About City Sources

These pages list some useful links, books and information for anyone interested in the City of London, especially its history.

Finding books

Guildhall Library has a huge number of London books and archive records, all available to consult free of charge, no membership required. It also has a range of books for sale.

As well as the usual sources for new books, it's worth looking out for secondhand and remaindered books, especially out-of-print titles. Some charities (e.g. Oxfam, British Heart Foundation) run bookshops which may have a shelf of London books. The stalls at the Southbank Centre Book Market under Waterloo Bridge are worth browsing for old London maps and prints as well as books.

Online, AbeBooks is an excellent source of old books, especially if you're looking for a specific title. Prices are often very low. PostScript sells a selection of new, often obscure books on a wide range of subjects at reduced prices.

Full texts of old books may be available via Google Books, which allows you to create your own online library.

Last updated 1 June 2019