Our aim is for libraries to be welcoming, informal and non-threatening places for all the community. Access to our services, events and activities, whether for children or adults, will be inclusive to all members of the community. Our joining procedures are available in clear and simple language and appropriate community languages and alternative formats.
Our joining form is available in Albanian, Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish, and our welcome leaflet in Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, French and German. We will revise the languages available as and when required to reflect the changing make-up of the community.
All our libraries are physically accessible to all members of the community, including the mobile library. We offer a housebound service to those wishing to use the library service but who are physically unable to visit a library due to age or physical disability. Readers are generally referred to the service by social services, or through personal enquiry. We also supply collections to council-run residential and nursing homes. Please see our Library Link page for further details.
When requested and where it is reasonable to do so we will make appropriate adjustments to enable access to our events and activities, for example use of interpreters, sign language, hearing loops or separate rooms, to cater for specific requirements.
We provide stock and information in a wide range of formats and languages to support the learning, literacy and information needs of the community.
Currently we carry small collections of stock in the following languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Kurdish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Punjabi, Rumanian, Russian, Serbo-Croat, Slovak, Sorani, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.
We also have stock in standard and large print, talking books, audio cassette, CD, video and DVD formats.
We offer access to computer resources and the internet, including adaptive technologies where appropriate. Mini-coms, text phones and induction loops are available in the Central Library. The library directory lists all the facilities available at each library.
All our staff are trained in customer care techniques and have the appropriate training to understand the needs of the diverse groups in the community.
