Riverside Public Library is open to everyone, and we are delighted to welcome new members. This leaflet explains how to join, what you can borrow, and the many services available to you.
Joining the library
Membership is free for anyone who lives, works, or studies in the Riverside district. To register, simply bring proof of your name and address — a utility bill or bank statement is ideal — to the membership desk, and you will be issued a card on the same day. Visitors from outside the district are welcome to use the library’s reading rooms and computers, though borrowing requires local membership.
Borrowing items
Members may borrow up to twelve items at any one time. Books may be kept for three weeks and renewed up to twice, either online or by telephone, provided no other member has placed a reservation on the item. DVDs and magazines have a shorter loan period of one week. Please return items on time: a small fee of ten pence per item is charged for each day an item is overdue, although no charge applies to children’s books.
Using the building
Free public computers and wireless internet are available on the ground floor, just beyond the main entrance; sessions last up to one hour when others are waiting. The first floor houses our reference collection and several quiet study rooms, which may be booked in advance for up to two hours. Families are warmly encouraged to attend our popular children’s story time, held every Saturday morning at half past ten.
Reading at home and on the move
You do not need to visit the building to enjoy the collection. Through our free mobile app, members can borrow e-books and audiobooks using only their library card number, and titles are returned automatically at the end of the loan period — so there is never anything to carry back, and never a late fee to pay. If you need help getting started, our staff will be glad to show you how.