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Fun For The Good | Blog #12

For the love of libraries

Why I think everyone should take advantage of this free resource…

I love a library. I’ve always been a reader, happily spending hours buried in a book and libraries are great because you can enjoy them for free!

I’m a physical tome kind of person but if you love an e-book, you can get those, too.

But did you know it’s not just books you can find in libraries?

Here are my top tips on ways you can make the very best of these wonderful community assets.

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Now, just before I start my list, I wanted to say that not all libraries are made equal. Some are very small, some are large and some are completely mobile.

But these are services I’ve seen or experienced in libraries across the South of England and you’ll probably find all of these at at least one of the libraries in your county (more on that below).

How libraries work

Libraries are generally run by local authorities (councils), and are located in communities across that local authority area.

Hampshire County Council, for example, has 40 libraries across the county. In order to use the library, you need to register for a free library card at one of the libraries. You will probably need to bring ID to show proof of your address.

In my experience, you can register for libraries in any county, not just the one you live in. I have library cards from three counties, which is great because it gives me wider access to books and services.

Once you have a library card, you can borrow most of the items in the library for free (I’ve seen places with DVDs that have a charge). You can borrow a maximum number of books at a time (at my library it’s up to 10), generally for a couple of weeks.

When you check them out, you’re given a return date (the date will be on your online library account or on a printed or emailed receipt).

You need to either renew them (extend the borrowing time) before the return date (although some books can’t be renewed if someone is waiting to borrow it) or give them back by the return date.

If you don’t give them back on time you’ll build up a fine.

BUT you can take the items back to any library within the county (e.g. if you borrowed a book from Hampshire County Council’s Waterlooville library, you could still return it to its Hayling Island library, over 40 miles away).

Books | Magazines | Audiobooks | DVDs

Borrowing fiction and non-fiction books from the library (a.) saves you so much money and (b.) exposes you to books you may never have heard of.

Plus, if there’s a particular book you want to read but you can’t find it in your local library, you can see if it’s available at another library.

If it is, you can request it’s sent to yours and reserved for you. This normally has a charge (for my area, it’s £1 per book).

Many libraries also offer things like magazines, audiobooks, maps, toys and language CDs.

Children’s activities

Libraries usually have a dedicated children’s area, and are a great place to spend time together, particularly when the weather’s a bit on the rainy side.

You’ll find books for babies all the way up to teens and you may also find other activities to do, like colouring or dress up.

Many libraries offer free, weekly activities, like Rhyme Time and some offer the option to borrow toys.

During school holidays, we’ve taken part in reading challenges and treasure hunts around the library. I have also seen holiday activities advertised but you usually need to book your place and sometimes pay a small cost.

Free computer and internet access

Many libraries have computers you can use for no charge. Or, if you want a quiet space to work but have your own laptop, you can generally log into the WiFi for free.

Printing and scanning typically have a small cost and some places only offer printing in black and white.

Weekly community meetings | Information points

Knitting groups, job, skills and benefits support, parent meet ups, coffee mornings, book clubs… you’ll find groups and information on a variety of topics and they’re almost always free to attend.

Opening times

Don’t think that libraries are only open during the day – many offer evening opening hours.

How to find your local library

Visit www.gov.uk/local-library-services and type in your postcode to find libraries near you.

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