The TUC Library is the major research library for the study of all aspects of trade unions and collective bargaining with both historical and contemporary coverage. The emphasis is on Britain, but many other countries are represented, especially Europe and the Commonwealth.

The TUC Library was established in 1922 and was based on the integrated collections of the TUC Parliamentary Committee, the Labour Party Information Bureau, and the Womens Trade Union League. It was run as a joint library with the Labour Party until the TUC moved to Congress House in 1956. The collection was developed for the use of the TUC and affiliated unions, but its specialisation has led to its parallel development as a major research library in the social sciences. In September 1996, the Collections moved to their new home in the London Metropolitan University Holloway Road library.

The Collections also hold the deposited records of the Workers’ Educational Association, Labour Research Department and the Mary Macarthur Holiday Trust.

The Blog is written by James Goddard and Jeff Howarth.

See our webpages about the Library and our digital archives.