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Can't find an item you are looking for?

 

If the item you want to reserve is not available, you can fill in a library request form

 

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Think you may have left something at a library? Please fill out our lost property form. The library will contact you within 5 working days. 

 

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Staff monitor Livechat between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

 

 

 

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You can complete the library enquiry form if you have any questions, or if you want to pass on comments or suggestions about the library service. We aim to respond to your enquiries within 5 business days.   

 

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You can call our Contact Centre on

0345 603 7628 

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, to speak to an advisor, or use the 24-hour automated service (option 1) to renew your items (also at weekends).

 

 

 

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Presentation and reader development

 

Presentation, promotion, and marketing

 

Essex Libraries promotes stock to current customers and to the wider public to:

 

  • Maximise use
  • Bring a wide range of stock to the attention of customers
  • Provide guidance to customers
  • Encourage active library membership
  • Encourage diverse reading, listening, and viewing

 

This will be achieved by:

 

  • Maintaining well-presented libraries with a welcoming atmosphere
  • Attractive and effective signage in libraries
  • Presenting stock in an attractive and accessible way
  • Stock displays
  • Themed booklists
  • Embedding celebrating works by diverse authors or diverse content via CollectionHQ EDI reports
  • Promotional events, such as talks by authors, and the Book of the Month promotion
  • Support for reading groups
  • Marketing and social media campaigns

 

Stock in Essex Libraries is organised in categories according to the UK Standard Libraries Categories (UKSLC). Non-fiction categories used by UKSLC include Biographies, Food and Drink, Gardening, Sport, Hobbies and Games etc. Stock will be arranged according to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme within each individual category, unless it has been placed into a specialist collection such as Everyone's Literacy Areas.

 

Fiction categories used by UKSLC include Crime, Thrillers, Romance, Historical, Science Fiction and Adventure. Fiction stock will be arranged by alphabetical order of the author’s surname within categories.

 

Music CDs are shelved in broad categories, such as Rock and Pop, Classical, Easy Listening, etc. They are shelved in alphabetical order of artist / group.

 

DVDs are shelved in broad categories, including feature films, TV, instructional, sport and music. They are shelved in alphabetical order of title.

 

Reader development

 

This involves a mixture of core activities – which are detailed below – and project work, linked to countywide, regional, and national projects and promotions.

 

  • Promotions and book displays
  • Book Groups
  • Public Library Catalogue
  • Quick Reads
  • Easy Read stock
  • Reading Well
  • Booklists and audience specific collections
  • Social media content on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels
  • Author events, especially Essex Book Festival events

 

Children’s reader development

 

Reader development activities for children should:

 

  • Support developing literacy and a lifelong love of reading
  • Tempt children through transitional stages of reading

 

Online promotions

 

Part of reader development is to help customers expand their reading choices through promotion via online channels. 

 

Online stock promotional tools include:

 

  • Book promotion through the free library e-newsletters – these include a general newsletter suitable for all readers, a newsletter targeted to members of book groups
  • Book promotion on our social media channels including the YouTube channel. This channel reaches an audience who may not regularly visit the library.

 

Book groups

 

We support a large number of book groups across the county, both groups who meet in the library and groups who meet elsewhere but borrow our stock.

 

Public library catalogue and My Library app

 

The public library catalogue is intuitive to use and customers have the opportunity to search for and reserve items, manage their account, renew items and create booklists.

 

With the library app customers can now also search the catalogue, renew items, check opening times.

 

Quick Reads

 

All libraries have collections of Quick Reads; these are short books ideal for adults who want a short, fast read or a more straightforward read.  They are also useful for emergent readers and people with English as a second language.

 

Everyone's Literacy

 

All libraries have Everyone’s Literacy areas which contain books and resources to help customers improve reading skills. They are designed to help develop a love of reading for pleasure.

The Everyone’s Literacy areas contain:

  • Books for adults on how to support your child to read
  • Phonics and learning-to-read books
  • Books for children and adults with literacy difficulties
  • Easy-read books for adults and children
  • Fun resources to help children improve their vocabulary and reading skills
  • Signposting to other areas of support for reading skills

All areas are clearly marked in each library. They have been developed in consultation with teachers, Adult Community Learning and other experts in literacy skills.

    A-Z of Library Services

    Our library locations and opening times

    Join the library

    Reserve, renew or return an item

    Our Online Library

    Using our libraries

    Our mobile and home library services

    Our services for children and young adults

    Health and wellbeing

    Volunteer at your local library

    Book of the Month

    Our Reading Suggestions

    Join a book group

    Our strategies, policies and terms

    Help pages

    Winter Reading Challenge

    Everyone’s Library Service 2022-2026

    Stock Management Policy

    What We Stock

    Facilities charges and loan charges

    Accessibility Statement

    People's Network Acceptable Use Policy

    Wi-Fi Acceptable Use Policy

    Information for authors and publishers

    Essex County Council Library Premises: Terms and Conditions of Use

    Purpose of this document

    Legislative framework

    Corporate priorities

    Library strategy service objectives

    Key principles of stock management

    Policy on censoring stock

    Stock allocation policy

    Acquisitions policy

    Stock selection policy

    Stock selection policy for adult stock

    Stock selection policy for children's stock

    Stock selection policy: ordering and reservations

    Accessibility and alternative formats

    Staff responsibilities and training

    Stock editing

    Presentation and reader development

    Policies for special collections

    Policies for stock recovery and security