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Building closure - upcoming dates

Due to extensive roofing works at Palace Green Library, there will be times when we have to close the building to visitors between summer 2024 and spring 2025.

Visit our Tickets and Times page for more information.

Plan Your Visit

Find out everything you need to know to get the most from our visit: how to find us, opening times and more. Plus, everything you need to know if you or anyone in your group has any special needs or requirements.

Contact us

History of the collections

Find out more about how our collections were created and found their way to the University.

  • Bishop Cosin and his Library

    Innovative, revolutionary and ambitious; perhaps not traits many associate with librarians, but John Cosin, Bishop of Durham, was all of these.
    Cosin's Library balcony with bookcases lined along it and a view of the lower level bookcases in the background
  • Sharp Family of Bamburgh

    An extraordinary family of clergymen, politicians, lawyers, surgeons, industrialists, and philanthropists who created the Bamburgh Library.
    The top half of the first page of the Bamburgh Library borrower register. Although the library was given to the Lord Crewe Trustees in 1792, it did not formally open until June 1797 (DUL Bamburgh MS B1, folio 1). Reproduced with permission of the Lord Crewe’s Trustees (TBC)
  • Martin Routh

    Before the University was gifted Cosin’s Library, Routh’s collection of 15,000 volumes was its most significant early printed book collection.
    Plaster bust of Martin Routh on one of the walls in the Routh Library.

Bishop Cosin and his Library

Innovative, revolutionary and ambitious; perhaps not traits many associate with librarians, but John Cosin, Bishop of Durham, was all of these.
Cosin's Library balcony with bookcases lined along it and a view of the lower level bookcases in the background

Sharp Family of Bamburgh

An extraordinary family of clergymen, politicians, lawyers, surgeons, industrialists, and philanthropists who created the Bamburgh Library.
The top half of the first page of the Bamburgh Library borrower register. Although the library was given to the Lord Crewe Trustees in 1792, it did not formally open until June 1797 (DUL Bamburgh MS B1, folio 1). Reproduced with permission of the Lord Crewe’s Trustees (TBC)

Martin Routh

Before the University was gifted Cosin’s Library, Routh’s collection of 15,000 volumes was its most significant early printed book collection.
Plaster bust of Martin Routh on one of the walls in the Routh Library.
Palace Green Library is actually a series of building dating from the 15th century, such an evocative stone built building, most definitely well worth checking out if you're in the area and easy to locate along Palace Green.
Neil K
Liverpool

Architecture

Palace Green Library is not one, but a collection of buildings. Explore the story of the evolution of the site and the buildings.

Still from the panoramic tour of the Exchequer Building. The tour shows the layout of the Chancery Court (currently housing the Bamburgh Library).
A person exploring the books at a bookcase in Cosin's Library.

Using our collections

We welcome anyone who wishes to study our collections. Find out more about searching our collections online and how to make a research appointment.

Find out more about using our collections

Nearby attractions

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Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre

Find out everything you need to know to make the most of your visit to Durham.
A Durham Castle tour guide leading a tour

Durham Castle

Sitting at the heart of Durham's World Heritage Site and occupied continuously since the 11th century.
A view of the castle gatehouse from the courtyard

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