London Borough of Barnet

What you can borrow

Barnet libraries has something for everyone from fiction for all tastes and ages, books for leisure and learning to spoken word CDs and special collections of vocal scores and playsets. You can also borrow e-books and e-audio books form the Barnet Digital Library.

How many and how long?

  • adults and teenagers may have up to 14 items on loan at any one time 
  • children may have up to 10 items on loan at a time

Books, music CDs and spoken word CD's may be borrowed for three weeks, playstation games for one week and DVDs for three or seven days.

Charges

Books can be borrowed free of charge; CDs, PlayStation games, DVDs and cassettes have a small loan charge. Charges are made for all overdue items except children's and teen books.

Renewing your loans

You can renew your loans in person, by telephone or online. You will need your barcode number and a PIN for renewals or checking your personal record. Unless items are already reserved by another borrower you should be able to keep them for a further 21 days.

You cannot renew DVDs, CDs and playstation games. For these items a further loan charge will apply (per loan period) when you return them to the library.

Special tickets

If you are a childminder, preschool leader or foster carer you can have a special ticket for books to share with the children in your care. 

  • Childminders can borrow an additional 14 items, plus themed story boxes. Standard loan periods and charges apply.
  • Preschool leaders can borrow up to 30 items, plus themed story boxes. Books are loaned for 100 days and non-book items for standard loan periods. Standard charges apply.
  • Foster carers can borrow an additional 20 books for up to six weeks, 2 DVDs (U, PG and 12 certificates) free of charge and themed story boxes.

To obtain a childminder, preschool or foster carer library ticket you must show proof of name and address and your OFSTED or Local Authority registration documents.

If you have trouble reading standard sized print, you may be entitled to a special ticket which entitles you to free talking book loans. To obtain a special ticket you will need to provide a letter from your doctor in addition to proof of your name and address.

Community language materials

Barnet libraries stocks materials in a variety of community languages. See the table below for locations.

 Language Library
 Arabic Edgware, Hendon
 Bengali East Finchley, Hendon
 Chinese Burnt Oak, Chipping Barnet, Church End, East Finchley, South Friern, Hendon, Mill Hill, North Finchley
 Czech Edgware, Hendon, South Friern,
 Farsi Burnt Oak, Church End, East Finchley, Hendon, North Finchley, Golders Green
 French Burnt Oak, Chipping Barnet, Church End, Edgware, Golders Green, Hendon, Mill Hill, South Friern
 German Chipping Barnet, Church End, Edgware, Golders Green, Hendon, Mill Hill South Friern
 Greek North Finchley, Osidge, South Friern
 Gujarati Burnt Oak, Chipping Barnet, Church End, East Barnet, East Finchley, Edgware, South Friern, Grahame Park, Hendon, Mill Hill, North Finchley, Osidge
 Hebrew Edgware, Golders Green, Hendon
 Hindi Burnt Oak, Church End, Edgware, Hendon, North Finchley
 Italian Chipping Barnet, Church End, East Finchley, Edgware, Hendon, Mill Hill, North Finchley, South Friern
 Japanese Church End
 Polish Burnt Oak, Chipping Barnet, Edgware, Hendon, Mill Hill, South Friern
 Russian East Barnet
 Spanish Chipping Barnet, Church End, East Finchley, Edgware, Golders Green, Hendon, Mill Hill, North Finchley, South Friern
 Tamil Burnt Oak, Grahame Park, Hendon, North Finchley, South Friern
 Turkish Osidge
 Urdu Burnt Oak, Chipping Barnet, Edgware, Hendon