Reading Central Library

very helpful staff. very quiet library, good use of computer, photocopiers, newspaper tables. good choice of childrens and adult books

Very friendly staff helped me join the library, which I’m permitted to do because I have a local address and brought my water bill. Very nice selection of books and other materials. There’s also a good sized children’s area and they have a weekly «storytime» at this branch and others. The ‘toy library’ is an interesting idea I haven’t seen at other libraries.
Books are, of course, free. The library’s selection of audiovisual materals, including videos and DVD’s are not. For these, there is a lending charge of £1.60 for the former and £2.60 for the latter.
The library offers quite a few activities and services for adults as well, including author events (a local ‘action’ author was being advertised while I was there), coffee mornings and a number of book groups. The library’s computers are free to use and the welcome packet mentions that they can arrange free delivery for those who might be house-​bound.
I was able to quickly find two books that interested me — the Science Fiction section is medium size and the regular Fiction looks good too.

Reading central library is a great credit to Reading Borough Council.
It offers so many services.
I will list some of them here:
Book loans, music loans, DVD loans, toy loans for children, internet access, newspapers and magazines (to read in the library), job searching, children and parents’ sing-​along sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the morning.
The library is always busy and has something for everyone.
When you join Reading library you can have access to all libraries in the Reading area.
Also, if you want to borrow an item that isn’t in that branch, you can request it from another branch without having to travel to it. They will then email you when it’s in stock.