Reservations, requests and  inter-library loans

Our library catalogue has the details of all the titles which are held in our libraries.

Once you have found the title(s) you are interested in, you can reserve them for a small charge. As soon as they become available they will be sent to the library of your choice.

If the title you want is not on our library catalogue we may still be able to get you a copy. This can be done either by obtaining it from library suppliers or by borrowing it from another library.

Reserving items at a branch

  • fill in a reservation card
  • please give as much detail as possible to help staff trace the item you are looking for
  • it is not possible to reserve reference books
  • charges apply and are payable when you collect the reservation
  • you will be contacted when your items are ready for collection and you can also check by logging in to the My Account area of the library catalogue

Reserving items online

We regret that the facility to reserve online is currently unavailable while we prepare to upgrade our library computer system.

Items can still be reserved by visiting your local branch. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Can’t find what you are looking for?

  • if you have searched the catalogue, but can’t find what you want, we can usually request books and periodical articles from other libraries in the UK, please see section below.
  • fill out a request form at any library and we will do our best to obtain the item for you
  • please give us as much detail as possible to help staff trace the item you are looking for
  • charges apply and are payable when you collect the reservation

It is not possible to request DVDs from other libraries in the UK.

It is also not possible to request items if you do not live, work or study in the Royal Borough.

Download and print the Library fines and charges (file size 54Kb)

Inter-library loans

If we do not have the book you are interested in, we can apply to other libraries to borrow their copy on your behalf through the Inter-Library Loans (ILL) system. We go to various libraries in the UK including university libraries as well as the British Library.

Do they cost anything?

Yes. Please see our Fines and charges page for more details.

How do I apply for an inter-library loan?

You can apply for up to ten ILL requests at any one time. Fill in a reservation form available at your local library. Give as much detail as possible and hand the form into a member of library staff.

Please write in block capitals and make sure your hand writing is easy to read!

We will then decide if we wish to purchase the item for our libraries or apply for an inter-library loan.

How long do they take to arrive?

This depends on the item you wish to borrow and where we go to get it. It can take anything from two weeks to several months to supply. We are not the only library applying to borrow books, so you may find yourself added to a waiting list.

If the book is still in print we will evaluate the book and see if it is worth adding to our own stock.

We try our best to keep the time as short as possible, and will investigate other sources if we can not supply the books within a reasonable time.

How long can I borrow them for?

British Library books are usually issued for three weeks. Other libraries may have their own lending periods. These loan periods start from the date the book was issued to us and we notify you as soon as the book arrives. It is important you pick up the book as quickly as possible to get the most out of the loan time available.

Occasionally items may only be available for use in a Royal Borough library and so can not be taken out of the library at all.

What happens if I lose or damage an inter-library loan item?

If you lose or damage an inter-library loans item you will be charged accordingly.

Can I renew an inter-library loan?

Again, this depends on where we have borrowed the item from. It may be possible to renew your inter-library loan, but not always. Please call us on the Librariesline on 020 7361 3010 to see if it is possible to renew the item.