Renewing your library items

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Library Service update: January to April 2025

Our Libraries and Archives Service is updating its online pages and loans service. Find out how this will affect you.

Last updated: 15 January 2025

Renew your library items

Items may be renewed up to eight times unless they have been reserved. Some items, such as DVDs, may incur another hire charge: speak to library staff for more information. 

Renewing your library items by automated telephone

Before you call

You will need:

  • your library membership number, which is printed on your membership card and starts with 20116

How it works

  • telephone: 020 7361 3610
  • connect to the phone renewal system 
  • to renew your books, press 2 (account information)
  • enter your library membership number as directed, followed by # 

The phone renewal system wouldn't let me renew my items

Certain items cannot be renewed by phone; these include items:

  • borrowed from outside Kensington and Chelsea (inter-library loans)
  • reserved by other readers
  • that have exceeded the maximum number of renewals

Who to contact if you encounter a problem

If you have problems using the telephone renewal system, please contact [email protected], or visit your local library and ask a member of staff.

Renewing your library items online

You can now renew items you have on loan from the Library over the internet using the Library catalogue. You will need to log into the library catalogue to renew your items. If you have any access problems please refresh your screen.

Before you go online

You will need:

  • your library membership number - which is printed on your membership card and starts with 20116. Important: this number should be entered as one long number. Do not add spaces.
  • your Personal Identification Number (PIN)

If you do not know your PIN, you will able to request a new one when you go log onto the catalogue, and one will be automatically generated to your email address. Or you can visit your local library to request your PIN in person. You will need to show your library membership card if you are requesting your PIN in person.

How it works

Click the "My Account" link from the top banner of the catalogue page:

My account

And enter your membership details in the log in window:

Logging in to library account

After logging in, your account details will be displayed and any overdue items will be highlighted along with an overview of your account.

Choose the Checkouts tab. You will see a list of items you currently have on loan that need to be renewed:

Overdue items- screen shot

Renewing all your items

To renew all items: at the top of the list, select the Select all tick box, and then click the Renew button.

Renewals

Or you can just renew one or two individual items: tick the individual boxes next to the items you want to renew, then click the Renew button.
 
When you have chosen the items you would like to renew, and clicked Renew, you will see the following screen: please choose Yes.
 

Renewal confirmation screen

You will see the new dates for returning your items listed as below:

Renewal date

I have used the online renewal system, but it wouldn't let me renew my items

Certain items cannot be renewed online; these include:

  • Items borrowed from outside Kensington and Chelsea (inter-library loans)
  • Items that have been reserved by other readers
  • Items that have exceeded the maximum number of renewals
  • Audio visual items, such as DVDs

If an item cannot be renewed because of these exceptions, you will see an error message similar to:

library renewals sample 3

Who to contact if you have a problem renewing items

If you have problems using the online renewal system, please contact [email protected], or visit your local library and ask a member of staff.

Last updated: 20 March 2025