Library services directory
Library Services A-Z
The scheme aims to increase access to self-help materials for people who suffer from anxiety, depression or stress-related conditions.
The Reading Well Books on Prescription for Dementia Scheme consists of a list of 25 titles that have been recommended by health experts as well as people with lived experience. The list includes a range of books offering information and advice about dementia and normal ageing, support with living well after diagnosis, practical advice for carers, personal accounts, and suggestions for shared therapeutic activities.
Bookstart is a national scheme to encourage families to visit the library and share the joys of reading and looking at books with babies and toddlers. Bookstart packs are available via your health visitor (Bookstart Baby) and your child’s pre-school settings (Bookstart Treasure gift). The Bookstart Bear Club is a fantastic way to introduce your family to the library and more information is available in any of our libraries.
The Cheshire libraries catalogue is available online. Items can be reserved and renewed from the catalogue using your library membership number and a PIN.
All libraries have computers and use is free for one hour each day (subject to availability) for library members. Printing and scanning facilities are available in all libraries, apart from Hoole.
There are charges for guest users, further time and printing. Please go to our charges page for full details. Children and young people under the age of 16 need parental permission.
Please note: computers are automatically shut down 15 minutes before a library closes.
Our library service is committed to supporting and improving the lives of people living with dementia. Information, resources and support can be found on our dementia awareness page.
eBooks and eAudiobooks
Enjoy our collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks on your mobile device using the BorrowBox library app.
To use the app, install BorrowBox from your phone's app store. Alternatively, you can use the app store or google play buttons to go straight to the download page.
To start borrowing, select Cheshire East and Cheshire West Libraries within the app and enter your library card number and PIN/Password.
If you are not using a mobile device, you can access the service by logging into BorrowBox.
You can borrow up to five eBooks and three eAudiobooks at any one time and place holds on items that are out on loan.
eMagazines
You can now access our new collection of Overdrive eMagazines on a mobile device using the Libby library app.
To use the app, install 'Libby, by Overdrive' from your phone's app store. Alternatively, you can use the app store or google play buttons to go straight to the download page.
To start borrowing, select Cheshire Libraries or search for your local library and enter your library card number and PIN/Password.
If you are not using a mobile device you can access the service on the Cheshire Overdrive website.
Some of our larger libraries have access to a range of materials to help with family history research. Online resources such as Ancestry Library Edition and Find My Past are only available within libraries. Please visit our Family History webpage for information about other genealogy resources.
The Home Library Service provides library books and talking books directly to the homes of readers who are unable to collect their own items from a library. This service is currently run at the following libraries:
- Ellesmere Port
- Frodsham
- Helsby
- Lache
- Neston
- Northwich
- Sandiway
- Weaverham
- Winsford
If you would like to use the Home Library Service, please contact your local library. We’re always looking for new volunteers and there are a number of ways to help, from selecting items for customers, to driving and dropping off items at customers’ homes.
Litter picking kits can be borrowed from any library. The kit consists of:
- Litter picker (adult or junior size)
- High visibility vest (adult or junior size)
- Litter bags
For more information, please ask at your local library.
Most libraries have some material relating to their immediate locality. Larger libraries have items including books, pamphlets, trade directories, maps, local newspapers, census returns and parish registers. The main collection of books and pamphlets relating to the county is kept at Cheshire Archives and Local Studies.
Charges for items that are lost are calculated using the scale of charges set out below.
| All items including multi media | Charges |
|---|---|
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The minimum charge for any lost or damaged item is £3. An administration charge of £3 will be deducted from any refund, if a lost item is found.
If you lose your library membership card, please first check whether it has been handed in at your local library. If this is not the case, please contact us immediately so that we make sure it isn't used fraudulently.
Please note: there will be a charge for a replacement card. See our charges page for full details.
Many of our libraries have meeting rooms which can be hired by community groups and businesses. More information can be found on our meeting room hire charges page.
Cheshire Memories is a collection of 22 themed Memory Boxes containing a range of material, including objects, photographs, poetry, music, books and smell boxes. They are ideal for using in reminiscence activities and are available for use with social/community groups and other local organisations. They can be borrowed on a library card for three weeks, and are subject to a £1.20 reservation fee.
Information about ordering/reserving a memory box can be found on the Cheshire libraries catalogue.
You can borrow sheet music for your choir or orchestra.
The standard charges are:
- £1.20 per vocal score
- £34 per orchestral set
Charges will sometimes be higher (e.g. for loans exceeding 4 months, or where necessary to cover additional costs) but only by prior agreement.
