Library Services Directory
Choose from the letters below for
more information about the Library Service and what it
offers.
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
Day
Centres
Please visit the Elderly People's Homes pages for details
of services offered by Cheshire East Libraries.
Deaf and hard of hearing
Library staff are trained to appreciate the needs of deaf and hard
of hearing library users, and while there are very few staff who
can use British Sign Language they will do their best to
communicate by the most appropriate method.
Larger libraries are fitted with an induction loop at the counter
or enquiry desk. Some libraries are equipped with minicom
textphones, and there is also a general textphone number at Library
Headquarters.
There is a special collection on deafness, located at Library
Headquarters but accessible through any
library in Cheshire East, where catalogues of the collection
are also available. The collection includes British Sign Language
learning materials in a variety of formats, open captioned videos
(which need no special caption reader to access them) and a range
of books on deafness issues. DVDs, which are available in most
libraries, almost always have captions and again do not need a
caption reader. Most of the videos available in the libraries have
closed captions, which means that they do need a video caption
reader. We have a few of these caption readers available for
loan.
Disabilities
Wheelchair
access is provided in all libraries, except at Prestbury, where adaptation would be extremely
difficult. All libraries with more than one public floor have
lifts.
Special facilities are available for visually impaired people and induction loops are
in most libraries for people who are deaf
and hard of hearing. Special resources include large print and
talking books available in all libraries. Some of our larger
libraries provide additional resources such as Supernova.
There is a special collection of books and other materials for
children with special needs, as well as
basic skills collections for adults who would like to improve their
literacy and numeracy skills.
We also offer a Books on Wheels
service for those who are unable to visit a library themselves.
Please ask at your local library or
phone the Information Point number 0845 11333 11.
The Arts Service provides information on
disability arts.
DVDs
DVDs are available from libraries for loan on a weekly
basis. There is a charge for this service. The current charges
are listed in the Library Charges
leaflet, on display in all libraries.
Education Library Service
The Education Library Service (ELS) in Winsford
serves primary, secondary and special school teachers in
subscribing schools. Services include: project collections,
audio-visual resources, guided reading sets, theme fiction,
training, resource lists, primary school library book exchanges via
a mobile library, and advice on a range of school library
management issues. ELS also advises on the most effective use of
learning materials to support the needs of teachers and help them
to deliver the curriculum effectively to all pupils.
Elderly People’s Homes
All residential homes can be provided with a collection of books.
Provision of the service is based on the home signing up to a range
of responsibilities. Please contact your local
library for further details.
Reminiscence boxes are available for loan to Elderly People’s Homes
and similar organisations. These are themed collections of
artefacts, books and other materials which can be used to stimulate
discussion in a group setting.
Fully Booked boxes (themed collections of books designed for
use by groups in an Elderly People's Home setting) are also
available.
Emails
All our libraries have People’s Network computers. You can send
and receive emails. Computers may be booked for one hour a day free
of charge.
English as an Additional Language
Books and tapes / CDs on learning English as an Additional Language
(EAL) can be borrowed or reserved at any
library. Libraries can also offer information on local courses.
Books in foreign languages can be found at the
following libraries and a list of foreign
language books is available (Excel 121KB):
Adult Books:
Polish at
Crewe Library and
Macclesfield Library
Children’s books:
Polish at
Crewe Library
Bengali at
Crewe Library
The range of languages stocked varies according to demand.
Some Western European books (French, Spanish, Italian, German) are
also in stock at larger libraries.
There is a World Cinema collection at
Macclesfield library.
Events
Details of events at your library can be found on their
individual web page. All libraries hold weekly
rhyme or story times for pre-school children. You can also find
information about events across Cheshire East in the What's On
online guide. Find information about library activities and
news on our
latest news page.
Exhibitions
Some libraries offer free exhibition spaces and facilities for
display. These are very popular and frequently booked up well into
the future. The library will arrange insurance of exhibits - all we
ask in return is 10% commission plus VAT on items sold.
We also have meeting rooms and tea and coffee making facilities
for community groups and businesses.
If you wish to use these facilities, please ask a member of
staff for details.
Family History
Family history
research has become very popular and larger libraries have access
to many materials to help with family history research. As
well as the traditional book sources, some libraries have copies of
the local IGI (International Genealogical Index), trade directories
(eg Kellys), census materials etc. Further family history resources can be found online and
you can book time on the public
access computers available in all Cheshire East
libraries. Ancestry.com is available for use on library
computers only via our Virtual
Reference Library. For further information contact your local library.
