Marx Memorial Library

The Marx Memorial Library

 The aim of the Marx Memorial Library is the advancement of education, knowledge and learning by the provision of a library of books, periodicals and manuscripts relating to all aspects of the science of Marxism, the history of Socialism and the working class movement. It is an independent organisation, a registered charity, financed by its members and affiliates. It is not controlled by any political party or interest group. The Management Committee is elected from and by the membership. The Library has some 40,000 volumes in the lending section covering a range of subjects including Marx, Engels, Lenin, the Spanish Civil War and the History of Socialism and the British Labour Movement.

 The reference collection has an extensive holding of journals dating from the 1850's. These include The Red Republican (published 1st English translation of Marx and Engel's Communist Manifesto), Votes for Women (the Suffragette Journal) and Commonweal (William Morris); approx 43,000 pamphlets and numours original materials and books, many of which are unavailable elsewhere. The Library's stocks are continuously updated and represent a unique resource under one roof.

 Two sessions of public lectures in Autumn and Spring and the Marx Lecture on March 14th (the Anniversary of the death of Karl Marx) are held each year. The Bulletin, published two or three times per year, is sent to members and is also available on subscription.

Our Specialist Collections

The Klugmann Collection — Early radical and Chartist books, pamphlets and tracts.
International Brigades Association archive and library — primary source materials on the Spanish anti-fascist war 1936-39.
John Williamson American Labour Movement Collection — journals and pamphlets from 1920's to 70's.
J.D. Bernal Pearce Collection — books and documents from the libraries of Prof. J.D. Bernal and Ivor Montagu.
Daily Worker/Morning Star — the only complete collection of bound volumes.

OPAC Catalogue

OPAC contains details of all material catalogued so far at the Marx Memorial Library.

The Library has some books for loan. Periodicals and material in the special collections are usually for reference in the Library only.