Redditch Library

General information

Redditch Library offers the following services:

■ Quick Pick section
■Meeting Space - exhibition, meeting and gallery area
■Glass lift connecting all public floors
■Public toilets - including Baby Change facilities on the ground and first floors
■Teen space for 12-18 year olds
■Children's library
■Read and Relax area on the ground floor
■Vending Machine
■Library Service at Home - if you have difficulty coming into the library, we can provide a monthly delivery service to your door. We have stock to suit all tastes, including books in large print and spoken word items on CD and tape.
■Personal Shopper Service - struggling to find something to read? Tried everything by your favourite author and need new ideas? Our Personal Shopper Service can help! Just come in and answer a few question and you will receive your free recommendations of books and authors - all tailored to your tastes!
■For more information please contact our friendly staff on 01905 822722.
We have a wide variety of items for loan, including books, DVDs, talking books, music scores, language courses and compact discs.

Looking for computer access? We have 51 Peoples Network terminals available, including 3 specifically for children and 1 supporting visually impaired users. Terminals can be booked for 2 hour sessions free of charge to use Internet or Microsoft Office facilities. Black and white printing costs 10p per A4 sheet or 40p for colour.

Computer Access on the Top Floor
Computers on the Top Floor will be available between 9.00 am - 5.00 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 9.00 am - 5.15 pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The computers on the Ground Floor will be available to all users once the Top Floor is closed.

IT Help Sessions - basic tuition in the use of the library computers, Internet, Email and Word are available on a one to one basis. Please ask staff for more details.

In a hurry? Try our self service machines, if you haven't used these before - our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Homework Centre
Open Monday to Friday 3.30pm - 5pm and Saturdays 2.00pm - 3.30pm during term time when the library is open. During these times children can surf the net for free, do word processing and have up to 5 free prints or photocopies up to the value of 50p, provided the copies are homework linked.

Local Collection - Please note that some items listed on the catalogue may not be available for immediate consultation. Visitors are advised to contact the Library for further details and to check in advance of their visit.

Redditch Library holds resources for local and family history research, including old newspapers, maps, parish records and local photographs of historic interest. All library users have free access to the genealogy website, Ancestry, when accessed through our own website, inside the library.

Of particular interest are the following:

■Reports of excavations and books about BORDESLEY ABBEY
■There is a small collection of articles and booklets relating to the history of NEEDLEMAKING
■Information on the CYCLE industry, including a large collection of microfilmed press cuttings and photographs relating to the Enfield company
■Material on Redditch NEW TOWN. There are several reports, and a history by Gordon Anstis, "Redditch: success in the heart of England", published in 1985
Other items of note include:

■the Redditch Indicator, the local newspaper, which began in 1859
■Local tithe apportionments and maps
■Ordnance Survey maps, large scale, 1880- 1981
■Needle District Almanacks, annual directories, 1873-1936
■Redditch and district census schedules 1851
■International Genealogical Index for Worcestershire & Warwickshire
■Registers of 'Redditch Parish Church 1770-1970
■Richardson, Ralph The Book of Redditch 1986
The collection is for reference only, but copies of many local books are available for loan from other departments in the library. There are entries for these loanable items in the library's catalogue.

A microfilm/fiche reader-printer bookable in advance and a photocopier are available for public use.