Fees and charges

You can avoid late return charges by:

  • Returning items to a library on or before the date they are due
  • Renewing online     
  • Contacting your library on or before the date the items are due back. Items will be renewed from the date the library handles the renewal request, not from when the request was delivered, sent, emailed, posted etc.

If we have your email address we will send you automatic email reminders 3 days before your items are due.

Please note: you should not rely on this service to avoid late returns. The non-receipt of an email, for whatever reason (including conditions on the web or any interruption to the service itself), is not a valid reason to waive charges. The email reminder is an additional courtesy service only.

On holiday? Let us know if you will be away when books are due back. Staff are not permitted to vary loan periods to individual customers without authority; however, a further loan period of up to 21 days may be given and loan periods over 42 days (6 weeks) will require special agreement from the library's principal librarian.

Faulty stock items

If an item was faulty when you received it, please report it to a member of staff.

Lost or damaged stock items

Replacement costs for lost or damaged items are based on actual prices and include a £5 handling charge except where stated. A receipt will be issued when payment is made for a lost item.

If the item is subsequently found, money paid (less the handling charge) may be refunded on production of the item together with the Northamptonshire County Council official receipt or the till receipt.

Charges are based on average prices paid by Northamptonshire Libraries for new stock. For all items other than DVDs and blu-rays, customers can provide an identical replacement (plus £5 handling charge).

Fees and charges: methods of payment

Fees and charges can be paid online using the library catalogue by logging into your account or at your local library.

Please note: card payment facilities are available at Northampton Central, Daventry, Kettering, Wellingborough and Weston Favell Libraries. Minimum amount through card payment is £5.

List of fees and charges

Overdue book charges

Static library

Books issued from a static library on the following cards.

​Borrower card​Charge
​adult​​£0.35 per day open to a maximum of £14.70 per book
​5 to 18​​£0.05 per day open to a maximum of £2.10 per book
​under 5​​no charge
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Reservation charges

Reservation charges

​Library members can reserve items that are held in any public library in Northamptonshire.

​Borrower category​Charge
​Adult​​Charge to reserve a single item £1.50 (non-refundable)
​11 to 17​​No charge to order items held in stock by Northamptonshire Libraries
​Under 11​​No charge to order items held in stock by Northamptonshire Libraries
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Stock hire charges

Multimedia items

Audio books, DVDs, blu-ray and other items are hired at their hire charge rate for each loan period or part loan period that items are kept beyond the date they are due for return.

​Category hire​Charge
​Audio books - on CD and tape​
​adult audio books (no charge for reading impaired borrowers including those with dyslexia)​£1.80 per item
​children's audio books (no charge for reading impaired borrowers including those with dyslexia)​£0.80 per item
​DVDs and blu-rays​
​single DVDs or blu-rays​£2.50 per item for 1 week
​DVDs or blu-rays: sets of 3 discs or more​£4.00 per set for 2 weeks
​children's non-feature DVDs or blu-rays​£1.50 per item
​Language courses​
​single language courses​£1.50 per item
​multi-part language courses​£3.50 per item


 

Music score sets
​Number of sets borrowed (maximum of 50 copies per set)Charge​
​Maximum of 10 music score sets (per year), of up to 50 copies per set​£280
​​Individual charge for music scores up to 50 copies​£35
​Up to 50 additional copies of music score sets​£30
​​Late return charge for a 3 week re-hire period (or part of) - per set.​£10
Playsets
​Charge
​​£5 for 3 weeks. There will be an extra £5 charge for a 3 week re-hire period (or part of).
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Charges for hiring library rooms, IT suites and exhibition space

Hire of exhibition space (where available)
​Charge

​£50 plus VAT (minimum charge); 20% of sales plus VAT

 

Hire of rooms or space in libraries

​There are exhibition areas, meeting rooms, computer facilities and spaces in several libraries, which can be hired for displays, sales events, meetings and activities.

To arrange hiring please contact the library directly.

​Category​Charge
​non-private space​£7 per hour
​private space not for profit

​£10.50 per hour, plus a standard charge of £35 per hour for caretaking or staff time where required.

​private space commercial

​£16.50 per hour, plus a standard charge of £35 per hour for caretaking or staff time where required.

