The new Lotus-Library.com website is a part of the Auto-Archives 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. The mission of the Lotus-Library is, as you would expect, to preserve and document the history of all things Lotus from the birth of the marque in 1948 to the present day.
The Lotus-Library.com is a facility supported by people committed to the preservation of the automotive world. Our Lotus collection, which is probably the biggest, most comprehensive Lotus collection in the world, comprises of reference books, magazines, Club magazines, magazine covers featuring Lotus, car racing posters, Lotus scale models, race event programs, Lotus memorabilia and photographs ‐ mostly donated by the enthusiasts who collected them in period. There are currently over 3000 Lotus items such as books magazines, brochures, etc., and 2000+ images of Lotus cars on the Lotus-Library website for Lotus fans to view at no cost.
The Lotus-Library archival function is to preserve these records of Lotus history – for today’s burdensome paperwork is tomorrow’s historical documentation. In using these materials for research, the Auto-Archives staff and volunteers work with authors, reporters, filmmakers, television producers, race teams and fans. Auto-Archives was created with the mission to preserve and share materials from automotive history worldwide.
Auto-Archives adheres to professional archival standards in caring for the hundreds of thousands of items in our collections. Whether a piece of rare fine art or an autographed book, a press kit, or a ticket stub from a race, each item is treated with the utmost care as it is catalogued and located in a secure, climate-controlled environment. The Auto-Archives Library reading rooms in Littleton, Colorado operate as a library, with every item in the collections available for public inspection and use by visitors. The Lotus-Library is designed to serve as both a research library and an archive and welcomes everyone interested in all things Lotus, from the serious researcher to the casual enthusiast.
People unable to visit the Lotus-Library in person are invited to submit their questions to the Archive’s staff via email. The cost of research services is based on the extent of the question. A base fee of a $25 per hour donation is requested, but oftentimes the request is handled free of charge.
Researchers planning to visit the the Lotus-Library to use our resources are asked to contact the staff ahead of time, if possible, so that the materials can be made ready for them.