Library Reference and Information Service

As well as the reference resources available in the library you can also contact our Library Enquiry Centre based in Somerset.

The Library Enquiry Centre offers a comprehensive service for all your information needs. Specialist librarians at the Centre have access to information resources not available in your library. You can contact The Enquiry Centre by phone (local rate), email, letter or fax. They will answer your enquiry immediately or get back to you with the information you require.

The Library Enquiry Centre also offers a range of business information solutions to support intending, new and established businesses. We have access to business databases, industry overviews, business directories and journals. We provide a free enquiry service to all business users. So, whether you are taking your first steps as a future entrepreneur, or already have a well-established business the Library Enquiry Centre will be able to help.

To contact the Library Enquiry Centre:

Phone: 01454 866900 (local rate)
Email: askthelibrary@southglos.gov.uk
Fax: 01823 336370
Text: 07919 540839
Hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-6.00pm; Sat 9.00-4.30pm

Home Library Service

Autumn and the bad weather coming on? If you enjoy reading but are housebound and unable to get to the library (even if it’s a temporary incapacity due to an operation etc.) or you find your library books are too heavy to carry home, our friendly and helpful home library service volunteers can deliver library books to you in your own home.

Just give the library a ring or ask a friend or relative to contact us on your behalf.

Did you know you can also ask ‘Four Towns & Vale Link Community Transport’ to bring you to the Library? Just ask us for details. Or why not try our Mobile Library?

Funder Finder

Are you looking for the best source of funding for your club or organisation or for yourself? If so, then this is the computer resource for you. Just fill in a few simple details and it will provide you with a list of the charities best able to help.

This resource is now available online through the library computers and includes sources of funding for both groups (GIN) and individual people (PIN) Please ask for further details.

i-POINT

This careers advice service has just been set up on our library computers. It gives you quick, easy and free access to the best resources to help you:

• Write a CV
• Find a course
• Look at career profiles
• Get help with job-hunting
• Match your skills and interests to jobs
• Get careers and training advice by email

Summer Reading Challenge 2010

The 12th annual reading challenge, Space Hop, takes place this summer in all South Gloucestershire Libraries. Were you one of the 4200 young people who took part last year? If not make sure you don’t miss out this time.

Click here to visit the Space Hop website

Space Hop runs till Saturday 18th September, so hop along to your library to sign up to help the young crew of the Ex-Libris set up the first library on the moon.

There are hazards to overcome on the way and stickers and mini prizes to collect including swim and DVD hire vouchers.

Read 6 books to complete the mission and get your gold medal and certificate.

If that’s not enough Thornbury Library has several free activities during August but you’ll need to collect a ticket in advance to secure your place.

Also in August come along to a Creative Writing workshop run by Explore Learning.

Library lends patients a hand

Library staff at Thornbury are on hand to help patients use the electronic system that enables them to book hospital outpatient appointments at a time and place that suits them and or choose where they would like to be treated.

All patients in England who are referred for elective hospital treatment can choose to be treated at any hospital in the country that meets NHS standards. They can also choose their outpatient appointments at a time and date that suits them.

Staff in all of the libraries in South Gloucestershire have been trained to use the electronic “Choose and Book” system and help any member of the public use it to book their outpatient appointments. Choose and Book is the national electronic system that patients can use to book their outpatient appointments or choose their hospitals.

“We make choices in many areas of our lives and now we can do the same when it comes to our healthcare. This means for example, that you can choose to have planned treatment close to where your family members live if this is convenient or you may want to be treated at a particular hospital because of its good track record. Similarly you can choose the date and time of your outpatient appointment,” said Chief Executive of NHS South Gloucestershire, Penny Harris.

“However we were concerned that some people may be prevented from making these choices because they found the system difficult to use. We are therefore delighted that librarians across South Gloucestershire have learnt how to use the system and will be on hand to help any members of the public who need it.”

Pre-school story-times and musical rhyme time

We hold FREE Monday afternoon pre-school story-times from 2.15pm-2.45pm and a monthly rhyme time for younger children on the last Monday of each month also from 2.15pm-2.45pm.

Pre-school children and their parents and carers are most welcome to attend these FREE fun activities which are also an opportunity for them to meet up with one another in a relaxed setting.

Please note these story-times are held during term time only but we also hold regular holiday activities.

Computer Classes

We offer basic computer courses in the library.

Age Concern – Mondays/Tuesdays. Friendly and patient tutors from Age Concern are offering computer classes in Thornbury Library for the over 50s. Sessions are held on a one to one basis and there is a small charge. To book a session please call in at the library.

Computers in the library

Did you know we offer free internet access and word processing in the library together with other software packages? You can also use our computers to access Ancestry free of charge to trace your family tree.

1BigDatabase

Would you like to promote your event/organisation to as wide an audience as possible? Then use the 1BigDatabase. If you want help in putting your event on the 1BigDatabse contact the library.

1Big Database is a comprehensive and free on-line directory of services, community and voluntary organisations, clubs and groups in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Information includes National and local organisations which offer support, advice and guidance for children and young people, parents, carers and professionals on issues such as addictions, child protection, benefit advice, domestic abuse, mediation, grants and funding, legal advice, arts & leisure.

The number of entries in 1BigD has grown to nearly 2500 and includes community groups as well as information for children, young people and their families. Advertising on 1BigD is free of charge.

A fairly new feature of 1BigD is the integral events calendar. Service users across all three counties can find out about local and neighbouring events using this calendar. Included organisations can submit their own events; others can contact an administrator to add their event to the calendar.

