Call for Consultant for LBI London Library
Scoping Grant
| The library of the Leo Baeck Institute London has recently been relocated from Queen Mary University of London to its new home at Senate House. As part of this transition, the Institute intends to apply for a scoping grant from the Rothschild Hanadiv Foundation to support a professional assessment of the collection and to help shape a long-term strategy for its management.
The scoping report should systematically document and assess the collection as a whole in terms of its content, relevance, research value, and physical condition. It should also include recommendations for the management of the library, outlining a clear plan for its future development. For context, the LBI collection comprises over 5,000 books, 30 metres of journals, and 2,400 pamphlets. It is a multilingual collection, with materials in German, Hebrew, Italian, and English. The collection spans the full spectrum of Jewish culture, including religious, intellectual, social, and political traditions. Many items date from the early 20th century and are not held by any other library in the UK. The collection was founded by Robert Weltsch (1891–1982), the LBI’s first director, and has grown over time through a combination of legacies, donations, and acquisitions. The collection has never benefited from a dedicated librarian, and its current state reflects several years of ad hoc growth and limited oversight. There is no comprehensive understanding of its extent, relevance, or priorities for preservation and access. While most of the collection is catalogued, recent donations and acquisitions from the past few years have yet to be fully integrated. Overall, the physical condition is generally good, including the pamphlets, which were digitised between 2019 and 2025. If you would be interested in undertaking this work, for which the Foundation will provide funding of up to £5,000, or if you can recommend someone suitable, please contact a.riegler@lbilondon.ac.uk. Please include an overview of your relevant experience, your proposed approach, your availability, and an estimate of the number of days required to complete the project. |