St Barnabas Church.

Collection
The collection consists of 10,000 volumes ranging from 18th century literature to contemporary fiction and non-fiction. Also biographies, diaries and letters, travel, maps, local history and the Windham Collection of Royal Naval historical papers. The Cottonian Collection, donated by William Cotton III to the Plymouth Proprietary Library in 1853, is currently housed in The Box, Plymouth.

Contact information
Dr Darren Bevin, Library Manager
St Barnabas Terrace, Millbridge, Plymouth PL1 5NN
tel: 01752 659907 / email: admin@theppl.org.uk

Membership
Annual Membership £80
Student/Under 25 Membership £40

Open:
Monday 10am-2pm, Wednesday 10am-2pm and Saturday 10.30am –
12.30pm.

Visitor enquiries welcome; research facilities by prior appointment.
Parking for three cars + one disabled space. 

Website
www.theppl.org.uk

Status
Registered charity no. 1186243

Social Media
Twitter: @ThePPLuk
Facebook: @PlymouthProprietaryLibrary
Instagram: theppluk