Libraries, Catalogue, and Books

Information symbolHow to get a library card

 

You can get a library card by filling out our online form, or by visiting your local library and filling out a paper form. If you completed the online form, you will also receive an email with an "UNREG" code - bring this code along with a form of ID (eg. passport, driving license, bank statement) to the library to get your library card!

 

You can also sign up kids a lot easier in-person at your local library! - sign yourself up first using the above registration (or in-person too) then visit the library with your child(ren) present and let a member of staff know that you already have a library card and want its details copied for a kids' card - that way we can keep the same contact information for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to renew your current loans

 

With your library card, you can "Login" on the website or the app using your 'borrower number' - this is the long number on the back of your card which will look like "5666666X". Your password or pin is the 4 or 6 digit PIN number you set up when you registered.

 

When you're logged in and navigate to "Account", you will see a list of your current loans. You can then click "Renew all" to try and renew each of them. This does not guarantee that they will renew - for example, if somebody placed a Hold on one of your books, or if you've already renewed it 10 times, it will notify you that it couldn't renew it, and to return it before the due date.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to browse the catalogue

 

You can browse the catalogue from the "Bookshelf" button, and then clicking "Search". On the app, it is just the search bar at the top. You can search anything related to what you are looking for - author, book title, topic, and it will show results relating to your search entry.

 

You can then use the filters on the left, as well as changing the search fields from just Haringey Libraries to other Consortium libraries to narrow your search down to what you are looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to find your local library

 

Please see the interactive Google Map below - it shows our 9 library sites across the Borough. Additionally, you can visit our "find your local library" page and select individual libraries to see more detailed information about their location, opening times, as well as transport links.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to place a hold on an item

 

When browsing the catalogue, if you've selected an item you'd like to get whilst you are logged in, you can select the "Format" at the bottom of the box, and select "Book" (or DVD, etc.). Then, you can click the red "Place Reservation" button.

 

Additionally, you can select your "Pickup location" which is the library that the item will be delivered to. Most books arrive within a few working days if it is being delivered to and from Haringey, however, books that come from out-of-borough - such as new and popular books, or rarer ones - can take anywhere from a week to a few months. It's also important to note that everybody is entitled to 3 weeks to borrow a book, so extremely popular books will need to 'go down the list' before it reaches you, which is what can extend these waiting times considerably.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow many books can I borrow at once?

 

Adults can borrow up to 12 books at once, and children 15. There are also separate limits for other types of items, such as CDs and DVDs - please see our borrowing and charges page to see these.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow long can I borrow books for?

 

Books, audiobooks, and CDs can be borrowed for 3 weeks, whereas DVDs/Blu-Rays are for 1 week. Language courses can also be borrowed for 6 weeks. You will be able to renew items if there are no holds placed on them by other users, which would refresh the due date. Please bear in mind that for items that have a borrowing charge (eg. DVDs), renewing will charge that same fee again. Please see our borrowing and charges page to see more information.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolWhat happens if I lose or damage a book?

 

If a book issued to you is kept for more than 49 days beyond its due date, it will be assumed lost, and the cost of a replacement (the RRP of the book) will be automatically charged to your card. In this case, or if you know you have lost a book, we would recommend you to visit your local library to have a chat about the next steps. Often times, we may allow for a lost book to be replaced by a second-hand copy of the exact same book in good condition, but users can also pay the upfront replacement fee as an alternative.

 

The same process applies for a damaged book - where we could accept a replacement copy or a payment of the replacement cost. Regardless, speaking with a member of staff is always recommended to help find a suitable solution to replace that book. However, this can differ for books from our Reserve Stock, or DVDs/CDs. Please see our borrowing and charges page to see more information, as there is a breakdown of different costs for different items types.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolCan I order a book that is not in the catalogue?

 

Yes! We offer a service to reserve items requested to order - the prices are broken down our borrowing and charges page. For this service, you should speak to a member of staff at any of our Haringey Libraries and ask about whether a book is in our catalogue or not. If the book is not in our catalogue or the Consortium at all, then you can pay the reservation charge to request our stock team to assess the book. The reservation charge is an administrative charge you pay when you make your reservation. We do not a guarantee an item can be supplied. We aim to supply most items but, if it's not possible, we'll let you know. If it is added to our catalogue, you will get a reservation placed on it automatically for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow can I pay for my fines?

 

If you have accrued fines, you can pay for them by card at any library kiosk. Additionally, you can pay with cash at any of our library information desks. If you are unsure of certain fines you have accrued, please speak to a member of staff and we'll be happy to investigate where particular fines may have come from. Additionally, you can visit our borrowing and charges page for a breakdown of our different fine amounts and reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolWhat is the Libraries Consortium?

 

The Libraries Consortium is a group of 23 authorities and 321 libraries across the UK that have joined together to share a catalogue and support each other. This means that reservations placed on books can actually be delivered from other libraries across London and the UK if they are unavailable from within Haringey - adding a vast amount of copies of books to go to more people, but also a wider range of books available to library users.

 

This also means that any member of a library of a Consortium library can use their library card in any other Consortium library: if you have a card for another one of the listed boroughs, you don't need to sign up for a Haringey card! You can learn more about the Libraries Consortium, as well as see a list of the included authorities on their website.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolCan I advertise in the library?

 

Yes! Each library has its own noticeboard, and we have a charge of £4.00 per 3-week period. All ads must be no bigger than A5 size. If ads are put up without payment, then they will be removed without notice. Please speak to a member of staff if you are interested in putting a small ad up, and to see that library's noticeboard.

