The poverty maps, papers and notebooks of Charles Booth’s inquiry into the Life and Labour of the People in London (1886 – 1903), an investigation into the distribution of wealth and poverty in late-Victorian London. The most famous items in this collection are the maps, known for their street-by-street colour-coded display of wealth distribution throughout the city at the time. This collection includes both the printed and hand-coloured maps produced by the inquiry. Further topics addressed in Booth's papers and notebooks include industry and religion.

A collection of papers and publications produced by the Fabian Society between 1884 and 2009, including the Fabian Tracts, the Young Fabian pamphlets series and meeting minutes. These materials provide a record of the Society’s internal administration, as well as illustrating their political and ideological evolution over time. Founded in 1884, the Fabian Society is a prominent left-wing think tank which has had (and continues to have) a significant influence on the British left, most notably the Labour Party. The Society was founded with the purpose to "reconstruct society in such a manner as to secure the general welfare and happiness".

A collection of official and administrative publications produced by successive South African governments between 1866 and 1986, including a series of censuses (1866 – 1968) and a series of reports on education (1882 – 1986). These publications provide statistics and time-series data on a range of topics, including demographics, education, employment, housing, industry, marital conditions and public health, as well as insight into the policies of successive South African governments before and after independence from British rule.

The books in this collection constitute some of the oldest material from The Women’s Library and LSE, dating from the early 17th century to the mid 19th century. The collection explores how social expectations of women and their perceived roles in society have changed throughout the centuries, featuring perspectives from both female and male authors. The books include academic and philosophical works, such as treatises, essays and recorded lectures, as well as petitions, instructional books, works of fiction, satire and general entertainment.

The diaries of Beatrice Webb (1858 – 1943), including the original manuscript volumes and typescript copies with associated ephemera. Webb kept a diary from 1873 until her death in 1943, providing a detailed account of her life and work. Topics covered include the Fabian Society, the Labour Party, trade unionism, the suffrage movement, LSE, local government and communism, as well as details of Webb’s personal life, her marriage to Sidney Webb and descriptions of friends and acquaintances.

This collection contains the annual reports of the first suffrage societies of the 19th century (e.g., the London Society for Women’s Suffrage in 1869). This includes reports of the branches of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, of the Women’s Social and Political Union, and of suffrage societies around England, Scotland, Ireland and Europe. The annual conference reports of the Women’s Freedom League continue until 1929.

This collection contains the bound volume of leaflets published by the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies up until 1914. It also contains the leaflets and pamphlets published by various suffrage organisations such as the Women’s Local Government Society and the Women’s Emancipation Union.

This collection contains the journals of a number of suffrage organisations from the late 19th century to 1918. This includes the journals of suffragists and suffragettes, as well as religious, international and political suffrage groups, and anti-suffragists. Some journals continued beyond the passing of the Representation of the People Act in 1918 (e.g., “The Vote” by the Women’s Freedom League and “Jus Suffragii” by the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance).

A collection of campaigning leaflets from the 1975 and 2016 referendums on the UK’s membership of the European Common Market and European Union respectively. The leaflets were produced by various individuals, political parties and organisations active during both campaigns. Together, they evidence the arguments that were presented to the public by campaigners and provide insight into public perception of the referendums at the time.