The Poetry Library at London’s Southbank Centre is marking National Poetry Day by launching an e-loan service, with the aim of raising levels of digital reading of poetry.

The Poetry Librarian, Chris McCabe, said: “Aside from a few innovative publishers and organisations, the poetry world is miles behind in readers taking up the journey into reading poetry across digital formats. A recent piece for the Bookseller stated that reading fiction on digital platforms will take over hardback and paperback by 2018 despite readers of poetry on digital platforms only totalling 4%. The Poetry Library's e-loan service will provide a free platform for readers to explore poetry in e-books and audio, and is in addition to the library’s range of print collections, which will continue to grow steadily alongside this new offer."

The library houses the largest collection of modern and contemporary poetry in the UK, and the new, free service will allow members to download up to 200 titles from the collection straight to phones, tablets and e-readers. Poetry Library members wishing to register for this, and any inquiries about the service, can be emailed to info@poetrylibrary.org.uk - or the library can be contacted on 02079210943. The Poetry Library is free to join, on visiting in person with proof of address. Members will also be able to request CD loans as part of the library’s postal service, especially beneficial to those with sight impairments.

The Poetry Library was the brainchild of Eric Walter White, and was officially opened in 1953 by TS Eliot and Herbert Read. The collection began as an initiative of the Arts Council, moving between various buildings for several years before finding a permanent home in Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall 25 years ago. The Poetry Library has over 5,000 members, and around 2,000 visitors a month, and its collection includes poems, journals, audio recordings, lyric books and rare magazines.