 

 

 

 

 

Services, Items, and Donations

Information symbolDonation guidelines

 

We are happy to accept small donations of books but only if the books will support and enhance our library stock. We accept books that:

  • Have been published within the last 2 years.
  • Are clean, complete, and in good condition.
  • Are suitable and of interest to our users.
  • Contain information that is still current.

If a member of staff is unable to check through the books immediately, we reserve the right to discard of any or all unsuitable books through book sales or charity donations. We also reserve the right to discard of books that become unsuitable later on without notifying the person who donated them.

 

Please note that library resources are limited and donated items will take some time to be processed and added to our catalogue.We are also not currently accepting any donations of AV materials.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to get free food waste and green recycling bags

 

Veolia currently delivers food waste bags and large green recycling bags to our libraries that are free to collect under specific conditions.

 

If you are a Haringey resident, you can visit any Haringey library and ask for green caddy/food waste bin bags and get them for free - just visit the Information Desk and ask a member of staff.

 

However, if you want large green recycling bags, these are supplied by Veolia on the condition that you live in a flat above a shop. This is because those flats don't have bins to put waste in and must put them out on the street to be collected each morning. Due to this, these residents need heavy-duty bags that won't seep or smell on the pavement. If you want to collect these types of bags, you must produce some ID that confirms your address - this could be an invoice, bank statement, or driving license that displays your address as being above a shop.

 

Please visit Veolia's page for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to get free period products

 

Haringey Libraries have some period products that are free to anyone that needs them, however, stock may depend on individual libraries. Please speak to any member of staff at a Haringey Library to enquire, and we will be happy to help. Additionally, there are other collection points across Haringey who may have different/larger stock of period products. You can find out more information on our council page here.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to get free Bookstart packs for kids

 

Bookstart is a programme set up by BookTrust to deliver free books, resources, and activities to young children across the UK. BookTrust's research shows that engaging in reading together as a family is crucially important for gaining the benefits of reading throughout a child's life.

 

Haringey Libraries gets deliveries of these packs and they are free to take for anyone who asks. Each pack contains a small book, as well as some fun activities - ranging in ages such as "Bookstart Baby" for babies aged 0-12 months, and "Bookstart Toddler" packs. Please speak to a member of staff at any Haringey Library to see what packs we have and get your own. You can find out more information about the Bookstart programme on BookTrust's website.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolEvents in Haringey Libraries

 

Haringey Libraries hosts a wide variety of events for all ages, including weekly rhyme time and story times, author talks, arts and crafts, and more. We also produce a monthly newsletter called "What's On in Libraries" that contains all that month's events, information, and calendar, which you can find here.

 

We also have an Events portal which you can find on this website, located here. This lists all of our events across all of our libraries, with handy filters for searching about events at your local library in particular.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolRoom Bookings in Haringey Libraries

 

Haringey Libraries has many rooms that are available for room bookings. This ranges from smaller rooms suitable for 1:1 meetings, to larger halls for art exhibitions. Whatever size event you are thinking of, we're happy to help you choose and walk you through the process of booking a room.

 

Firstly, you can find a list of our available rooms on this website, located here. From this page, you can click on each individual library to see a list of its available rooms, and follow the link to make a booking. Once booked, you will receive a notification email confirming your booking, but you still need to wait for a member of staff to approve it. Once approved, you will receive a final email to go forward with payment for the room.

 

If you have any questions about our meeting rooms, or wish to enquire about the larger halls, such as Hornsey's Original Gallery, then you can either send an email to libraries@haringey.gov.uk, or speak to a member of staff at any Haringey library.

 

 

 

 

 

PCs, Printing, and WiFi

Information symbolHow to use our printing facilities

 

All Haringey Libraries have public printers for use for all library members. There are a few first-time setup requirements, which are all outlined on our printing page. Our borrowing and charges page also outlines the cost of all printing, scanning, and photocopying.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to use our free public computers

 

All Haringey Libraries have several public PCs for use for all library members. These are limited to 2 hours per day (across all Haringey Libraries) and can be accessed easily with your library card.

 

When you first sit down at one of our public PCs, you can click the "Login" button. Then, you must wait about 1 minute for the login screen to appear. Here, you can enter your library card number (eg. 5666666X) as the 'username' and your 4/6-digit PIN number as the 'password'. Once logged in, you will see the Windows desktop which has many useful shortcuts to free services and programs that we offer. Additionally, a black bar will appear at the top of the screen that contains your 2-hour timer.

 

Please be aware that all data is wiped when logging out of one of our public PCs - ensure that you back up any data to an external USB stick or an online folder to avoid loss of work. At the moment, we do not offer extensions to the 2-hour limit.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolHow to get free WiFi access in any Haringey Library

 

All Haringey Libraries offer free public WiFi inside their buildings. To connect, simply open your 'WiFi' settings on your device and look for "Haringey Libraries". Once connected, you will be prompted (either with an automatic popup page, when you first try to navigate to any website, or by clicking/tapping on 'actions required') to enter your email and full name to access the free WiFi. You do not need a library card to use this service, and if you are unsure of how to access it, please speak to a member of staff who will be happy to show you.

 

 

 

 

 

Information symbolCan I use a USB stick or external hard drive on your public PCs?

 

The vast majority of FAT32 USB Sticks will work on our public PCs. In the interest of device security, USB sticks or other external devices may be restricted based on the formatting or level of in-built security on the storage units. Unfortunately, we do not offer any alternatives, but have tested our systems with regular FAT32 USB Sticks for compatibility.