Idea Store and library services

Idea Store Watney Market has reopened

After its use to support the NHS during the Covid pandemic, Idea Store Watney Market will reopen on Monday 9 January 2023.

Find out about opening hours and services.


Tower Hamlets libraries and Idea Stores aim to serve the local community with a range of services.

24 Hour Library

Your Idea Store card gives you free 24 hour access to an exciting range of online services, including books, magazines, music and newspapers.

Visit the 24 Hour Library.

Children and families

Discover fun activities for all the family to share.

Download the Idea Store App

To search the catalogue, renew your loans, place reservations and access online services from your smartphone, download the Idea Store App.

eLibrary

Visit the eLibrary to download the latest bestselling and classic eBooks and audiobooks and adults and children.

Idea Store Learning

Idea Store Learning offers high quality courses in a wide range of subjects.

Local History Library & Archive

Local History services include:

  • Over 20,000 books and pamphlets dating from the 17th century to the present day 
  • Shipping Collection
  • Cuttings Collection which includes newspaper articles and printed ephemera
  • 25,000 photographs and illustrations
  • Over 2,000 maps and plans dating from Elizabethan times to the present day
  • Exhibitions
  • Microfilms including local census returns from 1841 to 1891, local newspapers, parish registers and trade directories
  • Audio-Visual collections.

Online catalogue

The user friendly online catalogue gives you details of all titles in stock in Tower Hamlets and our London Libraries Consortium partners. Visit the online catalogue.

You will find details of books, CDs and DVDs.

The catalogue tells you in which libraries and Idea Stores the titles are held, and whether they are currently available for you to borrow or reserve. You will also find descriptions and reviews of books.