Charges and fines for library items

Charges for library services and fines for late returns.

Reservation charges

There are no charges for people using the home library service.

Type Adults Under 18s Concession (over 18s)
Books £1.30 No charge No charge
DVDs £1.30 65p £1.30
Music CDs £1.30 65p £1.30
CD ROMs £1.30 65p £1.30
Audio books £1.30 No charge No charge
Language packs £1.30 65p £1.30

Overdue books charges

There are no charges for:

  • children under five years old or in public care
  • foster carers
  • childminders
  • people with concession
  • people who are housebound
  • home library service
Type Adults Under 18s Institutions
Adult books 35p per day late 5p per day late 45p per day late
Children's books 5p per day late 5p per day late No charge
To a maximum of: £5.25 per book
£1.50 per child's book
£1.50 per book £7.80 per adult book

DVD hire charges

There are no charges for people using the home library service.

Colour Adults, Under 18s and concession
Yellow, red or blue spot or none £2 for 3 weeks plus £2 per additional week to a maximum of £6

Music CD hire charges

There are no charges for people using the home library service.

Colour Adults, under 18s and concession
Yellow, green or red spot or none £2 for 3 weeks plus £2 per additional week to a maximum of £6

CD ROM hire charges

There are no charges for people using the home library service.

Colour Adults, under 18s and concession
Yellow spot or none £2.30 for the first week plus £2.30 per additional week to a maximum of £6.90

Audiobook hire charges

There are no charges for people who are housebound or using the home library service

Colour Adults and under 18s
Yellow, green or red spot or none £2 for the first three weeks plus £2 per additional three weeks to a maximum of £6

Playset hire charges

Drama groups can borrow playsets for a hire charge of £7.00. Anyone who wants to borrow a playset must ask library staff for a drama borrower card. The loan period for each playset is 12 weeks, with a maximum of five playsets issued per drama group.

Overdue charges are 35p per playset per day with a maximum of £5.25 per playset. The charge for lost or damaged copies is based on the replacement cost of the playset.

Music performance set hire charges
Scores Price for Oxfordshire residents Price for non-Oxfordshire residents
Vocal scores
(< 5 minutes)
£1 per copy for loans up to 4 months £2 per copy for loans up to 4 months
Vocal scores
(> 5 minutes)
£2.40 per score for loans up to 4 months £4.50 per score for loans up to 4 months
Orchestral Sets £45 per set for loans up to 4 months £65 per set for loans up to 4 months
Surcharge for set or part of set obtained from outside Oxfordshire £10.50 per loan No service available

Music performance set administration charges 

Language pack hire charges

There are no charges for people using the home library service.

Colour Adults, under 18s and concession
Yellow, green spot or none £3.50 for first three weeks plus £3.50 per additional three weeks to a maximum of £10.50

Inter library loan charges

Type Adults, under 18s, concession and housebound or home library service
Initial charge £10
Additional charge if item is obtained from the British Library or universities £10
First renewal No charge
Subsequent renewals (for British Library) £5

Printing and photocopying charges

Dimensions Colour/Black and white Sides Cost per page
A4 Colour/Black and white Single-sided 35p
A3 Colour/Black and white Single-sided 70p

Microfilm charges

Service Cost per page
Self-service £1
Staff service £2

Lost or damaged library cards

There is no charge to replace a lost or damaged library card.

Headphones

Headphones are available to purchase for £3.20.

Memory sticks

Memory sticks are available to buy at £8 each.

Room hire charges

Meeting room charges and categories for commercial use
Conference room
21+ people
Seminar room
5 - 20 people
Interview room
2 - 6 people
Westgate Collaboration Space
Up to 60 people
£50 per hour £40 per hour £25 per hour £90 for the first hour then £60 per subsequent hour

Read more information on our Library room hire page

Refund policy

Cash and card payments can only be refunded within three months of the transaction.

Payments for Inter Library Loan requests will not be refunded if the customer cancels it. If the library service is unable to obtain a copy of the requested item the standard Inter Library Loan charge will be refunded.

If a customer fails to collect an Inter Library Loan they will be charged the fees that apply.

Items that have been lost, paid for and subsequently found will not be refunded as the customer has already been given three months to look for the item.

Refunds may be offered for faulty AV items (e.g. DVDs, CDs, Audiobooks etc) at the Manager’s discretion.

Refunds will only be offered for print/photocopying services and room hire, in exceptional circumstances, and at the Manager’s discretion.

No refunds will be offered on overdue fines nor or reservation charges.

The admin charge for return of incomplete music sets is non-refundable – for details on how to avoid this charge see the Music and Performing Arts pages

Charges for lost and damaged items

Library items get lost and accidents happen. We understand but we do need to charge to replace the same item or to compensate for the loss. If an item is lost or damaged while in your care library staff will listen carefully as to the reasons and solutions. 

In most cases, library customers will pay the cost of the item as it is on the catalogue. 

These charges below apply when there is no price on the catalogue.

August 2024
Books    
Adult Fiction Hardback £22
  Paperback £10
Adult Non-Fiction Hardback £20
  Paperback £14
Large Print All formats £23

Children’s  

(lost only)

Hardback £10
  Paperback £7
Graphic Novels Hardback £15
  Paperback £12
AV    
Music CD Per disc(s) in the whole item £8
Audio Books Per disc(s) in the whole item £6
DVD Per DVD(s) in the whole item £10
Boxes/Cases    
Music CD  single 50p
  double £1
  4 discs + £1.30
Audiobook CD single   50p
  Double £1
  4 discs + £1.30
DVD Single £1
  Double £1.20
  Box Set casings £1.30

 Notes:

  • Expensive, specialist and very old books may incur a higher than standard replacement fee
  • Items borrowed through the Inter-library Loan Scheme may incur a higher than standard replacement fee
  • DVDs, Music CDs and sometime audiobooks on CD will incur full replacement charges as replacing part of an item may not be possible
  • Children’s books, such as board books and picture books, will be free of replacement charges in the main – we understand accidents happen with our younger library users
  • Library customers are advised not to purchase replacements themselves from a retailer. The risk of these being unsuitable to the library service is high.