Library and Heritage Service Rules
1. Kingston Library and Heritage Service welcomes anyone who lives, works or studies within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames to register as a member of the library service. Charges are payable for the borrowing of compact discs, spoken word sets, language courses, and any other such items as the Library Service shall from time to time determine.
Registration of Borrowers:
2. A person must register as a borrower in order to obtain lending facilities and must undertake to observe library rules. Children under the age of 16 years of age can only register with the consent of a parent or guardian, who is required to be responsible for items borrowed by the child and to pay any charges incurred.
3. A person’s identity and place of residence, either permanent or temporary, must be supported by a document showing proof of name and address. Acceptable forms of proof include a recent utility bill or bank statement, a council tax book or driving licence. These can be physical or digital copies.
Library Membership:
4. Books and other items are borrowed using a library membership card. The maximum number of physical items that can be borrowed on a card is 20.
5. Membership cards are valid for three years; any card not used within a three year period will automatically expire from the system and become invalid in accordance with GDPR. All details will be removed from the system so long as the account does not have fines or books on loan. Cards with loans and fines will not expire for 6 years. UNREG cards (cards that can only be used for online content) are also removed after three years.
6. Borrowers are responsible for all books and other items borrowed on their ticket and for all charges incurred in respect of such items. Loss of membership cards should be reported to the Library immediately, and borrowers continue to be responsible for all transactions on the card until said reporting has occurred. Changes of address should be reported immediately and require proof of address to update the information.
7. Borrowers hold a Membership that can be used at any library in the borough, and also have full membership rights at any library within the authorities of The Libraries Consortium (TLC); whose other members are Barking and Degenham, Brent, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Essex and Thurrock, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hounslow, Lewisham, Luton, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Surrey, Sutton, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
8. Presently the TLC allow a borrower to hold up to 3 different authority cards assuming the following:
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One where they live
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One for where they work (assuming it is different to where they live)
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One for where they study (assuming it is different to where they live and/or work)
Note: If a borrower moves to a new authority their original card must be transferred to a new card of the new authority or issued with a new card and the old card deleted.
9. A borrower who loses or damages their Membership card is liable to pay for its replacement subject to charges as the Library Service shall from time to time determine. For children this will not apply on the first application for a replacement card, but will apply on all subsequent ones. Any charges will be payable by the guarantor.
10. Any card that reaches £10 in charges will be blocked and all use of the card will be automatically stopped until the balance is bought below £10. Lost items, or items presumed to be lost will also cause the account to be frozen, until such time as the item is found or a cost of replacement is made.
11. Books must be returned or the loan period extended on or before the date due for return. Books and spoken word sets may be renewed in person at any library branch, by emailing a Kingston Borough library, online by visiting http://www.kingston.gov.uk/libraries or by telephone. The responsibility for renewal remains with the borrower and staff will be unable to renew items if any contact is incapable of being understood. Pre-overdue emails are offered as a courtesy and any failure to send or receive does not indemnify members against any fines that arise. Books must be presented to the library for the 5th renewal to take place. The maximum loan for any item in stock is ten loan periods or thirty weeks, after which they must be returned to the library for use by other readers. No renewal of the loan period will be granted for books requested by another reader.
12. Other items (board games, instruments, etc) may be limited to different renewal structures and loan amounts. It is the responsibility of the borrower to check and comply with these differences.
13. Digital stock is not subject to fines and charges, failure to renew will result in the item(s) being removed automatically from your online account.
Charges:
14. Compact discs, spoken word sets, and language courses may be borrowed on the payment of a hire charge, which will be determined from time to time by the Library Service. The loan period for compact discs is one week, for spoken word sets and language courses it is three weeks. Additional charges are payable if an item is overdue. Reminder notifications of overdue items are sent out by the Library Service. Pre-overdue alerts are available upon submission of a valid email address. Each renewal on these items shall incur a rehire charge.
15. The payment hire charge for borrowing compact discs, spoken word sets, or language courses shall not confer on the borrower any rights of licence in respect of copyright or public performance and the borrower shall indemnify the Library & Heritage Service against all costs, claims, demands and liabilities resulting from any infringement of copyright in respect of sound recordings and any other items whilst in his or her possession.
16. Books borrowed from the Library which are returned after the authorised loan period are subject to charges as the Library Service shall from time to time determine. Children’s and teen items, and all items borrowed by the over-75s, are exempt from fines. Adult stock items borrowed on a teen card are liable for fines if overdue. All outstanding fines and charges should be paid within two loan periods (42 days).
17. Access to the libraries’ personal computers and the Internet is free for the first hour per person, per day. A second discretionary free hour is available so long as there is no person or persons waiting for the PCs. Further PC use is subject to charges as the Library Service shall from time to time determine.
18. Books and other items in the adult section may be requested at such charge as the Library Service shall from time to time determine. Items that are on the shelf at another Kingston Library Service branch can be reserved by a member of staff at the branch where the enquiry is made and will usually be sent to the requesting branch within one or two days. Requested items that are not in stock or on loan to another borrower will be kept for 14 days after the day of notification of availability, after which they will be put back into circulation. Requested items can be obtained from all other library authorities within the TLC under certain conditions. A non-returnable administrative charge is payable upon the request being fulfilled. No charges are payable for requesting children’s items that are in stock within any TLC library or on order to Kingston Libraries. Users are charged for requesting any stock that would be determined to be adult stock that is not within the TLC or already on order.
19. Borrowers are responsible for paying the replacement value, as assessed by a senior staff member, of books and other items lost or damaged whilst on loan to them. Replacement copies will not be accepted.
20. Senior library staff members have discretion to refuse library materials to borrowers who fail to return such materials after notification or otherwise fail to comply with these rules and regulations.
March 2008, updated November 2011, March 2012, Updated May 2026