Library charges and online payments
Our basic book lending service is free.
We charge for lost items and some other library services. Please check individual charges on this page. Some people don't have to pay certain charges.
Log in to your library account (opens new window) to pay your charges online.
Overdue charges for adults will rise to 20p per day from 1 April 2025. The maximum charge on each item is £5.60 after 28 days.
Please renew to avoid charges. You can register your email address with us and sign up for reminders.
Please note:
- Equal access customers are exempt from overdue charges (except for DVDs)
- There are no overdue charges for items borrowed from a mobile library
You may be entitled to an equal access card if you have a physical or mental impairment. To be eligible, the impairment must have a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. We use the definition of normal daily activities from the Equality Act.
There are no overdue charges for children and young people under the age of 16.
- Self-service reservation (items from a Norfolk public library) - 60p per item
- Reservation by library staff (items from a Norfolk public library) - 60p per item
- Title reservation on mobile libraries - 60p per item
- Subject request on mobile libraries - Free
- Requests for an item on interlibrary loan from another library service - £12.50 per item
- Renewal charge for British Library interlibrary loan items - £5.50 per item
- Requests by children and young people under 18 (except interlibrary loans) - Free
- Requests by equal access customers (except interlibrary loans) - Free
- Requests for children's and young people's items (except interlibrary loans) - Free
- Reading group reservations - £2 per set
- Overdue reminders, overdue notifications and reservation available notifications sent by email - Free
- Overdue notifications and reservation available notifications sent by text - 10p per message
- Overdue notifications and reservation available notifications sent by post - £1 per notice
Children's items (borrowed on a child's library card) will not incur charges if damaged, but lost items will be charged for.
For over 16s and adults we charge the full replacement value (recommended retail price) for lost or damaged items. By agreement with library staff, you could buy us a replacement copy of an item instead if it's still in print (this must be a new, not second-hand copy). This doesn't include items such as CDs, DVDs and games, as they may not be legally cleared for hire.
Lost or damaged storysacks, reminiscence kits and other specialist items are charged at the replacement cost.
We charge the original purchase price, if known, for items which are no longer on sale. Otherwise we charge a standard rate, as listed below.
- Children's and teenage books £6
- Children's and teenage audio books £21
- Adult fiction paperbacks £6
- Adult fiction hardbacks £11
- Adult non-fiction paperbacks £11
- Adult non-fiction hardbacks £15
- Large print books £20
- Music scores £15
- Adult audio books £50
- Playaways £50
- Adult audio book replacement CDs £5
- Music CDs (single or double) £11
- DVDs (single) £12
- DVDs (double or sets) £20
- Blu-rays £19
- Laptops for loan £100
- Mifi device £50
- Laptop charger £10
The current minimum charge for items borrowed through the British Library which are then lost or damaged is £194.80 including VAT and a non refundable administration change. The British Library reserves the right to charge more than this for a particularly valuable item. If you are able to return a lost item the charge will be refunded.
Items borrowed from other library authorities which are then lost or damaged will be charged at the full rate billed to us by the owning library.
- Audio books on CD (single items or sets) - 80p per 3 week loan and on each renewal
- Playaways - 80p per 3 week loan and on each renewal
- Children's audio books on CD - Free
- There is no loan charge for equal access customers
The loan period for audio books on CD and Playaways may vary on mobile libraries
- Vocal set (charge per copy) - 55p per 3 month loan
- Short vocal set (charge per title) - £21 per 3 month loan
- Orchestral set (charge per set) - £26.50 per 3 month loan
- Additional charge per set obtained on interlibrary loan - £21
- Language courses and educational (general interest) DVDs - £1 per 3 week loan and on each renewal
- There is no loan charge for equal access customers
The loan period for language courses and educational DVDs may vary on mobile libraries.
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