You can reserve library items online or in the library.

There may be a charge to reserve items.

Online

Find the item in the library catalogue and choose Place reservation.

You’ll need your library card and PIN.

LibrariesWest

LibrariesWest is the name for the public library services and online catalogue of Bath and North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), Bristol, Dorset, North Somerset, Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

When you reserve an item, we search for it across LibrariesWest.

You can reserve the following items held in any LibrariesWest library:

  • books
  • spoken word CDs
  • CDs, DVDs, videos
  • sheet music
  • single copies of plays

Books

If no LibrariesWest library has a copy of the book, we can try to get it for you from a library elsewhere the country. Give your librarian the author and title of the book, or a photocopy of the source of your information. There is a charge for this service. 

Fiction books aren’t available on this type of loan.

Sometimes books are too rare to be borrowed and you may need to travel to see them, or you may only be able to use them in the library.

DVDs

You can reserve any DVDs apart from the latest releases, listed on the catalogue as Premium DVDs.

Journal articles

We can get articles from magazines and periodicals, usually as photocopies of the original article.

Give your librarian full details of the article, including author, title, volume and page numbers.

There’s a reservation charge and a charge for each photocopied sheet, which you can keep.

British theses

You can borrow some theses. Give your librarian as much information on the thesis as possible.

When you borrow a thesis, we’ll ask you to sign a copyright declaration form.

Sheet music

Give your librarian as much information as possible about the piece you’re reserving.

Play sets

Only registered drama groups can request play sets.

Drama groups can reserve play sets from the drama collections of all LibrariesWest libraries.

Make a suggestion

If there’s a book, DVD, or spoken word CD you’d like us to consider buying, or if there’s a subject you think is under-represented on our shelves, let us know.

Email your suggestions to bristol.library.service@bristol.gov.uk using Stock suggestion in the subject line.