On 1 July 2009, the Royal United Services Institute re-launched its Library of Military History.
On 1 July, the Royal United Services Institute re-launched its Library of Military History. Founded by the Duke of Wellington in 1831, RUSI and its library remain prevalent sources of information in the world of Military History. The ceremony saw the Institute pledging its support for the continual growth of the library as a prolific resource and marked the beginning of further developments. New study areas around the upper landing, for instance, will allow increased access and a real working facility for users in the future.
Following a few words from RUSI’s Director, Michael Clarke, prominent military historian, Mark Urban, gave a short speech of dedication to the library. Remarking on his own previous research at the repository, which included finding ‘hidden treasures’ like the Challis Index, he stressed the importance of facilities like this one. The re-inauguration of the Royal United Services Institute Library of Military History celebrated both the library’s prior achievements and developments to come.
The RUSI Library of Military History is a world-leading resource, dedicated to developing our knowledge of war and shaping theoretical approaches to modern military thinking.
An integral part of RUSI, the Library is home to over 16,000 volumes which form a unique and ever-growing repository of books. Our catalogue contains a broad range of military history texts, though our largest collections are of eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century military affairs.
The current library site was conceived by Sir Aston Webb and opened in 1895. The spacious and accommodating design makes the library a perfect place for holding lectures and events, or for individual studies and small groups: it serves as a real hub for RUSI, where academics and enthusiasts can explore current and previous thinking on military strategy. The library is fully accessible to both members and non-members, though members have the added privilege of borrowing books at any time.