Libraries & Collections acquire, curate and make accessible a rich and diverse range of print, digital and unique archival resources to support teaching, learning and research at King’s, our NHS partners, and the wider community.
Aligned with King’s Strategy 2030, we build sustainable collections that foster inclusive education, research excellence and wellbeing.
Scope of our collections
- Over 1.2 million books and e-books
- 60,000+ journals
- Reference tools, maps, music scores, photographs, and manuscripts
- Archives containing over 5 million items
- Special Collections of international standing
Our work is guided by four core values:
- Open – promoting openness in research and transparency in collection practices
- Inclusive – incorporating diverse voices and removing barriers to access
- People First – engaging students, academics and NHS partners
- Sustainable – embedding environmentally responsible practices
Commitment to Diversity and Responsible Curation
While our collections are extensive, they are predominantly Western-centric and from the English-speaking world. We are committed to growing them to include a broader range of languages, ideas, cultures, and formats.
Some materials, particularly in our historical holdings, may contain challenging or sensitive content. Inclusion of these items does not imply endorsement of the viewpoints expressed.
Our role is to contextualise and curate responsibly, ensuring these resources can be critically examined within scholarship. We partner with groups who can add insight, context, and alternative perspectives.
Legal and Professional Standards
We uphold all relevant copyright and intellectual property laws, and follow international best practices in developing, managing, and stewarding our collections.
How we put our values into practice:
- Evaluating teaching materials for representation
- Working with vendors to diversify authors and publishers
- Ensuring e-resources are accessible to all users
- Addressing systemic bias in cataloguing and metadata
- Partnering with national bodies (Jisc, RLUK, SCONUL, British Library)
Explore our collections via: