Pembroke College Library and Archive, Cambridge

12/06/2026

You did it! Well done to everyone who has been working on this fiendishly tricky puzzle this week. And to those who still have exams, keep going - you're nearly there!

11/05/2026

Humphrey Jennings (1926) was a renowned documentary filmmaker whose papers are held at Pembroke College Archive. In 1937 he co-founded the Mass Observation organisation, which called for people from all parts of the UK to record everything they did from when they woke up in the morning to when they went to sleep at night on 12th May. Since 2010, this project has been revived and you can take part on 12th May this year!

Our 12th May diary day is your chance to be part of recording everyday life. Sending us your dairy helps us record everyday life in the UK.

08/05/2026

Sir David Attenborough turns 100 today! In celebration of his birthday we have a small display in the Chapel display case.

28/04/2026

Today is the first day of term and for all those who are back in the Library we have a new display: A Celebration of Musicals! Find out about the varied stories that have been told through the medium of musical theatre, particularly those adapted from books, as well as the origins of the genre. The display can be found in the Library (Ground Floor and Upper Reading Room) and in J Staircase and it is open to current members of College.

09/04/2026

20/03/2026

This new exhibition features material from our collections, including the Barrie Cooke Archive. Our Archive holdings can be searched on https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/3

Our fantastic new exhibition opens today

"I hope that visitors to this exhibition will feel fascinated, challenged, provoked, inspired." - Curator, Dr Mark Wormald.

Join us this afternoon for the opening day of our new exhibition, Living Water: Poetry, Art and the Fight for Clean Rivers.

Visit Pembroke:
Tuesday to Saturday
2:30 - 4:30pm

A collaboration between University Library and , the exhibition continues at the University Library.

05/03/2026

Happy World Book Day! 📚
Here’s a selection of the books that the Library & Archive team are enjoying at the moment. Tell us what you are reading in the comments!

02/03/2026

Your libraries, your views. Have your say for the chance to win prizes – takes 10 minutes!

The survey is open to anyone who uses our libraries and services.

Tell us what you think, and as a thank you, students have the chance to win an iPad Air and everyone could win one of ten £50 Love Cambridge gift vouchers.

The survey is open now. Don't miss your chance to have your say and (hopefully) win big! Take the survey: www.lib.cam.ac.uk/survey

02/03/2026

Happy Lunar New Year! Pembroke sends its warmest best wishes to all the members of our community around the world who are celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse.

The Fire Horse is a symbol of energy, courage and determination. May the year ahead bring inspiration, success and joy to our students, alumni, Fellows, staff and friends.

To mark the occasion, we hope you enjoy these horse illustrations from Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus liber I: cm aeneis figuris (1657) by Johannes Jonstonus from the Pembroke College Library and Archive, Cambridge. A note in the front of the book states that it was lent to the poet Thomas Gray while he was still at Peterhouse.

27/01/2026

By College Librarian, Genny Grim Friday 23 January 2026 People are often surprised at the sorts of things that turn up in archive collections, and the collection of Pembroke College Archive is no exception. Among all the ledgers and parchment documents, there is a large box containing an elaborately...