General Lending

An extensive general lending collection of fiction and non-fiction for the benefit of our members, with strengths in literary fiction, history, politics and arts and culture – it’s like having your own private library!
Where can you find this Collection?

Level 2

Join Us

Support the preservation of the library and enjoy a myriad of exclusive benefits for members

The Linen Hall is Belfast’s living room – a place to relax, read, think, reflect and discuss. A beautiful space right in the heart of the city centre, enjoy spending time in our atmospheric library, browsing our packed General Lending shelves for the best classic and literary fiction, with strengths in history, politics, and arts and culture. Pull up a chair, and open your mind to a wealth of knowledge. Linen Hall members are able to borrow from the outstanding collection of thousands of titles available, as well as enjoying the exclusive benefits of daily newspapers and magazines – it’s like having your own private library!

The Linen Hall also has a great children and young adult’s library with books written and illustrated by the best local writers and artists, books in the Irish language and Ulster-Scots, and from writers across the world which celebrate inclusivity and diversity allowing voices which reflect a modern, confident, and outward looking society in Northern Ireland. Our shelves are stocked with great books that feature a range of characters, from diverse creators, which reflect the change and diversity in what it means to be a child and young adult in Northern Ireland. We are proud to hold an archive of the world-renowned children’s author Martin Waddell (Can’t you Sleep, Little Bear?; Owl Babies; Farmer Duck) and young adult fiction writer Joan Lingard (Kevin and Sadie trilogy). Access to these archives is available by emailing info@linenhall.com, and Joan Lingard features in our extraORDINARYwomen and Northern Ireland Literary Archive digital resources.

Help preserve this collection

As a charity, we depend on funding, donations and membership subscriptions to continue our great work. A small contribution will help us continue the preservation and promotion of knowledge.
Proudly Supported By

The Linen Hall (Belfast Library And Society For Promoting Knowledge) is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 104 564.