What can I borrow?
Your library membership allows you to borrow:
- Up to 20 items for most residents, including children.
Also:
- A combined total of 10 eBooks and eAudiobooks on both OverDrive and BorrowBox
- Unlimited eMagazines on OverDrive
- A tablet, chromebook, mifi unit or audio-visual equipment (additional conditions apply to equipment loans)
- It is completely free to borrow
It is completely free to borrow.
How long can I borrow things for?
- Most items are loaned for 4 weeks.
- eMagazines are loaned for up to 21 days.
- eBooks and eAudiobooks are loaned for up to 21 days.
- Tablets, chromebooks and mifi units are loaned for 4 weeks. (You must be 16 or over to borrow these, and additional conditions apply).
- Audio-visual equipment is loaned for one week. Longer loans may be available on request. (16+ only and additional conditions apply).
- Laptops may be loaned for one day but are generally for use in the library. Longer loans may be available on request. (16+ only and additional conditions apply).
Many items can have their loan date extended online or via our new customer 'Spydus Mobile' app. However, equipment loans can only be renewed by phoning, emailing or visiting the library.
NOTE:
- An acceptable Use Agreement applies to all loans of electronic equipment from the Shetland Library. You can read the agreement here: Acceptable Use Agreement
- Equipment borrowers will also be required to sign a Customer Agreement relating to the care and return of any borrowed equipment. You can read the agreement here: Customer Agreement
- By borrowing the device from the library you are agreeing to the conditions listed in the two agreements.
I'm just visiting - can I join?
Visitors are also very welcome to join the library.
Just fill in a membership form, show some ID and give us your Shetland and home address.
You may borrow up to 5 items plus eBooks.
Reservations
If the item you want is on loan or at another branch, you can reserve it, and we'll keep it for you when it's available. You can place a reservation by asking staff or by reserving online.
Suggestions and Requests
If you want an item that is not in stock, just ask staff who can help you enter a stock suggestion. Adding items to stock depends on whether the item is suitable for our stock, of interest to other customers and within our budget. If we puchase a book or DVD that you have suggested, we will place a request on the title for you and you will be alterted when the item is in stock. We appreciate suggestions from customers, as it helps us spot good books.
Inter-library loans
To assist students and researchers, we can try to borrow print items from libraries outside of Shetland. Just ask staff and we can look into ways we can help you get what you want.
This service is free for customers but the library must pay for each item it borrows. The library reserves the right to charge for inter-library loans if customers require a large number of items.