Linen Hall Library

Linen Hall Library is a quiet retreat from the busy Belfast city centre streets. A peaceful sanctuary filled with winding staircases, books, a coffee shop and art exhibitions. It’s the perfect place to discover some tranquillity when the hectic hustle and bustle of shopping gets too much. Stepping into Linen Hall is literally like stepping into another world and time.
It’s only recently I discovered this Library specialises in Irish Studies, Northern Ireland Politics and Theatre and Performing Arts. They also have a general lending section but you have to be a paying subscriber to borrow books. However any member of the public can step into this beautiful building and make use of the space to read, use the coffee shop, view art and just hang out and relax. A lovely place to escape to and its worthwhile keeping an eye on their website for upcoming events and exhibitions.

Having some time to kill while waiting for a friend I decided to take a nosy round the library to escape the madness of the busy Christmas shoppers, and what a haven it is.
The entrance squeezed between two modern banks gives an idea as to what lies inside, which is a beautiful old library, complete with creaky wooden floors and shelves. There are plenty of quiet corners to hide, read and relax, but if you are feeling more sociable they do have a coffee shop where you aren’t made to whisper!
Some people have said that it is wrong to have a coffee shop in the Linenhall, but if it brings in some income to keep this wonderful institution going, I say get the kettle on!

Beautiful wonderful a place I try to pop in every time I’m in Belfast.
Fabulous tea & toast (£2.50) and a great place to sit and work (wifi) though a lack of outlets. Soups are good and it always seems like it’s just on the edge of crowded, but you can get a place to sit.
A fabulous selection of books, political poster archives on display, and political archives of the brilliant history of Northyern ireland.

I love this place and YET hardly any one even knows about its existence!
This is such a relaxed place to read as the atmosphere is so laid back i used to go here when i was supposed to be in college instead i decided to read about isaac isamov and other random books
when your in here you just feel as if time has slowed down and that your living in the past. It feels so weird and nice when your sitting reading a book then stop to look out the window and watch as the rest of the city is rushing about.
It has very old books about ireland and you will probably find something out about your ancestors from them.
Im a bit pissed of about the membership. It costs £80 and lots of people cant afford it and its a shame as a lot more people would come here if membership was free but at the same time i can see why as some of the books are very old.
A good place to chill out while reading and you will definitely find a book that will open up a whole new world for you :)

With its unimposing entrance, it might be difficult to reconcile this lovely library with its rather understated exterior. In my opinion, it is a little slice of Oxford academia in Belfast.
Up the stairs, along which there are often exhibitions of art, posters or poetry, you’ll find the library itself. The books are not the typical paperbacks that you might get out on loan to read by the pool while on holidays. Rather they are crunchy, crusty and historical tomes that smell divine — like untapped knowledge and leather elbow patches on cardigans.
There is a gift shop — or should I say, a gift table — where you can buy a small selection of nice things for aunties for Christmas, and some books by NI writers of which there may have only been a small number of copies printed and that you can’t buy anywhere else. A great place to relax and have a little ponder about the ways of the world.

The Linen Hall Library is a Belfast treasure. For amateur historians or history/​archaelogy and law students, it packs thousands of centuries-​old titles under its roof. Its’ history is amazing. A hub for local artists and writers, many Belfastians aren’t even aware of its’ presence, which is sad. But if you’re visiting Belfast, make sure you pay a visit-​and read up on its’ history before you go.

Linenhall Library is Belfast’s oldest library. It first opened its doors in 1788 and ever since has been providing the public not only with a great range of books but also information, help and advice. The library houses an extraordinary amount of Irish and local studies material.
They are currently exhibiting a ‘Troubled Images’ show which boasts over 70 political posters documenting the years of the conflict in Northern Ireland. This is the first time ever they’ve been displayed! There’s also a ‘Crossroads of change’ exhibition for those of you who remember the ‘Kevin and Sadie stories’ by Joan Lingard, a sort of Irish ‘Romeo and Juliet’ tale of overcoming diversity. There’s an archive of her work which she has donated to the library who are currently showcasing a range of it. I especially like the original manuscript; it’s lovely to see the work in the original form. The third exhibition is the Headlines of History where records from all over the world document the horrific events of ⁹⁄₁₁. This is a ‘first draft of history that recalls not only the factual events, but also the thoughts and emotions of that day.’ It is harrowing and strange to see other countries perspectives about this. A great but very sad resource.
Finally, the library offers a range of facilities; there is a unique collection of Irish and local studies collections, Northern Ireland political collection, there’s the largest Burns Collection held outside Scotland, a great genealogy/​heraldry service, a theatre and performing arts archive, an extensive general lending collection from bestsellers to classics, free public reference use, internet access, borrowing rights for members (which is amazing, you can take these extraordinary items home to browse in your own free time!) you can browse the daily newspapers, international magazines and journals, there’s also a lovely shop area where you can choose from an extensive range of fine prints, publications and gifts, there’s also a lively little coffee shop where you can top up cyour affeine needs!
A beautiful, historic old Library which shouldn’t be missed.