 

Hire of the Carnegie Room at Northampton Central Library
​Category​Charge
​not for profit

​£16.50 per hour, plus a standard charge of £35 per hour for caretaking or staff time where required.

​commercial​£18 per hour, plus a standard charge of £35 per hour for caretaking or staff time where required

 

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Computer and internet service

Computer and internet service

​There is both a free service and a charged for service in all libraries with free computer hire on Fridays.

From April 2020 to March 2021 Northamptonshire Libraries will continue to waive the usual computer hire fee for the charged for service on Fridays.

Please note: terms and conditions do apply; charges for printing and photocopying remain in place.

​Category​Charge​Description
​Online reference​Free​The online reference section includes access to thousands of recommended websites including subscription websites purchased by Northamptonshire Libraries to allow library members to use them for free
​Computer hire​£1 minimum charge for up to 20 minutes use; thereafter, £1 for each subsequent 20 minutes of use.

Please note: payment is in advance for the time you think you will need; there are no refunds for unused time.

​Access to:

  • up to date web browser
  • email and social media
  • search engines
  • printing from memory stick or card
  • Microsoft Office 2016 applications
​Booking a computerFree (library members can book in advance) ​
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Charges for laminating, photocopying, printing

Laminating

​Please ask staff about laminating your documents.

​Size​Charge
​A4 and smaller​£1.65 per sheet
​A3​£3.30 per sheet


 

Photocopying
​Size and colour​Charge
​A4 black and white​£0.20 per sheet; multiple copies 10p per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original
​A4 colour​£0.70 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.50 per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from one original
​A3 black and white​£0.30 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.15 per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original
​A3 colour​£1 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.75 per sheet from a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original

 

Printing
Size and Colour ​​Charge
​A4 black and white​£0.20 per sheet; multiple copies 10p per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original
​A3 black and white​£0.30 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.15 per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original
​A4 colour​£0.70 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.50 per sheet for a minimum of 50 copies from one original
​A3 colour ​£1 per sheet; multiple copies at £0.75 per sheet from a minimum of 50 copies from 1 original
​Microfilm and microfiche printouts​£0.80 per sheet
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Items for sale

Adult books
​Category​charge
​hardback non-fiction/information​£1.55 or as individually priced
​paperback non-fiction/information​£0.50 or as individually priced
​hardback fiction/novels​£0.50 or as individually priced
​paperback fiction/novels​£0.25 or as individually priced

 

Children's books
​Category​Charge
​hardback non-fiction/information ​£0.50 or as individually priced
​hardback fiction/novels​£0.40 or as individually priced
​paperbacks ​£0.25 or as individually priced
​picture books​£0.50 or as individually priced

 

Items for sale

​Sales of withdrawn and donated stock are held regularly in libraries across Northamptonshire. Large or specific sales, e.g. withdrawn CDs, are in the local press. Most libraries have a small selection of sales stock at all times.

Multimedia
​Category ​Charge
​audiobooks on CD​£5
​DVDs and blu-rays ​£2 or as individually priced
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Charges for lost or damaged items

Books
​Category​Charge (includes £5 handling charge)
​adult non-fiction hardback​£16.67
​adult non-fiction paperback​£12.25
​adult fiction hardback​£14.06
​adult fiction paperback​£9.99
​graphic novel​£12.99
​child non-fiction hardback​£12.73
​child non-fiction paperback​£10.07
​child fiction hardback ​£11.44
​child fiction paperback​£9.88
​young adult non-fiction hardback​£13.97
​young adult non-fiction paperback​£11.07
​young adult fiction hardback​£12.74
​young adult fiction paperback​£10.38
​giant picture book​£16.31
​large print adult non-fiction hardback​£23.76
​large print adult non-fiction paperback​£19.17
​large print adult fiction hardback​£22.26
​large print adult fiction paperback​£15.83

 

DVDs and blu-ray discs
​Category​charge
​single DVD or blu-ray disc​£19.50
​complete sets​as per purchase price plus £5 handling charge

 

Membership cards
​Charge
​£2.50 each (includes administration charge)

 

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Permission Fee for photos

For commercial
Charge​
​£50
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Story sacks

Story sacks

​Story sacks can be hired to enjoy with your child at home.

​Charge

£1 per week. Please note that the story sacks are hired at their hire charge rate for each loan period or part loan period that they are kept beyond the date they are due for return.

​

 

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