Westminster library opening hours for all 16 libraries: six open on Sundays, one until 10.30pm. Christmas closures, joining free, and the 25p print charge.

Westminster library opening hours vary more than most people expect. Little Venice Sports Centre Library stays open until 10.30pm on weekdays, while Mayfair Library does not open until 11am. Six libraries open on Sundays, and nine close all day. One of the six, St John’s Wood, is shut for redecoration until Sunday 18 October 2026.

The hours below are taken from each library’s page on Westminster City Council’s website, checked on 5 October 2026. Most of those pages were last updated in September 2026.

Westminster library opening hours

Library Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Charing Cross, WC2H 0EP 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 10.30am to 2pm 11am to 5pm
Church Street, NW8 8EU 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 5pm Closed
Express Library, SW1P 2DE Closed 10am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 10am to 5pm 10am to 5pm Closed
Little Venice Sports Centre, W2 1ND 9am to 10.30pm 9am to 10.30pm 9am to 10.30pm 9am to 10.30pm 9am to 10.30pm 10am to 5.30pm 10am to 5.30pm
Maida Vale, W9 2QT 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 5pm Closed
Marylebone, W1G 9UQ 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 5pm 1.30pm to 5pm
Mayfair, W1K 2PB 11am to 7pm 11am to 7pm 11am to 7pm 11am to 7pm 11am to 7pm 10.30am to 2pm Closed
Paddington, W2 5DU (adult library) 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 5pm 11am to 5pm
Pimlico, SW1V 3ED 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 5pm 1.30pm to 5pm
Queen’s Park, W10 4NE 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 5pm Closed
St John’s Wood, NW8 6NX (closed to 18 Oct) 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 5pm 11.30am to 3pm
Victoria, SW1W 9UD 9.30am to 8pm 9.30am to 7pm 10am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 7pm 9.30am to 5pm Closed
West End Arts Library, WC2H 7DE 10am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 10am to 8pm 10am to 5pm Closed
Westminster Business Library, SW1W 9UD 8.30am to 7pm 8.30am to 7pm 8.30am to 7pm 8.30am to 7pm 8.30am to 7pm 9am to 5pm Closed
Westminster Music Library, WC2H 7DE 10am to 6pm 10am to 6pm 10am to 6pm 10am to 6pm 10am to 6pm 1pm to 5pm Closed
Westminster Chinese Library, WC2H 0EP Same hours as Charing Cross Library, where it is based

Six libraries open on Sundays

If you need a library on a Sunday, your options are:

  • Little Venice Sports Centre Library, 10am to 5.30pm, the longest Sunday opening.
  • Charing Cross Library, 11am to 5pm.
  • Paddington Library, 11am to 5pm for the adult library. The children’s library is closed on Sundays.
  • Marylebone Library, 1.30pm to 5pm.
  • Pimlico Library, 1.30pm to 5pm.
  • St John’s Wood Library, 11.30am to 3pm, once it reopens on Monday 19 October 2026.

Late opening: Little Venice runs to 10.30pm

Little Venice Sports Centre Library on Crompton Street, W2, is open from 9am to 10.30pm Monday to Friday, because it shares its hours with the sports centre. That gives it 82.5 hours a week, far more than any other library in the borough. It is a small branch, with books for adults and children, four computers, wifi and printing, but it is the only library in Westminster you can visit after 8pm.

For the rest, 8pm is the latest closing. Marylebone, Paddington, Pimlico and West End Arts Library stay open until 8pm every weekday; most other branches reach 8pm on just one evening a week.

Closures and changes to check first

  • St John’s Wood Library is closed for redecoration from Thursday 10 September to Sunday 18 October 2026, and is scheduled to reopen on Monday 19 October. It has an out-of-hours return box for books.
  • Paddington Library reopened on 1 September 2026 after refurbishment. Its children’s library is in a separate building, Westbourne Park Baptist Church on Westbourne Park Villas, W2 5EA, open 10.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays and 10.30am to 5pm on Saturdays.
  • Marylebone Library on New Cavendish Street faces a proposed redevelopment. The council publishes updates on the library’s page.
  • West End Arts Library is the library at 35 St Martin’s Street, near Leicester Square, long known as Westminster Reference Library. The council’s pages now use the new name. It holds the performing arts, fine art, design and photography collections, with Westminster Music Library on the first floor.
  • Express Library is a self-service library on the ground floor of the City of Westminster Archives Centre, St Ann’s Street, SW1. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Christmas and New Year closures

The council’s holiday opening times apply to every library and the Archives Centre:

Date Hours
Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December 2026 Open as usual
Thursday 24 December Open until 1pm
Friday 25 to Monday 28 December Closed
Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 December Open as usual
Thursday 31 December Open until 5pm
New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January 2027 Closed
Saturday 2 January 2027 Open as usual

The council’s own table labels New Year’s Day as a Thursday and 2 January as a Friday. In 2027, 1 January falls on a Friday, so we have used the correct days above.

What is free, and what costs money

Joining is free. Anyone aged 16 or over can join as an adult member with proof of identity and a permanent address, which can be outside the UK. Westminster residents with a smartphone can get a MyWestminster Digital Card instead, held in Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Membership also covers Kensington and Chelsea’s libraries, because the two boroughs share one service.

No proof of address? You can join as a guest member with proof of identity, such as a passport. Guest members can use the computers and online resources free but cannot borrow books. People in short-term accommodation can apply for short stay membership instead. Under-16s can join with a parent, carer or guardian who is a member.

Borrowing: up to 20 books, 8 CDs, 8 DVDs and 8 audiobooks at a time.

Overdue charges: 25p a day for adults, capped at £10 per item. 16 and 17 year olds pay 10p a day, capped at £2. Under-16s pay nothing.

Computers and wifi: wifi is free in every library. Computer time is free for one hour a day, and you can buy an extra hour for £1.10. Book in the library or online with your card number and password. You have 10 minutes to log on before a booking is cancelled.

Printing and photocopying: 25p a page for black and white A4, 50p for A3. Colour is 90p for A4 and £1.65 for A3.

eBooks and more: members can borrow eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, eComics and eScores free through the Libby app by OverDrive, and read newspapers and magazines through PressReader.

Have a say on the future of the service

Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea are running their first joint survey on the future of libraries and archives, which closes on 16 November 2026. Our report on the Westminster libraries survey lists the dates of the 13 community forums. For other free things to do in the borough, see things to do in Westminster.

Frequently asked questions

Which Westminster libraries are open on Sunday? Little Venice Sports Centre, Charing Cross, Paddington, Marylebone and Pimlico, plus St John’s Wood once it reopens on 19 October 2026. Sunday hours range from 10am to 5.30pm at Little Venice to 1.30pm to 5pm at Marylebone and Pimlico.

Which Westminster library is open latest? Little Venice Sports Centre Library, open until 10.30pm Monday to Friday. Every other library closes by 8pm at the latest.

Is St John’s Wood Library open? Not until Monday 19 October 2026. It is closed for redecoration from 10 September to 18 October 2026.

Can I join a Westminster library without proof of address? Yes, as a guest member with proof of identity. Guest members can use computers and online resources free but cannot borrow books. Adults with proof of a permanent address, in the UK or abroad, can join as full members free.

How much does printing cost in Westminster libraries? 25p per page for black and white A4 and 90p for colour A4. A3 is 50p in black and white and £1.65 in colour.

Are Westminster libraries open on Christmas Eve? Yes, until 1pm on Thursday 24 December 2026. All libraries are closed from 25 to 28 December and on New Year’s Day.

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