Access and accounts
How do I create an LRB account?Create an LRB account here.Use the same email address you used when buying the LRB to ensure we can connect your subscription.
If you are a subscriber to the London Review of Books, your LRB account gives you full, uninterrupted access to the LRB website and app, including our archive.How do I link my subscription to my account?If you subscribed online: make sure you create your LRB account using the same email address that you used when buying the subscription. This will mean your subscription is linked automatically.
If you subscribed by post or over the phone: First, create an LRB account.
If your subscription hasn't automatically linked: Go to the ‘My Account’ section and use the ‘Subscription’ tab to attach your customer number. This confirms you have an active subscription and gives you full website and app access. Your customer number is a 12-digit number and can be found on the address label of each issue.I have forgotten my password. How do I reset it?Use our password reset page. We will email you a link that you can use to reset the password for your LRB account. If resetting your password doesn't resolve the issue, contact customer service.Can I access the LRB on multiple devices?Yes: your subscription gives you access to the LRB website and app across several devices, so you can be logged into the LRB on your work computer, home laptop, phone and tablet.How do I find my customer number?Your 12-digit customer number can be found on the address label of each issue. It will also be on your subscription receipt and confirmation emails if you subscribed online.I'm having trouble accessing the website or app – who do I contact?Please report any problems you have with the LRB app using this form here or by emailing app@lrb.co.uk, and our customer service team will get back to you.
For issues with the LRB website or your LRB account, if you haven't been able to find an answer here, please contact customer support.
Email: lrb@subscription.co.uk
Phone:
UK, Europe and rest of world: +44 (0)1858 438743
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8 am–6 pm
US & Canada: Tel +1 800-258-2066
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8 am–4.30 pm (Central Time)
Subscriptions
What subscription options are available?We offer two types of LRB magazine subscription:Print and digital: 22 print editions a year (including two double issues) plus full website, app and archive access.
Digital: website and app access to the new issue and LRB archive
You can compare subscription options and see our latest offers for your region on our Subscriptions page.
Our Close Readings podcast is a separate subscription, which costs £4.99 a month. You can subscribe at Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts.How long will it take to receive my first issue?Our publication schedule provides the estimated delivery date for each issue. If you subscribed online, your confirmation email will tell you the first issue you'll receive.
Please note the time taken to receive an issue varies depending on where you are in the world, when the order was placed and where we are in our publication cycle. We take a short break at Easter, Christmas and over the summer, so you may have to wait more than a fortnight for your first issue at these times.What content is free, and what requires a subscription?If you're not a subscriber – or you subscribe, but are not logged into your LRB account – you can access two free articles on the LRB website per month.
Access to the app requires an LRB subscription (either digital, or print and digital). You can also subscribe directly in the Apple App Store for access to the app only, not the website.
The LRB Podcast is free to listen to on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Short, 15-minute taster episodes of Close Readings are available for free (website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify). To listen in full, subscribe on Supporting Cast for £4.99 a month.Is the Close Readings podcast included in my LRB subscription?It is not included as part of your LRB subscription - though if this is of interest to you, please write and let us know!
You can listen to 15-minute taster episodes for free on our website, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. To listen in full, subscribe on Supporting Cast for £4.99 a month.How far back does the archive go, and do I have access to all of it?The LRB archive dates back to our first issue, published on 25 October 1979. It includes more than 18,000 reviews, essays, diaries and poems.
You can access it in full on our website, either via search, browsing by contributor or year, or using our subject pages.
The app contains every issue since 2014. Search is the best way to browse.How do I buy a gift subscription?To buy a gift subscription, visit our subscription page and first select the type of subscription you wish to give: either print and digital, or digital.
On the next screen, select ‘I'm buying a gift’, rather than ‘I'm buying for myself’.
Then enter the rest of your information – including your billing details, the recipient's delivery details and the start issue – to complete the gift purchase.
As the giver, you can see any gift subscriptions you have bought in your LRB account. The billing address is yours, the delivery address the recipient's.How does the recipient of a gift subscription redeem their subscription?When the ‘giver’ buys a gift subscription, they fill in the recipient's name and delivery address. The London Review of Books will then arrive through that person's letterbox without any effort required from them.
