Library charges
These charges are non-refundable if you cancel, items cannot be found or we proceed to purchase.
| Item | Charges |
|---|---|
| Books | Free |
| Reservations from Kent |
£1 Free to exempt card holders |
| Reservations from SELMS partners | £3 |
| Interlibrary loans |
£7 (£1 placement charge, £6 on completion) Or for items only available via the British Library or abroad we will contact you separately once we have located the item, if you agree to proceed we will pass on the completion charge costs incurred to us. For the most up to date costs visit the British library website. |
| Suggest a purchase | £1.50 |
| Adult films |
Premium titles: £2.50 for 3 days Standard titles: £1.50 for 1 week |
| Children's films | £1.50 for 1 week |
| Non-fiction DVDs | £1.50 for 3 weeks |
| TV programme DVDs | £1.50 for 1 week |
| TV box sets | £5.00 for 3 weeks |
| Music CDs | £1.50 for 3 weeks |
| Children's CDs | Free |
| Audiobooks | £2 for 3 weeks |
| Language courses - up to 9 CDs per set | £2 for 3 weeks |
People with disabilities and mental health problems
If you have an exempt card you may not need to pay to borrow items. Find out more about getting an exempt card.
Music and drama sets for groups
Find out about borrowing music and drama sets for performances.
If you return your library item after the date it's due back you will need to pay a charge.
Books returned or renewed on time cost nothing.
Pay a library charge
To find out if you owe any money or to pay online log in to your library account. You can also pay library charges in your local library.
If you have more than £5 of outstanding charges you will not be able reserve more items or use the public computers until the charges are paid.
| Item | Charges |
|---|---|
| Books (adults and over 60s) | 20p per day (£8 maximum charge per book) |
| Books borrowed by children and under-18s | No charge |
| DVDs | Hire charge will be reapplied |
| CDs borrowed on an adult's card | Hire charge will be reapplied |
| CDs borrowed by under-18s or over-60s | Hire charge will be reapplied |
| Reminder letters we send you | 60p |
If you owe us more than £5 (including children) you won't be able to borrow items, use the computers or wifi in libraries.
Check when your library items are due back by logging in to your library account. You can also renew items if you want to keep them for longer.
Sign up to free email reminders so you don't forget to return things.
We don't offer faxing, photocopying and printing in every library so check your local library before visiting.
Faxing
| Destination | First page cost | Extra page cost |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £1.00 | 50p |
| Europe | £1.50 | 50p |
| Rest of world | £2.00 | £1.00 |
| Receiving faxes | 40p | 10p |
Photocopying and printing
| Colour | Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Black and white | A4 | 15p per side |
| Black and white | A3 | 20p per side |
| Colour | A4 | 50p per side |
| Colour | A3 | 75p per side |
Borrowed items
If you lose or damage an item borrowed on the card of a child who is under 5, there is no charge.
If you lose or damage an item borrowed on the card of a person over the age of 5, we will charge you for the full retail cost of the item. We will add the cost to your library account. If you find a lost item within 3 months of paying for it, we can refund the charge.
If the lost or damaged item is a book, you can buy a replacement copy and hand it into the library instead of being charged. The book must have the same ISBN as the lost or damaged copy and must be brand new.
Library cards
We charge £1.50 to replace a lost or damaged adult card (includes a key fob) and 50p to replace a lost or damaged children’s card.