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
Magazines
Each Cheshire East Library takes
at least one local and one national newspaper and subscribes to a
selection of periodicals/ magazines covering interests and
hobbies.
Meeting
Rooms
Many of our libraries 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. There is a charge for this service.
Minicom Text
phones
A minicom is a small machine that can
be used with a telephone, to receive and transmit messages which
are typed into it. Some libraries have a Minicom. If you are
deaf or hard of hearing you can use
the library minicom free of charge to phone anywhere in the UK.
Mobile
libraries
We have mobile
libraries which take books for all ages into the rural
areas of Cheshire East. They provide a fortnightly service.
Mobile libraries also operate from the
Education Library Service; these take
books to schools throughout Cheshire East.
Multicultural
Services
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. Visit our multicultural services web page for further
information.
Multimedia
Most libraries have Multimedia
sections, where you will find the latest CDs, DVDs, console
games, videos and CD-ROMs. There is a charge for the loan of
these items. The current charges are listed in the Library Charges leaflet, on display in all
libraries.
Museums and
Heritage
The Museums and
Heritage Service provides information on museums in Cheshire
East and Cheshire West and Chester. Find out about events and
activities, as well as education and lifelong learning
opportunities.
Music
Libraries hold a wide range of CDs that
can be borrowed. If you cannot find the title you wish to borrow at
your local library, you can reserve it if it is in stock at another
library. There is a charge for the loan of
these items.
Music
Scores
Multiple copies of
music scores for Cheshire choirs can be ordered online or by
telephone on 01244 976048 and are collected from a Cheshire
library of your choice.
There is a fee for borrowing multiple sets; please ask for details.
See also sheet music.
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.
Newspapers
Each Cheshire East library takes at least 1 local and 1 national
daily newspaper, which may be read in the library. Most libraries
also keep backdated copies of local newspapers. Historic
collections of local newspapers are held at the Cheshire Record
Office.
Older
People
A significant number of older people may have difficulties with
mobility, eyesight or hearing loss and libraries have a range of
services taking these factors into account.
If you live too far away from your nearest
library, please check the mobile library
routes to see if there is a mobile library which stops near
you.
Every library has large print books
and talking books for people whose eyesight is deteriorating. Large
print books can be reserved free of charge, allowing access to the
whole of the Cheshire’s stock. Catalogues of the talking book stock
are available from your local
library. People who have difficulty reading print or handling
books may borrow and reserve talking books free of charge.
We also hold information on
opportunities and services, such as information on retirement,
education, voluntary work, health, financial management, housing
etc.
There is a home library service,
Books on Wheels, for older and disabled people living in
Cheshire East. Eligibility for this service depends on the ability
of an individual to use branch or mobile libraries and the
availability or otherwise of relatives or friends who can go to a
library for them. Please contact your local
library for more information about the service in your
area.
We also offer services to elderly
people's homes and day centres.
Ordering
items
You can order or reserve items which are not
currently available at your local library. Simply fill in a
Reservation Form and we will send you a postcard or email to let
you know when the item you have reserved is ready for you to
borrow. Use our suggestion forms for books and multimedia items not
already in stock, we'll do our best to add them to our
collection.
You can reserve items online through our Library Catalogue.
Overdue
items
Your loans can be renewed in the library, online or by
telephone to avoid incurring overdue fines. You can also choose
to receive pre-overdue reminders and overdue notifications by
email or overdue notifications by text message to your mobile
phone. If your loans become overdue a daily fines rate applies.
Parish Records
In addition to collections at the Cheshire Record Office, some of our larger
libraries hold local collections of Parish Records. Please contact
the individual libraries for
details. Macclesfield Library provides a
leaflet of Parish Records
(PDF, 292KB) detailing records held at the library.
People's
Network
All Cheshire East libraries have
People's Network
computers available to use. These allow you to access the
internet, library catalogue, homework resources, the Virtual
Reference Library, and to use Word and other Office
software.
Printing and scanning facilities are
available in all Cheshire East libraries. Demand for use can be
high, so booking in advance is advisable. Please contact your local library for details.
Computer use is free for the first
hour of use each day. Remember to bring your library membership
card with you. If you are not a library member just bring along one
form of ID (which must show your address) and join on the day!
Under 16s will need a signed parental
consent declaration form before using the computers. If you
are under 16 and need to join the library you will need a parent or
carer to sign your joining form and show one form of
identification. They can either do this in the library or sign your
form at home and you can bring the signed form and
the identification with you.
Photocopiers
All libraries have black and white coin operated photocopiers for
you to use.
Photographs
Larger libraries will have some photographs relating to their
locality. There is also a countywide collection of photographs,
slides, prints and other images at the Cheshire Record Office.
Some of these images are being stored
digitally and made available on CD-ROM in larger libraries. Please
phone 01244 603018 for further details. Digital images created from
original materials held at the Cheshire
Record Office and in Cheshire East Libraries are available
online at the Cheshire Archives and Local Studies digital image
website.
PIN
A
PIN
is
required to access the details of your loans and reservations and
to reserve and renew items on the Cheshire Libraries Catalogue.
It is also required to use the Virtual Reference Library. If you do not
know your
PIN
,
contact your local
library or e-mail librarynotifications@cheshireeast.gov.uk,
quoting your library card number, and confirming your name and
address.
