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Library fees and charges

It's free to join, borrow books and use our computers. We only charge for reserving items, hiring DVDs, videos and music, fines for overdue items and costs for lost or damaged items. You will also have to pay a small charge for photocopying and printing.

How to pay

You can pay charges three ways:

  • in cash at your local library
  • by cheque at your local library, made payable to 'East Sussex County Council'
  • by credit card over the phone for charges over £5.

Please phone 01273 481170 on Monday to Friday during office hours (9am-4.30pm). You will need your debit or credit card details and your membership number from your library card.

Please note, charges for items borrowed from mobile libraries cannot be paid by credit card. They must be paid on the mobile library.

Overdue charges
What we charge forHow we chargeAmount
Books and audio tapesper day17p
Books borrowed on a child's ticketno charge
If we send a letter for overdue books borrowed on a child's ticketper letter30p

Overdue DVDs, videos and CDs will incur an additional weekly hire charge.

Reservation charges
What we charge forHow we chargeAmount
Reserving an itempay when you reserve80p
Reserving an item on the Internetpay on your next visit to the library60p
If we get your item from outside the countypay extra charge when you collect£1.70

Reservation charges are not refundable.

Hire charges
What we charge forHow we chargeType of itemAmount
DVDper weekadult£3.00
children's£1.80
Videosper weekadult£3.00
children's£1.80
Musicper weekper CD80p
Talking booksfor 3 weekseach item up to 8 tapes or CDs£1.20
each item over 8 tapes or CDs£1.70
Playsetsfor 6 weeksper set£1.50
Scoresfor 3 monthsper set£25
for each extra monthper set£25
Photocopier charges
What we charge forHow we chargeAmount
A4 black and whiteper sheet10p
A3 black and white per sheet15p
A4 colourper sheet£1
A3 colourper sheet£1.50
Lost/damaged items
What we charge forAmount
Books and other itemsreplacement cost
Library card replacement£1.25
Miscellaneous charges
What we charge forHow we chargeAmount
Research workfirst half hourfree
for each extra half hour£12.50
Reader printerper sheet20p
A4 printout from computer, Internet or CD-ROM (black and white)per sheet15p
A4 printout from computer, Internet or CD-ROM (colour)per sheet30p
Internet accessfree

For information about concessions and other services that may be available – for example, fax, photographic reproduction and digital scans – please ask at your local library.

All prices include VAT (if applicable) but may be subject to variation should VAT rules and rates change. Exemptions apply in some cases.

Website approved by the Plain English Campaign

East Sussex County Council, County Hall, St Anne's Crescent, Lewes, BN7 1UE. Phone: 0345 60 80 190