Maughan Library

Maughan Library, King's College London
The Maughan Library with the Clock Tower
51°30′55″N 0°06′38″W / 51.5153°N 0.1106°W / 51.5153; -0.1106
Location	Chancery Lane London, WC2, United Kingdom
Type	Academic library
Established	1232 Domus Conversorum 1377 Chapel/House of Master of the Rolls 1851 Public Record Office 2001 Maughan Library
Branch of	King's College London Library Services
Branches	8[1]
Collection
Items collected	Books, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, maps, prints, drawings and manuscripts
Size	750k items (approx.)[2]
Access and use
Access requirements	Students and staff of King's College London and other University of London colleges, some SCONUL Access Card holders and members of the public with legitimate research needs
Other information
Budget	£5,087,981 (Expenditure on print and electronic resources across all branches 2011–12)[3]
Director	Lis Hannon
Website	kcl.ac.uk/library

The Maughan Library (/mɔːn/) is the main university research library of King's College London, forming part of the Strand Campus. A 19th-century neo-Gothic building located on Chancery Lane in the City of London, it was formerly the home to the headquarters of the Public Record Office, known as the "strong-box of the Empire",^[4] and was acquired by the university in 2001. Following a £35m renovation designed by Gaunt Francis Architects, the Maughan is the largest new university library in the United Kingdom since World War II.^[5]

Designed by Sir James Pennethorne and constructed in 1851, with further extensions made between 1868 and 1900, it is a Grade II* listed building. Inside the library is a dodecagonal reading room, inspired by that of the British Museum, and a former medieval chapel, now an exhibition space showcasing the special collections of the library. The library was named in honour of Sir Deryck Maughan, an alumnus of the university.