Playgroups and
Nurseries
Playgroups, nurseries and parent/toddler
groups can borrow books for use by children in their care. 'Big
books' are also available for loan in some libraries. Local
Authority nursery schools can use the Education Library Service. For details of
crèches, nurseries, holiday play schemes, childminders, out of
school clubs and parent/toddler groups please contact the Family Information Service.
Plays
Hoole
Library has a special collection of plays. Single and
multiple copies of plays are available for loan. A list of new
titles is available on request.
One act play collection : colour
coding.
Light green - comedy - mixed cast -
1-6 characters
Dark green - comedy - mixed cast - 7+ characters
Light brown - drama - mixed cast - 1-6 characters
Dark brown - drama - mixed cast - 7+ characters
Light red - comedy - female cast - 1-6 characters
Dark red - comedy - female cast - 7+ characters
Light blue - drama - female cast - 1-6 characters
Dark blue - drama - female cast - 7+ characters
Yellow - all male cast - any cast size
A full list of plays (PDF,
1.8MB) is available. Please contact
Hoole Library for further details 01244 347401.
Prison
library
We provide a library service at
HM Prison in Styal.
Randolph Caldecott Collection
Randolph Caldecott, artist and book illustrator, was born at 150
Bridge Street, Chester in 1846. He was educated at King Henry
VIII School in Chester. He died in Florida in 1886, and there is a
memorial to him in Chester Cathedral.
Chester Library has a collection of about 140 volumes by
Caldecott, including his contributions to The Graphic Magazine,
Washington Irving's 'Old Christmas' and 'Bracebridge Hall' and his
series of picture books such as 'The House that Jack Built', 'Babes
in the Wood' and 'Ride a Cock Horse'. Please contact the library in
advance to view the collection, as it is located on closed
access.
Readers
Whether
you are looking for book reviews, literature events, reading groups
or inspiration, the Readers and Writers website has something for
you.
Reading Groups
The Reading Group Collection has been set up to encourage members
of reading groups to expand their reading choices, to try something
different, and to discover new authors and new genres. These titles
are available (mostly in sets of 12) for registered reading groups
to borrow, free of charge, for a 6 week loan period. Books are
delivered to your
local library for collection. To register your reading group
please phone the Collection Adminstrator on 01244 976021 or pick up
a leaflet in your library. Please note that due to the popularity
of this service, your group is likely to be placed on a waiting
list.
If you are interested in joining or setting up a Reading Group,
we can offer information and multiple copies of a range of titles;
ask at your local
library for details or visit our Reading Groups page.
Bollington,
Congleton,
Handforth,
Holmes Chapel,
Knutsford and
Nantwich libraries host reading groups or book clubs. Congleton
Library also runs book clubs for children and for
teenagers.
Records and Archives
The Cheshire Record Office collects and cares for
the principal collection of records and archives for the county of
Cheshire, from the 12th century to the present day. Members of the
public can consult these archives in the search room, free of
charge and by appointment.
Reference
collections
All Cheshire East
libraries have a collection of reference books for answering
everyday enquiries and checking elusive facts in almanacs, atlases,
dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias and yearbooks.
The larger libraries have more extensive collections for students
and have trained staff available to handle more complex enquiries.
Study facilities are also available.
The Virtual Reference Library is accessible 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. There are a growing number of excellent
information resources at your fingertips; simply log on and enter
the number on your library card when prompted.
Renewing items
Books should be returned within three
weeks.
If you can't bring your books back by
the return date, in order to avoid paying fines items can be
renewed by phoning your library,
the online catalogue,
fax, post or in person. You can also renew loans on the dedicated
telephone renewals number: 0845 148 0148. This renewal will be for
a further three week period unless the item is requested by another
borrower.
Books can be renewed without coming into the library up to eight
times, and then must be brought into a library for returns or a
further renewal.
Most Cheshire East libraries now use a computerised issuing
system. You will only need the borrower number on your membership
card to enable you to renew items by phone. A PIN is required for online renewals.
Multimedia items such as CDs and DVDs may also be renewed if not
required by other borrowers. Such renewals will incur a further
charge at the rate of the original loan. Multimedia items will be
issued for a further week. After this date a daily fines rate will apply.
Reserving and requesting items
If we don't have the item you want, we can try to borrow it from
another Cheshire East or Cheshire West and Chester library. The
stock of our libraries is listed on our catalogue. If you
have not used this before the staff will be very pleased to help
you. There is a charge for reserving
items. You can now reserve items online at our Library Catalogue pages.
You can choose to have an email or text message sent to you when
your reservation is waiting for collection.
If you would like to reserve an item that is not held by any of our
libraries, our Interlending Unit can provide items from other UK
libraries or even a library outside the UK if necessary. Just go
into a library to place your reservation. Charges apply to these
services, details of which can be found in our Library Charges leaflet.
Romany Collection
Romany was the name used by the Rev. George Bramwell Evens
(1884-1943) in his BBC Children's Hour radio broadcasts Out
with Romany in the 1930s and 40s. His mother was a true
gypsy and the caravan, or vardo, he used for his outings can still
be seen outside Wilmslow Library, along
with the memorial to his dog, Raq.
Wilmslow Library holds a collection of Romany's books and copies
of the Romany magazine, published annually by the Romany Society,
which can be accessed during library opening hours for reference
only.
Rhyme times
Rhyme times for under 5s are
offered at various Cheshire East Libraries. A full list of rhyme
times is available. You can also check the individual library pages for details.
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