Fax
You can send and receive faxes at most libraries. There is a
charge for this service. The current charges are listed in the
Library Charges leaflet, on display in
all libraries.
Finding your nearest library
You can
find out where your nearest Cheshire East library is and
details of Mobile Library
routes online. View locations on our
interactive libraries map.
Fines
Fines become due for items returned late to the library. Fines can
be avoided by renewing items by phone, fax, post, the online
catalogue or in person.
Foreign Language Fiction
Cheshire East
libraries hold a selection of fiction titles in foreign languages.
Our foreign language fiction
list (Excel 121KB) shows details of the titles by language and
the libraries where they are held.
How to get to the Library
Each library's web page has details of how to get there, as
well as parking information.View locations on our
interactive libraries map.
Information
Points
Nine Cheshire East Libraries have
Information Points. Staff will answer any query and can link you
directly to any Council Service and can also help you contact other
public services. You may visit an Information Point in person
during the library's normal business hours.
Internet – visit the Computers
information for more details.
Joining the library
Joining the
library is free for everyone young or old! Simply complete
the
online registration form or pop into a library. When joining in
person, or using the library for the first time if you joined
online, you will need to bring along an item of identification. It
must show your name and address, for example: Driving Licence,
Medical Card, receipted Gas, Water, Phone, Council Tax or
Electricity Bill, Bank Statement, or Building Society Pass
Book.
You will also have access to our People's
Network computers, which are free to use for one hour each
day. Terms and conditions of use apply (PDF
46KB).
Joining if you are under 16...
You can
either be accompanied by your parent or carer who must bring
along one form of identification and sign your joining
form OR your parent or guardian can sign your form at home and send
the necessary identification with you.
If you would like to use our People's
Network computers you will need your parent or carer to
sign a parental consent form (PDF 46KB). The
computers are free to use for one hour each day. Terms and
conditions of use apply (PDF 46KB).
Once you have joined you can use your Library Card in all
Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester Libraries.
Large Print books
All libraries
in Cheshire East have a selection of books printed in large type to
make reading easier and more comfortable for those with poor
eyesight. If you require a particular title, please ask the staff
for assistance or search the Library Catalogue
Reservations of large print books are free for people who have
difficulty reading standard print.
Leaflet Service
Whatever you need to know, we probably have a leaflet all about
it! Whether you need information about money, measles, seat
belts or suntans, please visit the Leaflet Index online or at your local library.
The staff will ensure that a leaflet is posted to you from our
central supply free of charge. Pop into your local library to find out what’s
available.
LEARN partnership
The Libraries for Educational Access
Regional Network (LEARN) is a partnership between all the
public library authorities, the University of Chester and many
of the colleges across Cheshire East, Cheshire West &
Chester, Warrington, Halton and Wirral. If you are registered
at any of the libraries in the partnership you can access the other
libraries in the scheme for reference and study purposes.
Leisure Card
If you receive one or more eligible benefits or rebates you can
save money on library
services with a Cheshire Leisure Card. Just take one form
of identity and proof of your benefit or rebate received to
your local Cheshire East library. Your
Leisure Card doubles up as your library membership card allowing
you to borrow films, music, games and talking books for less. If
your partner qualifies for a Cheshire Leisure Card, you can also
apply using your partner's documentation plus a jointly named
document such as a rent book, Council Tax bill or bank book. For
terms and conditions ask at the library.
Library events
Details of events at your library can be found on their
individual web page. You can also find information about events
across Cheshire East in the What's On online guide.
Find information about library activities and news on our
latest news page.
Literacy
Cheshire East Libraries provide services to help adults to
read and
write better. The children's summer reading challenge
encourages children to continue and improve their reading during
the holidays. Bookstart and Bookcrawl create a love
of reading from an early age.
Local History Studies
Most libraries have some material relating to their immediate
locality. Larger libraries have books, pamphlets, trade
directories, maps and - on microfilm - local
newspapers, census returns and parish registers. The Central
Collection, the main collection of books and pamphlets relating to
the county is kept at the Cheshire Record
Office, which has an
online Local Studies catalogue covering the full range of
local history sources, both in Cheshire East Libraries and at the
Record Office, and Picture
Cheshire, our main collection of digital images. Macclesfield Library provides a local studies leaflet
(PDF 34KB) showing local studies sources held in the
library.
Lost Library Cards
If you lose your library membership card it is worth checking
whether it has been handed in at your local library. There is a
charge for a replacement adult card at any computerised library,
including Mobile libraries. If you need a replacement card you will
need to bring one form of identification to your
library. The charge for a replacement adult card is
£1.50 (75p for Cheshire Leisure
Card holders).
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