For digital access, the recipient will need to create an LRB online account, log in and use the ‘Subscription’ option to add their customer number. This will enable full website and app access.Where can I buy the London Review of Books magazine from a newsstand?If you are in the UK, you can check the store-finder page of our newsstand distributor to see if somewhere near you stocks the LRB.
The magazine is sold at many WH Smith travel outlets, TG Jones high street stores, and some supermarkets and newsagents with larger magazine selections.
In the US, the LRB is stocked in some Barnes & Noble stores.
Managing your subscription
How do I check my subscription status and expiry date?Log into your LRB account and click on ‘My Account’ in the top right of your screen, then ‘Subscriptions’ in the left-hand sidebar on desktop or in the dropdown menu on mobile or tablet. This will show whether your subscription is still active and when it runs out.If you have any further questions you can contact customer services at lrb@subscription.co.uk or phone numbers here.How do I update my delivery address or payment method?You can now update both your delivery address and your payment method in your LRB account. Log in here to manage.
If you need further assistance, please contact customer services.
If you pay by Direct Debit and need to update your bank details, you’ll need to cancel the existing Direct Debit and set up a new one. Cancel it through online banking or your bank’s app, then contact our customer service team to arrange a new Direct Debit: email lrb@subscription.co.uk or call the numbers on our contact page.How do I pause my subscription while I'm away? How do I reactivate?You can pause or reactivate a subscription on the ‘My Account’ page. Log in here.Why does my subscription auto-renew?Auto-renewing subscriptions ensures you receive the London Review of Books without interruption. An initial payment is taken at the time of purchase, as detailed in the checkout process. If you have selected an auto-renewing offer, your subscription will be automatically renewed – yearly, quarterly or monthly – until it is cancelled.How do I turn off auto-renewal?You can opt out of auto-renewal in your LRB account online. Log in here, then select ‘Opt out of recurring payments’ on the Subscriptions page.
This means that your LRB subscription will stop at the end of your current payment cycle. Because you have opted out of renewal, you will not receive renewal reminders via email or post.
If you want to continue receiving the LRB, the onus will be on you to remember to take out a new subscription at the end of your current term. Contact our customer service team to resume your subscription: email lrb@subscription.co.uk or call the phone numbers on our contact page.How do I change my subscription type, e.g. from print to digital?Please contact our customer service team on lrb@subscription.co.uk or using the phone numbers on our contact page.What should I do if an issue doesn't arrive, or arrives damaged?You can request a replacement issue from the Subscriptions page of your LRB account. Alternatively, contact customer services and they will arrange for a replacement copy for you.
Please check our publication schedule before requesting a replacement. Here you can view the estimated arrival dates for each issue. Our editors take short breaks at Easter, Christmas and over the summer, so there are 3- and 4-week gaps between issues at these times. You will receive the next issue as normal when publication resumes.
Cancellation and refunds
How do I cancel my subscription?You can cancel your subscription at any time in your LRB account online (log in here), or by calling or emailing our customer services team.Find contact details for customer service here. Please try to have your customer number to hand if calling or emailing. It can be found above your address details on the label of your latest issue as well as at the top of the Subscriptions page in your LRB account.How do I cancel if I pay by Direct Debit?
If you pay for your subscription by Direct Debit you are automatically protected by the Direct Debit guarantee.
To cancel your subscription, log in to your LRB account and cancel on the Subscriptions page.
You should also cancel the Direct Debit separately, through your online banking or bank app, otherwise the payment mandate will remain active on your account.
Will I receive a refund when I cancel?Your subscription will continue to the end of your current term: e.g. if you pay quarterly, it will expire at the end of the current quarter. Please see our Terms and Conditions for further information.What happens to my print issues and online access after I cancel?You will receive all the remaining print issues that you’ve paid for.You will also have full access to the LRB website and the app up to the final day of your subscription. You can see the end date in your LRB account: just log in here.
