Libraries

Library and Heritage Services

The prime purpose of Islington Library and Heritage Services is to enable people to realise their full potential by providing them with full and equal access - appropriate to their various needs - to information, ideas, knowledge and creative works.

There are ten public libraries in Islington, providing a mixture of materials and services for customers of all ages. Two Learning Centres and the Local History Centre are based in libraries, and the new Islington Museum is situated beneath our Finsbury Library.

Click the links on the left side of this page to view further details about all our services.

 

Join any library in England and Wales...

Millions of book lovers can now borrow items from a public library regardless of where they live, under a new scheme.

More than 4,000 libraries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are in the Society of Chief Librarians initiative. Existing membership cards or a proof of address will allow people to join and use any library in the scheme, although books have to be returned to the same area.

This means little change for Islington library users as we already made it easier to join our libraries, but it does make it easier for you to use libraries in other parts of the country. Just remember to take your Islington library card with you. 

Contacts

For borrower services, call us on 020 7527 6900 or email library.informationunit@islington.gov.uk.

For general enquiries about Islington Library and Heritage Services, please contact Rosemary Doyle, Head of Islington Library and Heritage Services:
Email: hlcs@islington.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7527 6905

Library Services and PIN numbers

You now need a PIN (as well as your library card number) to access the online services available through the My Account section of the Library Catalogue. These include renewing or reserving items, or checking for outstanding charges. You also need your PIN to book a computer when in the library.

If you do not have a PIN number, or have forgotten it, just bring your current library card or proof of ID to your nearest Islington library and a member of staff will give you one. You can easily change it to your own choice afterwards. 

What You'll Find at Your Library

• books and graphic novels, music and DVDs, story tapes, and Playstation games
• newspapers and magazines
• free internet access - surf the web, send e-mails, word-process 
• local and family history- research Islington and its people, or do genealogy
• lifelong learning - free self-help, computer-based training or from our two Learning Centres
• free quality online resources - for research and study
• online catalogue - search what we have, request items, check your loans etc
• reading groups - have fun discussing books and Graphic Novels
• children's services - books, music, games and toys; under-fives and baby and toddler sessions; computer clubs, homework clubs
• home library service - library services for people who cannot get to their local library
• blind and visually impaired services - large-print books, spoken word CDs, optical character reader (OCR) which converts text into speech, internet with magnified screen and sound
• hearing impaired services - subtitled DVDs for loan
• reference and Information services
• study spaces
• experienced staff, welcoming enquiries by phone, fax, in person or by e-mail (please see the link to Libraries, Opening Hours, and Contacts on the left)
• and much much more