Library fees and charges

Fees apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. You can pay fees and charges at your local library.


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Replace a library card

Item Charge
Replacement adult card £2.70
Replacement child or young adult card £1.50

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Overdue items

Item Fine per day Maximum charge
Books borrowed by adults (18 and over) £0.35 £5.25
Books borrowed by children or young people (under 18) No charge No charge

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Audiobooks

Item Charge for 3 weeks Overdue charge per day Maximum charge
Adults (18 and over) £2.70 £0.35 £5.25
Children and young people (under 18) No charge No charge No charge

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Reserve items

Item Charge
Adults reserving items in stock £1.60
MiniReserver 90-day subscription £8

Charges do not apply if you:

  • are registered housebound
  • are visually impaired
  • use the home library service
  • are under 18

You can suggest items we do not hold by completing a stock suggestion form or sending an email. Forms are available in libraries.

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Lost or damaged items

Item Description Charge
Library items Lost, not returned or damaged beyond use Replacement cost
Adult audiobooks Lost, not returned or damaged beyond use Replacement cost or £42 if not available
Children’s audiobooks Lost, not returned or damaged beyond use Replacement cost or £26.25 if not available

Please note:

  • if you return a lost item and request a refund, there is a £4 administration charge per item
  • we do not give refunds for items valued at £4 or less
  • there is no charge for damage to picture or board books loaned to children under five
  • you cannot replace items yourself instead of paying the charge

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Loans without a card

Item Charge Note
Deposit for borrowing without your card £22 Refunded when the item is returned safely

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Reading groups

Entitlement Charge per person per year
Ten titles per person £16

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Printing and photocopying

Paper size Black and white single Black and white double Colour single Colour double
A4 £0.20 £0.40 £0.45 £0.90
A3 £0.30 £0.60 £0.55 £1.10
  • charges apply for photocopying, printing from library computers, and WiFi printing
  • we will review charges after replacing the current photocopiers

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Microfilm and microfiche printing

Item Charge
A4 sheet £0.55
A3 sheet £1.10
Postage and packaging Actual cost

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Using public computers without membership

Item Charge Restriction
15-minute session £1.60 Maximum 2 hours per day

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Local studies research

Item Charge
First 30 minutes £0
Each additional 30 minutes (up to 3 hours) £25
Half day (3.5 hours) £150
Full day (7.5 hours) £300

Contact the Local Studies team for longer enquiries or project work.

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Historic image collection

Item Charge
Image file licence £25 plus VAT

The licence is one-off, non-exclusive and non-transferable.

  • you must apply again for any additional use
  • credit ‘Local Studies (Swindon Libraries)’ where possible
  • additional costs may include postage, rescanning, image processing, or storage
  • some images may have third-party copyright
  • A4 prints are available for £5, including UK postage and packaging
  • charges may be reduced for local heritage groups, charities or non-profit use

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Hire a library space

Item Community hire Commercial or private hire
Central Library conversation space (capacity 150, 3-hour session) From £25 From £50
  • you must pay charges over £30 at least ten days in advance
  • staffing costs may apply, including setup or out-of-hours use
  • security costs apply where needed and are charged at cost

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Display charges

Item Charge per day
Commercial organisations or national charities promoting goods or services £55
Swindon charities and community groups £15
  • table display: one table (160 centimetres) and two chairs
  • mounted display: up to 2.5 metres long
  • larger displays may cost more

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Art exhibitions

Item Charge per week
Central Library Courtyard Gallery £65
  • if you fix items to walls, you must repair any damage after the exhibition

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