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“A library in the middle of a community is a cross between an emergency exit, a life raft and a festival. They are cathedrals of the mind; hospitals of the soul; theme parks of the imagination”

Caitlin Moran

Our Story

The James Reckitt Library Trust manages an endowment created by Sir James Reckitt in 1892 to support the first free public library in Kingston upon Hull, England. Today the Trust helps to develop public library provision throughout the city, and is responsible for the largest charitable endowment in the country devoted exclusively to public libraries.

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Once Upon a Time

The James Reckitt Library Trust was established as an independent charitable trust in 1892 by the pioneering industrialist and Quaker philanthropist, Sir James Reckitt (1833-1924)
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The Story Today

Public libraries in Hull have long been a cornerstone of community life, playing a vital role for people of all ages and backgrounds.
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Bold Minds

In recent years the Trust has pioneered innovative thinking about the future of public libraries, not only in Hull but around the world. A series of publications produced by the Trust gives access to our views.
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The Next Chapter

How can public libraries fulfil their historic purposes in a world changed so utterly from the world in which they were founded?