A Guide to Using Highland Libraries
Welcome to the High Life Highland’s Libraries, a network of sixty-one community and school libraries, plus four mobile libraries. For a full range of services, please visit https://www.highlifehighland.com/libraries/
Membership
Membership entitles anyone who lives, works, or studies in The Highland Council area to use any library in the Highland Libraries network. Members can borrow books and other items, use the request service, use library computers, and access hundreds of on-line resources free of charge.
Joining
To join the library service and start borrowing items please visit your local High Life Highland library branch or Join High Life Libraries online. This will give you temporary membership to allow immediate access to some of our online resources. You will need to visit your local library within 21 days to make your membership permanent. Please take your temporary borrower number with you.
Temporary Membership
If you do not have an address in the Highlands, you will still be able to join the library on a temporary basis. Temporary membership entitles you to use the full range of services including access to the Internet but restricts the number of items you can borrow.
Borrowing Items
Becoming a library member means agreeing to look after items you borrow and being prepared to pay for any loss or damage that might happen to them while they are on loan to you. Membership for those under 16 years of age must be signed by a parent or legal career. By signing this form parents or carers are agreeing to look after the items borrowed as though they had borrowed them themselves and to take responsibility for their child’s use of the Internet in libraries.
Items must be returned to any Highland Library within the advertised loan period. Please note that if no-one is waiting for the items then it may be possible to extend the loan period by contacting any Highland library or visiting https://www.highlifehighland.com/libraries/ and following the links to ‘My Account’.
Overdue Items
We do not charge for overdue items; however, we do accept a donation to High Life Highland. All borrowers are required to extend loan periods when possible by contacting the library in person, by telephone or visiting https://www.highlifehighland.com/libraries/ and following the links to Highland Libraries where you can update your own account. Fourteen days after the agreed return date a reminder will be sent.
High Life Highland Card
On joining the library personal details will be transferred to a computer database held in accordance with the Data Protection Act and checked once every two years for accuracy and currency. You will receive a library membership card which you will need to take with you each time you visit the library. The number on your card together with your unique PIN, available from library staff, also allows access to your personal account at Highland Libraries On-Line. Potential misuse of the card is your responsibility, and loss will mean a charge for replacement. However, if you do lose your card, or change your name or address please let library staff know – they will be happy to help, just ask.
Charges
Most Highland Libraries’ services are available free of charge to the customer – this includes borrowing books, using computers, accessing the Internet, looking up reference items, and seeking advice from the friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Charged services include for example:
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For current prices contact your local library or the Library Support Unit on Tel. 01349 781340 or view the library cahrges web page.
Opening Times
For details of opening times contact your local library, the Library Support Unit on 01349 781340 or visit https://www.highlifehighland.com/libraries/
Reference and Local History Material
Should you require access to material not held in your local library please ask staff or make use of online resources available only to library members via Highland Libraries on-line.
Please be aware that some items may not be available for loan due their condition or rarity.
For the full policy on please refer to the Reference and Local History stock policy.
Copyright
High Life Highland meets all the requirements placed on it by Acts of Parliament relating to copyright, data protection, Freedom of information and other legislation. In offering the public access to books, audio books, digital content, and e-resources High Life Highland expects that library customers will meet all relevant legislation requirements.
Consideration of others
Library customers and staff are entitled to expect safe, clean welcoming and attractive environment. To enable this:
- Only animals registered to support those with disabilities are allowed into the library.
- Customers using library computers and access to the internet are subject to High Life Highland’s Acceptable Use Policy
- Community events and displays are welcome but can only take place in High Life Highland library premises with our approval.
- To ensure fairness to all, petitioning, canvassing, and selling items on library premises can only take place in High Life Highland library premises with prior approval.
- Please read ‘A Guide to Display of Posters, Notices and Leaflets in High Life Highland Libraries’ which can be found under the Policies and Information section of Highland Libraries website for more information.