Music should be ordered no later than six weeks before the date by which the music is required. You will be notified, usually within three weeks, whether or not we can supply the music you have requested. Just pay on collection at your chosen library and return items to the same library.
- Order a music score
- Email: interlending.requests@cheshiresharedservices.gov.uk (music interlending)
Cheshire has some vocal scores of its own:
You can also borrow scores that are not in our collection and orchestral sets from other counties. Contact us for more information.
Our libraries provide access to newspapers, which may be read in the library. We also provide access to digital editions, via Newsbank, which can be used externally or via the library PCs.
Newsbank – access UK and Ireland News
Cheshire Libraries provide access to current local, regional and national newspapers (plus backcopies – range varies per title). The format for this is text only.
Digital editions of current newspapers are now available for the following titles (best read via tablet/iPads, laptops and PCs):
- Daily Express/Sunday Express
- Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday
- Daily Mirror/Sunday Mirror
- Daily Telegraph/Sunday Telegraph
- Guardian
- Independent
- Liverpool Echo
- Observer
- Times/Sunday Times
How to access Newsbank
- Newsbank
- Type your library card number into the box and then click 'Login'
To access a digital newspaper, you can either find the title you wish to read on the homepage, or search using the search box.
Remember only the titles listed above are digitised. Make sure you click on the image format from the options given for that title.
Make sure you click on the image format from the options given for that title.
There are several ways that we can communicate with customers about their loans. You can choose the most convenient methods for you by logging into your account or asking at your local library.
We can send you a reminder email three days before your loans are due for return so that you can renew or return your loans on time without incurring any overdue charges. If you reserve an item we can let you know when it is ready for collection by email.
Our Order and Collect service provides a selection of hand-picked books, based on your reading preferences.
You can place an Order and Collect request using our online form.
If you are looking for a specific title you will need to place a request through our library catalogue.
Most libraries have black and white photocopiers for you to use. Some larger libraries have colour photocopiers. There are charges for using copiers. Please see our charges page for full details.
Larger libraries will have some photographs relating to their locality. There is also a countywide collection of photographs, slides, prints and other images at Cheshire Archives and Local Studies.
A PIN password is required to access your account on the catalogue and to use computers in libraries. If you do not know your PIN/password please contact us quoting your library card number and date of birth.
The Play Collection is held in Chester Library at Storyhouse and includes a selection of full length plays, one act plays, children’s plays, youth drama, sketches and monologues, and pantomimes. The plays are free to borrow and collect from Storyhouse, but there is a charge of £1.20 per copy, to reserve and collect at your local Cheshire West Library. For availability please check the library catalogue.
All libraries, apart from Hoole Library and the Mobile Library, provide printing facilities, both in colour and black and white. This is on a self-service basis, using the library's computers. There are charges for printing.
Our libraries offer reading groups a subscription to The Reading Group Collection.
Books can be borrowed by registered groups for a six week loan period, and are delivered to your local library for collection. Subscription charge for the service is £90 per year. To register for the scheme and get the full collection list, please contact the Reading Group Administrator.
- Email: reading.groups@cheshiresharedservices.gov.uk
- Phone: 01244 976021
If you would like to keep your items past the original return date you can renew them, as long as they haven't been reserved by another customer. If you don't renew your items and do keep them longer than the return date you will be liable to pay charges. Books can be renewed without coming into the library up to four times, and then must be brought into a library for any further renewal. There are several ways that you can renew:
- on the catalogue 24 hours a day - you need your library card number and a PIN/password
- by telephone or in person at any library during opening hours
- by contacting us online, quoting your name and library card number
You can reserve items online, you will need your library card number and a PIN. If you would like to borrow an item that is not held by any of our libraries, we may be able to purchase it for you or obtain it through our Interlending Unit from another library authority. Please contact us to request an item in this way. There are charges for reserving items.
Items on loan can be returned to any of our libraries or Cheshire East Library, during their opening hours. Alternatively, items can be renewed without coming into the library.
All libraries provide access to scanning facilities (A4). This is on a self-service basis, using the library's computers.
Aimed at young children and held at your local library following a regular timetable.
All libraries have collections of books in large print as well as Talking Books on CD. People who have difficulty reading print or handling books can get free reservations on large print books and talking books and are not charged for the loan of talking books.
We provide children’s large print books in many libraries and also giant print books and talking books.
You can apply to be a volunteer at one of our libraries. Further information can be found on our library volunteering page
We have free WiFi available at most of libraries. You can login to the WiFi with your library card number and PIN/password or as a guest.
