Borrowing, charges and fines

Borrowing items

You may borrow up to 20 items from your local library. These may include:

• up to 20 books
• eight CDs, DVDs, audiobooks

• two CD-ROMs, computer software or game items, DVD box sets

Most items are loaned for three weeks. CDs, DVDs and console games are loaned for one week. If you are a Cheshire Leisure Card holder you can borrow many of these items at a discounted rate and these are stated in the table of charges where applicable.

• Cheshire Leisure Card holder (CLCH)

Renewing items

Items on loan can be easily renewed (if they are not reserved by another borrower). You can renew items in the following ways.

• Renew items online 

You can also renew by email, letter, fax, or visiting a library. You can find details for your local library below.

• Find a library

You can also renew your loans using the 24 hour telephone renewal line.

• Telephone: 0300 123 7739

Library loans - costs by item type

Books	No charge
Audiobooks and language courses	Adult titles: £1.60 per three weeks or £1.10 for CLCH Children's titles: 80p per three weeks or 60p for CLCH
CDs	£1 per week  75p for  CLCH
CDs at reduced rate	50p per week
DVDs	£3 per week £2.40 for CLCH
DVDs at reduced rate	£1.50 per week £1.20 for CLCH
DVDs box set - one week loan	£3 per week £2.40 for CLCH
DVDs, box set	£5 for a two week loan
Computer games and software	£3.50 per three weeks £2.50 for CLCH
Computer games and software at reduced rate	£2 per three weeks

Library members who have difficulty reading print or handling books will not be charged for the loan or reservation of audiobooks, language courses or large print books.

Late return fines

To encourage library members to return items on time, the following late fines are charged:

late fees

Books loaned on an adult ticket	20p per item per day to a maximum of £8 per item.
Books loaned on a child ticket	5p per item per day to a maximum of £1 per item. Children's books borrowed on an adult ticket are subject to the adult fine rate.
Books and CLCH tickets	10p per item per day to a maximum of £4 per item.
CDs/DVDs/computer software	Adult ticket: 35p per item per day to a maximum of £8 per item Child ticket: 20p per item per day to a maximum of £4 per item CLCH ticket: 25p per item per day to a maximum of £5 per item

 

Charges for overdue items

If you have an email address, you can opt to receive a free advance notice email when items are due for return or renewal. However, this is a courtesy service and the prompt return or renewal of loans remains the responsibility of the library member, therefore, in the event of non-delivery of the advance email any overdue charges cannot be waived.

Reserving an item currently on loan

You can reserve items online. You will need your library card number and PIN.

• Reserve items online

The costs for reserving items are as follows. 

• Reserve items from within Cheshire: £1 or 55p for CLCH
• Reserve items for children from within Cheshire: free of charge
• Reserve items from a UK library outside Cheshire: £3.60
• Books from the British Library (and libraries which charge British Library rates): £15.40 
• Please note: replacement costs for lost/damaged British Library books can be substantial

• British Library renewal: £5.10

Ordering journal articles from the British Library

• Electronic copy sent by email: £5.45
• Scanned print copy sent by email: £9.55
• Standard print copy sent by post: £11.05

• Items from a library outside the UK: £18

Charges for using a library computer, printing documents and making copies

Library computers

Personal computer use for library members	One hour per day: free of charge £2 per hour or part of an hour thereafter £1 for children and CLCH
Personal computer use for visitors	£2 per hour or part of an hour
Printing black and white	20p per page 10p for children and CLCH
Printing colour	80p per page 40p children and CLCH
Photocopies black and white	10p per A4 sheet 20p per A3 sheet
Photocopies colour	£1 per A4 sheet £1.50 per A3 sheet (where available)
Fax to UK	First sheet: £1.30  or 70p for CLCH Subsequent sheets: 70p or 40p for CLCH
Fax international	£2.55 for first sheet or £1.30 CLCH £1.30 for subsequent sheets or 70p  CLCH

 

Charges for lost library tickets or lost or damaged items

Lost library tickets

For computerised libraries, including mobile libraries, replacement is charged as follows.

• Lost adult ticket: £1.60 
• 80p children and CLCH

Lost and damaged items

Charges for lost and damged items are calculated in the following ways. 

library charges for lost items

All items, including CDs/DVDs	Charges
Up to two years old   Two to four years old Four to six years old  Six years and over	Full purchase price 75% of purchase price 50% of purchase price 25% of purchase price

The minimum charge for any lost or damaged item is £2.50. An administration charge of £2.50 will be deducted from any refund, if a lost item is found.