Borrowing, renewals and reservations
Using your library card
You can use your library card at any library in Lancashire. You can also sign in to your library account to reserve or renew items online.
Borrowing items
You can borrow up to 20 items at a time. This can include books, CDs, DVDs or other items.
If you prefer not to browse the shelves, you can use our Six of the Best service to ask staff to choose recommended books for you.
Loan periods are:
Books and audiobooks 3 weeks
DVDs and CDs 1 week
There is a charge for spoken-word recordings on CD, Playaway devices and language sets.
There is also a charge for hiring DVDs and CDs. Ask at your library for a loyalty card — borrow 5 DVDs and get the 6th free.
Lancashire residents can download eBooks and eAudiobooks.
Charges apply for overdue items.
Reservations
You can reserve up to 20 items at a time.
You can request items that are available for loan by:
logging into your library account (library card number and PIN required)
visiting any library
calling 0300 123 6703
If an item is not available on the Lancashire Library catalogue, we may be able to borrow it from another library. Find out more about inter-library loans.
There is a charge per item, payable when you collect it. There is no charge to reserve audio or visual items. Some borrowers are exempt from charges and reservations are free for anyone under 18.
When your reservation arrives, we will let you know by voicemail, text, email or post, depending on your account preferences. You can also sign in to your library account to check the status. Items will show as ‘ready to collect’ when available. Reserved items are held for 2 weeks.
Ask at your library for a loyalty card — reserve 5 books and get the 6th free.
Renewals
You can renew items up to 10 times.
You can renew:
online
in person at any Lancashire library
using the automated 24-hour phone line: 0300 123 6704 (library card number and PIN required)
by calling the Customer Contact Centre: 0300 123 6703 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
by emailing your local library
using the Ask a Lancashire Librarian enquiry service
You will not be able to sign in or use the automated phone service if you have over £6 in outstanding charges, or charges older than one month.
Some items cannot be renewed. Some audiovisual items may have a charge when renewed. Items requested by another customer cannot be renewed, but you can reserve another copy for free if you have not finished reading it.
Returns
You can return books to any Lancashire County Council library, no matter where you borrowed them. Return them at the counter or using a self-service machine.
Notifications
You can choose to receive notifications about reservations and overdue items by email, text, voicemail or post.
Read our privacy notice to find out how we use and store your information.
You can also register for the free Library Elf service to receive email reminders before items are due back.
Inter-library loans
If a book is not available on the Lancashire Library catalogue, we may be able to get it from another library.
Find out more about inter-library loans
Stock suggestions
You can submit suggestions for new items for our library stock.