Library charges
You can borrow from and return books to any library in Kent for free with your Kent Libraries membership.
If you can't find the item you want at a library near you, you can reserve items from other libraries in Kent, or from other institutions for a fee. We’ll then deliver the item to your chosen library for you to pick up.
Once you place a reservation or interlibrary loan, the charges are non-refundable.
| Item | Charges |
|---|---|
| Books | Free |
| eLibrary | Free |
| Reservations from Kent |
£1.10 (non-refundable) Free to concessionary card holders and under 18s |
| Reservations from SELMS partners | £3 SELMS is a consortium of library services in the South East which has joined together to deliver better services for all its customers. |
| Interlibrary loans | £7 (£1 placement charge, £6 on completion) If you agree to proceed we will pass on the completion charge costs on to you. For the most up to date costs visit the British library website. |
| Suggest a purchase |
£2 (payable if your request is confirmed and ordered, includes a £1 reservation for the item) Free to under 18s. Purchase Requests are limited to one per week per library member, to allow our team to process requests within the time available for this service. |
| Adult films | New releases: £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 concessionary card you may not need to pay to borrow items. Find out more about getting an concessionary card.
Reading groups
Your book club can reserve books for free, with no charges for late returns, with a reading group library card. Find out more about what we offer book groups in Kent.
Music and drama sets for groups
Find out about borrowing music and drama sets for performances.
Schools
Please email our team at librariesreadingandliteracy@kent.gov.uk and we'll be happy to talk you through what we offer, and the terms of library membership for schools and teachers in Kent
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, and there are now no charges for late returns on children’s books, even if borrowed on an adult library card.
Check when your library items are due back by logging in to your library account on our website, or with the Kent Libraries app. You can also renew items if you want to keep them for longer.
Sign up to free email reminders to help you return or renew items on time, and save on postage charges.
| Item | Charges |
|---|---|
| Books (adults) | 25p per day (£10 maximum charge per book) |
| Books borrowed by children and under-18s, or with a concessionary library card | No charge |
| eLibrary | No charge, automatic returns |
| DVDs | Hire charge will be reapplied (£20 maximum charge per DVD) |
| CDs borrowed on an adult's card | Hire charge will be reapplied (£10 maximum charge per CD) |
| Reminder letters we send you | 70p |
Pay a library charge
To find out if you owe any money, or to pay online, you can log in to your library account. You can also pay library charges in person at the library.
If you have more than £5 of outstanding charges (including children) you will not be able to borrow or reserve more items, or use the public computers or wifi in libraries until the charges are paid.
We don't offer photocopying and printing in every library so check your local library before visiting.
Photocopying and printing
| Colour | Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Black and white | A4 | 20p per side |
| Black and white | A3 | 35p per side |
| Colour | A4 | 70p per side |
| Colour | A3 | £1per side |
Microfiche printing
| Colour | Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Black and white | A4 | 75p per side |
| Black and white | A3 | £1.20 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 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.
Library cards
We charge £2 to replace a lost or damaged adult library card and £1 to replace a lost or damaged children’s library card.
To replace a lost or damaged card, please bring proof of your name and address to one of our libraries.
We charge £2 to replace a lost or damaged adult library card and £1 to replace a lost or damaged children’s library card.