Your library services

For those that are housebound or temporarily unable to visit a branch, our housebound library service delivers books and talking books direct to your home. Initially, we will telephone you to discuss your reading/listening requirements. You will then be visited on a regular basis with items that have been selected according to your tastes.

For further information about our housebound service, please contact us on 01642 249209  or e-mail: delivered_services@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Our Ethnic Services Team provide a wide range of events and activities in the libraries. There is also a selection of books in a wide range of languages including Urdu, Chinese and Arabic. A selection of newspapers are also available at the Central Library. Global Office can be used on our computers to write documents in over 100 languages.

For more information please contact Ethnic Services at the Central Library on 01642 729411or email ethnic_services@middlesbrough.gov.uk

In Middlesbrough there are over 120 public PCs across our 10 libraries. All PCs provide:

• Access to the internet
• Access to e-mail
• Office software: word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases
• Colour printing facilities
• Access to online resources

Charges

• Computer use -
• Adults - £3.50 (per year)
• Children (under 16) - £2.50 (per year)
• Guests - £5.00
• Printing - A4 black & white - 10p per copy; A4 colour - 30p per copy

How to book

PCs can be booked in advance or you can just turn up on the day. Once you have signed a form agreeing to our conditions of use, you can book yourself onto the PCs using your library card number and PIN. To provide fair access to the public computers to all of our users, bookings are limited to a maximum of three hours per day.

If you want further information or would like to book a one to one session please contact any of our libraries or call one of the Learning & Access Librarians on:-

01642 812972  (Acklam, Hemlington, Marton and Rainbow Libraries)
01642 246947  (Berwick Hills, North Ormesby and Thorntree Libraries)
01642 729001 (Central, Easterside and Grove Hill Libraries)

The Reference Library is on the top floor of the Central Library.  You may use the family history resources and enlist the help of the staff at any time during the Central Library's opening hours without prior appointment, but you are strongly advised to book microfilm/fiche machines in advance.

There are several microfilm/fiche machines for reading items such as the local census returns 1841-1901; the St Catherine's House Index of Births, Deaths and Marriages in England and Wales 1837-2000; and a selection of local and national newspapers.

To contact the Reference Library please call 01642 729001 or email reference_library@middlesbrough.gov.uk

The libraries charge for a number of services including photocopying, computer and microform printouts, hire of audio visual items and requesting items not in stock. Details of current charges can be viewed by download the  'Library fees & charges 2012' [23kb] document. 

External enquiries by post, fax, telephone or email, which require either staff time to search records and sources and/or copying of material to be sent to the enquirer also incur a charge.

Here are a few good reasons to join the library:

• It's free to join
• You can borrow up to 10 books and story tapes as well as hiring up to 6 media items such as DVDs, PlayStation2 and 3 games, X-Box 360 games, Nintendo Wii and DS games.
• Internet access  

Please use the navigation box to the left to find out what else Middlesbrough Libraries has to offer.

Our Young People's Librarians work to promote reading and the library services to young people aged 0 - 18 years old.

Contact your Young Persons Librarian:

• Berwick Hills, North Ormesby, Thorntree area on 01642 246947
• Central, Grove Hill, Easterside, Newport area on 01642 729419
• Acklam, Hemlington, Coulby Newham, Marton area on 01642 812972
• Young People's Library Manager 01642 729421

Activities in libraries include:

Bookstart - In partnership with SureStart and Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland Community Services we promote reading to children from birth through 'Bags for Babies' 7 - 9 months, 18 months - 2 years and Treasure Boxes for 3 year olds. Contact your local branch for more details.

Book Crawl - Parent and children reading initiative - collect stickers and certificates for borrowing books.

Rhyme time and story times/story sacks - ask at your local library for details

Tots and toys - ask at your local library for details

Funtime booktime - ask at your local library for details

Babies books and music - ask at your local library for details

Kippers first library card - We are proud to offer 0-4 year olds their first library card

We work closely with schools to develop a relationship between children and the libraries. To do this we hold a range of activities to promote reading, some are listed below:

Class visits
We welcome class visits, schools are invited to contact their local branch to book a session. We offer library skills, story times and sessions on our People's Network computers. During the Light on Libraries period in the autumn term all Y5 classes are invited to make a visit to the library.

Booktime
Booktime promotes reading for pleasure with the gift of a book pack with a guidance booklet for parents and carers on shared reading. In Middlesbrough the packs are gifted in the library and children are encouraged to join the library and read. The scheme is funded by Pearson the publishers and Booktrust.

Bag Books story sessions
Bag Books are multi-sensory story packs which offer accessible stories for those who cannot benefit from mainstream books. Classes are invited in to take part in sessions using these.

Story club
Story club takes place at Acklam Library every Friday (term time only) and is run by the young person's librarian. Discover a different story each week and bring the characters and setting to life with fun filled activities. Open to all children who can sit, listen and participate, recommended age 5-12 years.

Crafty Kids Club
This monthly book themed craft session is held at North Ormesby library on the last Thursday of each month from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. The session is for children 5-12 years old (children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult).

Have you always wanted to join a reading group but didn't know where to start? Do you enjoy reading and want to share your thoughts about books and reading with others?  Do you want to set up your own reading group, but are concerned about the expense? Then wonder no more.

Middlesbrough Libraries would like to encourage more reading groups to form in the Middlesbrough area.  We have a great selection of reading group books to choose from, we have tips for starting a reading group and support notes linked to the texts for group discussion.  Reading groups can meet in the library, the café, the pub, your living room, community centres. Anywhere you choose, really.

Reading groups are a wonderful way of exploring the social aspect of reading.  You can share your thoughts about your group's chosen book, discuss related issues and indulge in your passion of the written word.

If you are interested in setting up a reading group, please contact Sara on 01642 729426 or email sara_dennis@middlesbrough.gov.uk and we can organise for your group to borrow multiple copies of books.

Details of our current reading groups can be found below:

Acklam Library reading group meet monthly on a Monday evening, 5:30pm - 6:30pm.
The group welcomes new members.
Please contact Ruth on 01642 812972 or email ruth_cull@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Acklam Library TASC reading group every Monday 1:30pm-2:30pm.
Please contact Ruth on 01642 812972 or email ruth_cull@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Berwick Hills Library reading group meet on the second Wednesday of every month.
Please contact Helen on 01642 591918 or email helen_mcarthur@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Grove Hill Library reading group meet monthly on a Monday morning at 10:00am.
The group is currently full. However you can contact Lisa White on 01642 729429 or email lisa_white@middlesbrough.gov.uk for enquiries.

Hemlington Library Reading Group meet monthly on a Thursday 10:30pm - 12pm
New members welcome. Call Gill on 01642 812972 or email gillian_appleton@middlesrbough.gov.uk

Marton Library reading group meet monthly on a Wednesday afternoon, 2pm - 4pm.
Please contact Ruth or Gill on 01642 812972 or email ruth_cull@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Middlesbrough Central Library Reading Group meet on a Monday afternoon 1-2pm
Please contact Lisa White on 01642 729426 or email lisa_white@middlesbrough.gov.uk for further information.

Rainbow Library reading group meet on a Thursday every three weeks.
Please contact Ruth or Gill on 01642 812972 or email ruth_cull@middlesbrough.gov.uk

For general reading group information or to set up a new reading group please contact Sara Dennis on 01642 729409 or email sara_dennis@middlesbrough.gov.uk  

Please also visit http://www.readinggroups.org to spread the word about the great things that reading groups, writing groups and book clubs offer.