Beginnings 1888-1949
Appearing in London’s Queen Square as the Medical Library of the National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, Queen Square Library and Archives has grown alongside the development of modern neurology. Its story began on 3 February 1888, when the distinguished neurologist Dr William Gowers proposed creating a medical library to support teaching, training and clinical practice in the emerging fields of neurology and neurosurgery.
As the Hospital expanded, so did the Library. Donations of books and journals joined specialist departmental collections, scientific specimens and physicians’ personal reference libraries, creating a rich and unique resource. The Library’s journey across Queen Square reflected its rising status, moving from a basement room in the Hospital’s Albany Wing to larger and more prominent homes, including the Queen Mary Wing (1938), Alexandra House (1962/63) and, finally, 23 Queen Square in 1981.
By the time the Hospital joined the NHS in 1948, the Library had earned recognition for its exceptional neurological collections and its support of the many postgraduate students who came to Queen Square to learn and research.
Blast Off! The Rockefeller Medical Library’s Rise (1950–1989)
In 1950, a new era began when the medical school left the National Hospital to become the Institute of Neurology (ION), part of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation of the University of London. A new Library Sub-Committee guided the Library’s future, and P.M. Clarke (the first Medical Librarian we know of) expanded services and collections. A landmark Rockefeller Foundation grant in 1954 earned the Library a new name: the Rockefeller Medical Library (RML).
The 1960s brought fresh milestones, including pioneering MEDLARS trials (an early medical database) to welcoming its first student librarian placement. At the end of the decade, Wellcome Trust funding for the indexing of historical case notes helped preserve this unique medical history, developing into what would become Queen Square Archives.
Despite challenges, the 1970s and 1980s saw the RML broaden its reach and embrace a rapidly changing world. During the Cold War, the Library built remarkable international links, lending books with medical libraries in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania. Closer to home, its historical collections were fully catalogued, opening new opportunities for researchers.
Technology transformed services too. By 1983 the Library was connected to the University’s academic computer network, swiftly followed by computer-aided literature searches in 1984 and the arrival of the Medline database on CD-ROM. NHS users formed half of the library’s membership by 1985.
New Paths in the Digital Age (1990-2009)
The 1990s and early 2000s marked a period of rapid transformation for the RML as it expanded its collections (including film), audience and digital reach. The closure of the Maida Vale Hospital Library (another specialist neurology hospital) and the Nurse Education Library brought valuable resources into RML, while the fixed-term appointment of an archivist in 1991 strengthened the preservation of our unique collections. Technology rapidly reshaped services: email arrived in 1994, Networked Medline followed in 1995 (the RML being the first customer in the UK), and by 1996 the Library had launched its first webpage and begun trialing electronic journals. Barcode scanning and wireless access further modernised the Library’s services.
In 1995, the ION affiliated with University College London (UCL), and formally merged in 1997. At the turn of the century, complex merger negotiations with UCL resulted in new library relationships across campus.
There were also causes for celebrations when the Library gained recognition for its flagship-status collections, and a long-lost significant medical text was rediscovered.
Renewal and Memory (2010-2026)
The 2010s ushered in a bold new chapter for the Library. A remarkable £1 million investment from The National Brain Appeal and the Brain Research Trust transformed the space through a major refurbishment, creating the modern environment enjoyed today. The new look was matched with a new identity as the RML became Queen Square Library, Archive and Museum (“Museum” was later dropped). The redesign gained national recognition, earning a place on the Society of College, National and University Libraries’ (SCONUL) Library Design Award shortlist.
Our archives collection expanded with Wellcome-funded support and the creation of the Queen Square Archives Committee. Among its treasures are more than 1,500 volumes of neurological case notes, forming Britain’s longest continuous manuscript collection of neurological patient histories. Together, these records offer an unparalleled window into the evolution of neurology from 1860 onwards, during a period when the National Hospital stood as Britain’s leading specialist neurological centre.
The Library’s designated archive space was renamed the Louise Shepherd Room in memory of our dedicated Librarian who championed the historical collections.
The Library became, and has ever since been a hub for scholarship, research and engagement, hosting book launches, exhibitions, and even BBC filming. It still retains deep links with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (its new name since 1990).
In 2026, the Library has been proudly supporting major anniversary celebrations, like UCL’s bicentenary and the Institute’s seventy-fifth anniversary, while continuing to preserve, develop and share our extraordinary story.
Further information
Written by Carl Banks, Information Assistant at UCL ION QSLA.
Edited by Isabel Lauterjung, Blog Coordinator for Explore Your Archive.
For more information about the History of Queen Square Library and Archives, please see our website: https://queensquare.org.uk/archives/visiting/exhibitions
Come see us on our Archives Open Day on 26 November 2026.
For further information, please contact:
mailto:neuroarchives@ucl.ac.uk or see www.queensquare.org.uk/archives