Energy meters – now available from your local library

Libraries in South Gloucestershire are helping people to save money and go green by lending out energy meters.

The meters in libraries are the latest council initiative to help residents improve the energy efficiency of their homes and save money.

The meters measure electricity consumption, so householders can easily see the difference made by turning off appliances instead of leaving them on stand-by, and the amounts of energy different equipment can use.

The meters will be available to borrow for three weeks and are proving very popular so you may well need to reserve one (no charge).

Active card

The Leisure Trust, Council and NHS of South Gloucestershire have created a new Active card to cover library and leisure.

Now one card fits all - it lets you borrow books, access the Internet at libraries, have a swim or use the gym. This is not all about sport and fitness - more about a balanced lifestyle, full of interest, vibrancy, reading, learning, playing and health.

All this on offer, and it's free to join! Pop in to the library or leisure centre to join, or visit: www.activecard.co.uk

The Active card replaces many of the existing cards you currently use in South Gloucestershire. When you join the Active scheme you'll have access to information and updates about what's going on, so you and your family can get active.

You also have the oppportunity to upgrade your card and save money on activities.

Don’t forget your Bookstart + pack!

If your two year old has not received one of these colourful canvas bags containing picture books, colouring books, crayons etc then please ask for one at the library.

Oral history tapes

We have a collection of over 40 tapes which were kindly donated to us by the Thornbury and District Oral History Society. These tapes contain personal memories of life in and around Thornbury in days gone by and are available for hire free of charge.

Mobile Library

The Mobile Library is free to join and borrow books from. Books in Large Print and Children’s books are available as well as popular authors and recent publications. If we don’t have the author or subject available on board it can be reserved for free to be collected next visit. We also stock Talking Books (in both CD and Cassette format), Jigsaws and a selection of films on DVD.

You can use the Mobile Library service even if you also use another library so South Gloucestershire library cards or Active Cards are valid on board.

The Mobile Library is equipped with a lift for people with mobility problems.

The Mobile Library is a fortnightly service and details of all the routes and dates are available from any South Gloucestershire Library or at www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries or on 01454 868006.

Overdues and reservation notifications by e-mail

Last year it cost the library service over £12,000 to send out overdues and reservation notifications by post. Please help us to save money by providing us with your current e-mail address. This could benefit you as it's quicker and we could also tell you about library events/new books etc. We have recently introduced pre-overdues but only for readers who have elected to receive information from us via email. If you would like to receive this service and have an e-mail address please contact us.

Thornbury Gazette

Back copies are now available on microfilm. These go back to 1955, but the further back we go the more gaps we have. If you want to consult back copies please contact us first so that we can confirm we have the dates you require and can set up the micro-film reader. Please note it is rather old and does not print.

Rooms for Hire

Please contact the Library for details.

Premium DVDs

We have a Premium DVD service. This includes the very latest DVDs which can be hired for £3.30 per week. Please note these DVDs cannot be renewed or reserved. Click here to see the latest films available.

Music CDs

Whatever your musical interests, our libraries have a range of CDs for you to enjoy. Click here to see some of the latest CDs on order. Please note only some of these will be available at Thornbury. Click here to search our library catalogue for more titles

Cost: It costs 90p per week to hire a CD (concessions available); that's around the same cost as downloading a single MP3 track. 

Reservations: You can also reserve CDs at your local library or make an online reservation using our library catalogue. There is a small charge for this.

Are you eligible for library concessions?

If you are in receipt of one of the following you are entitled to concessions:
Working family tax credit; disability living allowance; housing benefit; state pension; disabled person's tax credit; widows benefit; income support; industrial disablement benefit; incapacity benefit; student in full time education.
We will require initial proof of benefit. In most cases the concession will entitle you to half-price reservations, music CDs and spoken word tapes. In addition if you are visually impaired or housebound you will not be required to pay any charge (including overdue charges).

Fastracks

We stock multiple copies of each of the top ten selling paperbacks and these are available for a 'quick' loan period of one week.

Fax/photocopying/laminating

We offer a fax, photocopying and laminating service.

Ancestry.com

Who are you? People can now find out about their family history for free at all South Gloucestershire Libraries. Through the Ancestry website, which is normally a pay to view service, library users will have access to more than 4 billion names in over 4,000 collections which includes access to the censuses from 1841 to 1901.

The new service has been supported by local family history groups. Bob Lawrence, Chair of Bristol and Avon Family History Society said "Our society welcomes the initiative by South Gloucestershire to provide this access in their libraries, Ancestry. Com is a fantastic resource to both experienced family historians and those just beginning to look into their family history"

Ancestry Library Edition is available at all South Gloucestershire libraries. Time on the computers can be pre-booked by contacting any South Gloucestershire Library.

Please note this FREE service is only available from the library computers.

For more information on any of the above items please ring the library on 01454 868006 or visit our web-site: www.librarieswest.org.uk

You can use the website to renew your books, check the catalogue, reserve items and consult a wide range of on-line reference materials including Oxford English Dictionary Online; Oxford Reference Online; Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Grove Music Online; Grove Art Online. You will need your borrower number and pin number (available from the library).

We have a 24 hour renewal line on 08450 020 777, and can inform you of reservations and overdue items either by email, text or voice message. If you would like to opt into any of these you can change the details online, ask at the counter or ring on the above number. Please note to access many of these services you may be asked for your PIN number, please ask the staff for this.

For reference enquiries try our Library Enquiry Centre on 01454 866900 or email .

We also offer free internet access and word processing.

Library opening hours