The website, app and email newsletters
Why am I blocked from reading an article online?Our website has a paywall, as the LRB relies on paying subscribers to fund our writing and criticism. To read more, you will need to log in with your LRB account and have an active LRB subscription.If you're not a subscriber yet, subscribe here and get unlimited website access.I can’t log in to my LRB website accountPlease reset your password here. We will send a link to your email address which you can use to set a new password for your LRB account.
If resetting your password doesn't resolve the issue, please contact customer services.How do I access the LRB app?Download the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store: search for ‘London Review of Books’.
Further details are on our app page.How do I log in to the app?You'll need an LRB online account – if you don’t have one, create one here first.
Make sure you have an active LRB subscription linked to your account. This will happen automatically if you create your LRB account using the same email address that you used when buying the subscription. Otherwise you’ll need to add your customer number to your account. (See details in ‘Access and accounts’ above.)
Then open the app and log in with the same email and password you use for the LRB website.Which devices and operating systems can use the LRB app?The app is supported on:
iPhone and iPad running iOS or iPadOS 17, 18 or 26
Android phones and tablets running Android 10 to 16
Amazon Fire tablets running Fire OS 7 or 8, with the app downloaded from the Amazon Appstore (installing via Google Play is not supported on Fire devices)
To check which operating system version you're running on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → General → About.The app isn't working – what should I do?If the LRB app is not working well for you, we recommend both updating the app (in the relevant app store) and ensuring you have the latest available operating system for your device (update this via your device settings).
Please complete an App Support form or email app@lrb.co.uk and our customer service team will be in contact.Can I save or download articles to read offline?In the app: Press the ‘save’ ribbon on the top menu bar, and then see all your saved articles in ‘Favourites’, accessed from the homepage.
On the website: To download articles as cleanly formatted PDF files, click ‘print’ and then ‘save as PDF’ in your printer settings.What email newsletters does the LRB offer and how do I sign up?Visit lrb.co.uk/newsletters to see the full range of email newsletters we offer. Enter your name and email address, then select the emails you want.
Our newsletters include new issue bulletins, letting you know what’s in the latest issue, archive newsletters with highlights from more than a thousand issues of the LRB, offers for subscribers in our ‘Reader offers’ email, plus updates on the LRB blog, podcasts, London Review Bookshop, LRB Store and events.How do I manage or unsubscribe from LRB emails?
Visit lrb.co.uk/newsletters and log in to your LRB account to control which emails you receive. There is also a link to unsubscribe at the bottom of every email we send.
Writing for the LRB
How do I submit a pitch or unsolicited piece to the LRB?Details are on our Submissions page here. The best guide to what we might like is what we usually publish.How do I submit a letter to the editors?Email your letter to edit@lrb.co.uk along with your full name and address. Please indicate which essay or review your letter is responding to. We do not usually publish letters that are not connected to a piece. How do I send a book to be considered for review?Review copies should be sent to our office for the attention of the editors (address here). Unfortunately, we can’t return books we decide not to review.The best guide to what we might like is what we usually publish. We don’t usually review self-published books or ebooks.
Advertising in the LRB
Our media pack and specifications for our ad formats are available on our Advertising page. You can contact our advertising team by emailing ads@lrb.co.uk or calling +44 (0) 20 7209 1131. They will respond promptly.
Library, university and institutional subscriptions
Can my library or organisation subscribe to the LRB?The London Review of Books offers institutional site subscriptions, available to libraries, universities, colleges, schools, museums, government agencies and businesses. Full details are available on our Institutional Subscriptions page. Here you will find details about pricing and requesting a trial, as well as a copy of our site licence agreement. Contact online@lrb.co.uk with any questions.I'm a student, academic or library user: how do I access the LRB through my institution?Your institution’s subscription gives you two ways to access the LRB:On campus or in the library: access is automatic when you’re connected to your institution’s wifi or using a library or university computer. No login is required – your network connection identifies you as an eligible user. This won’t work if you're using a personal VPN or tethering to your mobile data; you’ll need to disconnect and reconnect to the institutional network.
Off campus: Log in via your institution’s OpenAthens portal. If you're unsure whether your institution uses OpenAthens or how to access it, contact your library helpdesk or e-resources team.
