This is Clacton library. You can find us on Station Road, opposite the Town Hall. 

The red sign is always outside when the library is open.

Our normal opening times are:

Monday: 9.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 9.00am – 5.30pm
Wednesday: 9.00am – 7pm
Thursday: 9.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: 9.00am – 5.30pm
Saturday: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Sunday: Closed all day

Sometimes our opening times may change if it is a Bank Holiday weekend – you can check if we are open before you visit by looking at our website.

Library Maps

Downstairs

Upstairs

Asking for help or advice

Everyone who works at the library wears a red lanyard with their name on. 

You can ask us for help or advice.

You can usually find one of us at the ‘Hello’ desk – it’s on the ground floor on the right-hand side of the library.

Don’t worry if no one is at the ‘Hello’ desk, we might be helping another customer, but we will be with you as soon as we can.

The library staff will need some identification with your name and address on it before they can give you a library card. 

There are different types of library card which can help if you have difficulties with memory or organisation – just ask our staff.  

With the library card you can borrow books to take home with you. You can usually have them for three weeks. When you borrow them on the machine it will give you a receipt with the date they are due back.

When you arrive, you will walk through a lobby and then into the library.

The lobby might have signs advertising upcoming events or displays. 

There are two self-service machines which you can use to borrow or return books or check your account. These are in front and to the right as you walk into the library. 

A member of staff can show you how to use them.

The children’s area of the library is on your left as you come into the library.

This area sometimes has events which can be noisy. These times are advertised on posters, on our website or you can ask a staff member about them. 

On your right as you enter you will find a self-service machine, the Hello desk and lots of adult fiction books.

These are divided into different genres such as Crime, Romance, Modern Fiction as well as large print books and audio books on CD.

Next to this area are the computers.

You can use our computers if you have a library card.

Our shelves are labelled to help you find what you are looking for.

You can find signs telling you where different types of genres are on the end of the shelf stacks.

There are also signs on the indivdual shelves

and on the spine of the books themselves. 

These are some of our Crime novels with the blue handcuffs sticker.

The library has lots of displays of books which you can use to find something new and interesting to read.

They change regularly. 

This is a display for ‘Author of the Month’ which has books all by the same author and then swaps to a new one every month. 

If you can’t find what you want, you might be able to order it from another library.

Staff can show you how to search the library catalogue and order books.

When a book you have ordered arrives you will get a notification.

You can then pick your book up from the Reservation Shelf, located near the computer area.

The book will be labelled with your name and you will need to borrow it with your card just like you would any other book.

The library can sometimes be noisy if we are holding an event.

We have regular free events such as our monthly book groups, knitting and Scrabble clubs and our weekly children’s rhyme time, but other one-off events occur throughout the year.

These are advertised in the library, on our website and on social media, but you can ask us as well.

The Literacy area on the ground floor of the library is usually one of the quietest places in the library. You can sit here to read if you like or use the online catalogue to search for books.

The Literacy area is where you will find books that are easier to read if you have dyslexia or other reading difficulties.

Other services at the library 

The library computers are free to use if you have a library card.

You can book a computer online before you arrive, but don’t worry if you haven’t booked, there is usually one free.

If you need to print anything there is a charge. Our staff can explain how to do this and how to pay.

We also have a photocopier you can use. 

The photocopier takes coin payment or you can ask staff to help you and put the charge on your library card.

The photocopier is near the entrance of the library. 

We have a study area used by tutors and students during the week and upstairs also has the Young Adult reading section.

Our library also has another floor which is accessed by lift or stairs. 

Upstairs you will find adult non-fiction books, more adult genre books, Young Adult books, and lots of tables and chairs which can be used for reading and studying. 

Finally, upstairs in our library we are very lucky to have a local history museum run by volunteers. It is free and open every Tuesday and Saturday between 9.30am and 12.30pm.