The Linen Hall library is plonked inbetween two banks which for something steeped in so much history, it was somewhat a surprise (borderline disappointment) to actually find out where this place was located.
I love books, bookshops, librarys, words, dictionaries, the old ‘shift+f7’ shortcut on word, but there is just too many flaws with this place to make it five stars. Yes it has the history, yes it has a proper traditional uneven floors and some books which you know if you tried to sell you could probably get a holiday out of it.
But… and I don’t strive to be controversial, the entire library and the entire experience is ruined by the coffee shop. It is an old-​fashioned library set in the heart of Belfast’s city centre. The Library is tiny compared to Queen’s Library and simply cannot compete for the depth of knowledge or academic texts. But what is has is character. So why, please tell me, would you take this terrific library and stick a chain coffee store in the middle of it. If you step outside and throw a book, you will probably hit a coffee shop. Don’t stick one in the middle of the blooming library. It’s not necessary, it’s trying to capitalise on the experience of going to the library and if it were to be taken out, you could put in a few squishy, coffee smelling sofas and a couple of newspapers to read.
The library has character, it has history, it has a proper library atmosphere. It should not have a chain coffee shop (even though it is a NI coffee shop) in the middle of it.
Let it be a library. Don’t try and make money out of it.

Ulster writer Sam Hanna Bell spoke warmly of the virtues of Linenhall Library as a place of pleasant stimulus for the mind.
The cosy, slightly old fashioned literary atmosphere is most conducive to study. There is a good stock of history, biography, fiction, a noteworthy political collection, also magazines and newspapers.
I have yet to broach the monthly reading group, which happens at lunchtimes. There are regular exhibitions, lectures and talks. A branch of Clements coffee shop is within the library too if a quiet break is what you need.

Awwwww, I LOVE the Linenhall Library, it’s how all libraries should be. Being an English teacher by trade, I’m totally in love with books and literature and have a personal interest in local history as well as Genealogy, and the Linenhall Library is a good place to find out information on this sort of thing. I was able to fin books on headstone inscriptions for the townland of Tullylish where my Father’s side of the family originate, and I even found information on where our family name came from, which was invaluable. This library has a real sense of history and depth to it, and you could wallow here for hours in its comfortable, inviting atmosphere. Worth a look for anyone who appreciates the wonder of a good library.

The Linen Hall library might not be the first place you would think of going, but it is definitely worth a look.
To be honest, I’m a bit in love with books. My dad was a book collector so we were always raised to have a sort of reverence for them. They have character and become so much more than a simple collection of pages and words.
In this way, the Linen Hall library is my spiritual home. I went there to study for all my exams since my GCSEs right up through university, even becoming a member along the way! It was always slightly quieter than studying in a public library and less distracting (for me, at least) than studying at home.
The collection is quite astounding. Their pride and joy is the Irish Collection which basically has a copy of every history or factual book written about Ireland — north and south. I personally could not have gotten through my Irish History post grad without this resource.
The Linen Hall is also a great place to come if you’re researching your genealogy so you’re very likely to come across visiting Americans trying to track down their ancestors in the library’s birth and death records which date back to the 1700s.
The Library also serves as a performance space and will often host poetry readings and theatrical productions. There is also a gallery in the halls of the library which is usually worth a look at too and a coffee shop inside which gives a bit of a modern buzz to the place.
All in all, the Linen Hall Library is a real haven in the city centre. It’s an incredible resource for academics, students or just interested locals to explore this complicated little island and I bloody love it.

This is definitely worth a visit. It’s been a few years since I visited, but I was very impressed by the material on the «Troubles». Their website puts it succinctly:
«The Northern Ireland Political Collection (NIPC) is a unique resource. No other institution in a localised conflict has systematically collected material from all sides. Much less has it been done in the field, and often literally across the barricades.»
I agree with Mssrs. Adams, Paisley, Trimble, and others who recommend visiting the library. It is a national treasure.

This is one of the oldest libraries in all of Ireland. There is a fantastic Clements coffee shop in the library where you can get lunch, or some tasty snacks. The library has a fantastic collection of books. Some of the books are really old and you probably wouldn’t find them anywhere else. The staff are all very friendly and will gladly help you locate a book. I have been in the library a few times for exhibitions also. They are always displaying art collections or political collections which are very interesting. A lot of book launches also happen here so you should look out for any upcoming launches and you could get a chance to speak to the author!

Well worth visiting for its historic value.
Belfast was a world centre for Linen production and this is the place you want to visit if you want to find out about all that.
The recent refurbishment work that has taken place has brought a freshness while not taking away any of the charm of the place which was a real worry when the work started.
Handy to the shopping and the centre of town it is a little oasis in the city.
You can browse and the staff are willing to help however they can.
Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Great place for historical research. Friendly staff.