The Alpine Club Library
The library of the Alpine Club is one of the UK’s largest collections of mountaineering material.
Over 50,000 items spanning over 200 years of mountaineering history. As well as the UK’s largest library dedicated to mountaineering the collection includes the Alpine Club archives, a historic photo library and painting collection, artefacts and even some monuments.
What does the library have?
The library collects books on mountaineering and mountain culture. It was created shortly after the creation of the Alpine Club and has been collecting material since 1860.
The core library is a valuable resource for researchers and free to browse when visiting. Alongside a collection of climbing guides and journals it contains a selection of core works and modern titles on mountaineering.
The rare book collection is kept in our secure storeroom but items can be retrieved on request. It houses rare and older works relating to mountaineering and mountains. Alongside early classics by Albert Smith and Edward Whymper the rare book collection also houses works relating to the English lake district, early European travel and swiss flora and fauna.
The library also has a large collection of mountaineering and climbing club journals. These cover clubs around the world as well as UK climbing clubs.
You can find more about the archives, photo library, painting collection, artefacts and monuments on their relevant pages.
Costs
Members of the AC, ABMSAC, and Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society may use the Alpine Club Library free of charge.
Other users are invited to make a financial contribution to our running costs.
Borrowing
Members of the Alpine Club may borrow items from the main library collection - apart from guidebooks. Books can be borrowed in person or by post (within the UK). Photocopies can be requested in person, by post or email.
AC members may use the Royal Geographical Society Library for free on production of their AC membership card.
Research
If visiting the Alpine Club Library to conduct research then it's worth emailing the librarian with details of your area of interest so they can retrieve items ahead of your visit. Please note that the library may need prior notice if you want to consult items held in the library store, archives or photo collection in order to have sufficient time to retrieve them.
LIBRARY CATALOGUE SEARCH HERE
Contacting the Library
- Telephone:- 020 7613 0745
- Email: library@alpineclub.org
- Address: - Alpine Club Library, 55 Charlotte Rd, London, EC2A 3QF
Annual Reports
The Alpine Club Library not only maintains the Club's collection of books and maps but also takes responsibility for organising exhibitions.
To discover what the library have been up to, you can read our most recent annual report.
Historic annual reports are available to view on our Annual Reports Page.
New Titles
History
The Alpine Club Library was founded in 1858, in the first year of the Club. In 1972 it was established as a separate charitable trust, managed by trustees appointed by the British Mountaineering Council and the Royal Geographical Society as well as the Alpine Club.
The Alpine Club Library relies greatly on financial donations and legacies, as well as gifts of books, photos or artifacts. Diaries, correspondence, and press cuttings are welcomed as gifts or deposits to the Archives. The Honorary Treasurer of the Library will readily advise on procedure for making bequests and tax-effective covenanted donations.
World Maps
The Alpine Club has world maps to help members plan their expeditions. Typically we have numerous maps in electronic format that can be emailed on request. Please provide either the map reference number or the specific location of interest.
The following regions are available:
- Himalaya
- Karakorum
- Hindu Kush
- China – Tibet
- China – Central
- China – Xinjiang
- Pamirs
- Fann Mountains
- Tien Shan
- Altai
- Sayan
- Kamchatka
- Iran
- Caucasus
- Turkey
- Morocco
- Ethiopia
- South America.
The Kapadia Collections
Harish Kapaida is a renowned Himalayan mountaineer and author. He has written extensively on the Himalaya as well as being a past Editor of the Himalayan Journal.
Harish donated a substantial collection of Himalayan images to the club which can be accessed in the library. The collection of over 1,700 images has been scanned and captioned using captions provided by Harish.
In 2023 Harish also donated an archive of video interviews he had conducted over a number of years with notable mountaineers. This archive can be consulted in the library but is also being made publicly available on the club's YouTube channel and via our website.
You can find more information about Harish on his website.