THE owners of the oldest surviving subscription library in the British Isles have voted to transfer the building and books to a charity.
The Leeds Library, the private library in Commercial Street, Leeds, was founded in 1768 and for the past 240 years has been owned by its proprietors and run by a committee.
At a special general meeting proprietors voted for the change in status, a
fter reassurances from the president, George Whitehead, that the relaxed atmosphere in the library would not change.
Mr Whitehead told the meeting that the library's 20-strong committee believed that the proposed complete transfer to a charity would provide significant gains and was the best way of preserving the institution for the future.
Mr Whitehead said: "At the moment we are an unincorporated body which means we are just a group of proprietors. The vote was to enable the trustees who are the owners of the building, to transfer the ownership of the building and books to a charitable company which was already in existence.
"It means we will save at least £1,000 a week. We will be that much better off so we can pay back money we have spent on repairs to the building."
The new status will also allow the library to approach other organisations for donations.
Housed in a listed Georgian building which is 200 years old this year, the library boasts a collection of more than 140,000 books.
It is owned by its 500 proprietary members who each have one share and pay an annual £60 subscription.
Some 250 associate members pay £65 annually and will all now become library members. Partners and children of members are also allowed to use the facilities.
