About Us

Keats Community Library (KCL) opened its doors on the 17th April 2012 taking over the building previously known as the Heath Library when it was run by Camden Council.

KCL is an independant charity supported by the local community and run by over 50 volunteers .  The Charity is overseen by an upaid Board of Directors acting as Trustees. The current Trustees are: Lionel Aitman (Treasurer), Steven Bobasch (Chair), Carol Goldblatt, Tony Hillier, Victoria Joel,  Lee Montague, Jonathan Nakouzi, Nigel Steward (Secretary), and Nicky White.

The charity's objectives are to keep the library open, to provide a service which reflects what the local community wants, to promote literacy generally and to be a welcoming place in the community.

KCL is entirely dependant on the local community for survival  in terms of volunteers to run the day to day and associuated projects such as events and fund-raising as well for financing. It is up to the community to support the library now as Camden have decided not to be involved any longer.

KCL has to pay market rates for:

• the City of London Corporation for its occupancy of the building,
• the Library Manager for its part time representative
• to buy and maintain the stock of books and DVDS to lend
• rent on the room used for evening events

KCL works closely with a number of local groups and charities, the Heath and Hampstead Society, the Hampstead Heath Community and the South End Green Association as well as many residents associations and trader groups.

Keats Community Library was formed on 21st December 2011 as a company limited by guarantee (07889559) and is a UK registered charity (1146702).

The history of the Library building

Heath Library started at the turn of the century as a Book Exchange in a shop at 21 South End Green, opposite Hampstead Heath Station. Borrowers had to hand in a signed list of titles, and a few hours later a book or books, obtained from the Arkwright Road Library, would be waiting for them. In 1907 a library opened in the former school building in Worsley Road (now part of Pilgrim’s Lane). Keats House was purchased in 1921 and placed in the care of the Borough in 1924. In 1931 the present library, designed to blend with the style and scale of the house, was built in its grounds to serve also as a museum for the Keats Memorial Library, a collection formed by Sir Charles Duke and given to the Borough in 1911.

The building then passed to the management of The City of London when they acquired Keats House, and Camden took a Lease on the building to continue to operate Heath Library. Camden Council surrendered their lease on 16th April 2012 having closed the Heath Library on the 31st March 2012 as part of their budget savings programme. 

(With thanks to Helen Marcus and The Heath and Hampstead Society Newsletter, September 2011)