Royal Library reform

The material in this collection illustrates Prince Albert’s (1819-61) bibliographical interests, including catalogues of his own library collections and documents relating to the Royal Library at Windsor.

The library had been refounded by William IV in the 1830s but required major reform to fulfil the Prince’s ideal of a useful, rational library. This collection includes copies of the reports written for the Prince by the Royal Librarian, Bernard B. Woodward, which were instituted after the Prince’s death, and whose principles still appertain today.