Libraries

We aim to give you leisure and learning for life by providing 'community living rooms'

Welcome to Havering Library Service.

Our library service has the promotion of the written word at its centre providing services at the centre of local communities in buildings that are the focus for local activities.  Anyone who lives, works or studies in the borough can use our libraries. They're free to join and anyone - of any age - can have a ticket.

Are you ready Questseekers?

When school finishes head off to your local library and join the quest for the Golden Book.  You will meet dragons, giants and firebirds on your way and receive a medal and certificate if you are successful.  Good luck questseekers!

Heatwave advice

Heatwave: a guide to looking after yourself and others during hot weather is official NHS guidance. NHS Choices  gives further advice as well as updates on heatwave alerts.

Job Seeking?

If you are looking for a job, advice on writing a CV or guidance on how to prepare for an interview, try the "Employment and Training" section of our Recommended websites.

Grove Music Online

Grove Music, is a multi-award winning resource covering all aspects of music, from the earliest beginnings to the present day.  From Mozart to Madonna, punk rock to polka, panpipes to bagpipes, Grove Music Online is a wealth of information about anything and everyone related to the world of music.  Click on the icon above and click through to the Library barcode user login box where you can put 'havering' in lower case, followed by your library card number. E.g. havering4005678934.

See below for our virtual library and more of our free online resources.

London Libraries Consortium

We are now part of the London Libraries Consortium involving several other London Boroughs. Using your library card and PIN number you can access all our online services; join the library; view our shared catalogue, your loans and account; and renew and reserve a range of items by choosing Online Catalogue, Registration, Reserves and Renewals .  You can also ring our 24 hour telephone renewals line 0115 929 3388to renew items. 

Free Virtual Library - try it now!

We are inviting you to visit our free virtual library and look at hundreds of information and reference books, maps, illustrations and interesting facts online to help you with homework or just for fun. All you need is access to a computer that is connected to the Internet at home, work or in an Internet cafe and a Havering Library Service card. We have Encyclopedia Britannica, Oxford Reference Online, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Grove Art and Grove Music, Oxford English Dictionary and a collection of newspapers in Infotrac Custom Newspapers. Ancestry is available on our People's Network machines at Hornchurch and Upminster libraries.  We also have an online enquiry service:  Enquire and with your library card you can access all of the these services.  For fast access click on the icons below or for more information on each online resource visit our Information Services pages...

Enquire

Enquire is a free live question and answer service provided around the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by library services in England, the USA and Canada.  It works like instant messaging or a chat room so you can put questions to staff who can help you just as if you were talking face to face or on the telephone.  There's also an email service if you don't need the answer straight away.

Ancestry

If you are tracing your family tree you can now use ANCESTRY at Hornchurch and Upminster libraries.  It's available on any of the People's Network machines there using your library card.  Researching from home?  Vouchers for use on www.1901censusonline.comand www.findmypast.comcan be purchased from Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster libraries.  A volunteer is at hand to help on Mondays 10.30-11.30am at Hornchurch Library and on Wednesdays 6.30-7.30pm at Upminster Library.

Oxford English Dictionary

OED, click on the icon above and in the Library Card Number box type 'havering' in lower case, followed by your library card number E.g. havering4005678934.  If you have Norton Anti virus software you may encounter problems accessing OED.  Please email libraryservices@havering.gov.ukif you do.

Grove Art Online

Grove Art, click on the icon above and click through to the Library barcode user login box where you can put 'havering' in lower case, followed by your library card number. E.g. havering4005678934.

Oxford Reference Online

Oxford Reference Premium Collection , click on the graphic above and in the Library Card Number login box type 'havering', followed by your new library card E.g. havering4005678934.

Hundreds of newspapers online - Infotrac Custom Newspapers

This resource provides Internet access to a wide range of full-text articles from national newspapers, from today's papers back to several years ago. It allows you to search a single newspaper from the available titles or a combination - useful for seeing how different papers have tackled the same issue.  You are also able to focus your search by limiting it to a particular range of dates.  To access Infotracjust click on the icon above and in the login box type 'havering' in lower case followed by your new library card number Eg havering4005678934.

Encyclopedia Britannica Library Edition 

Library members can now access a choice of three age specific sections; junior, student and adult.  Click on the images below and type 'havering' in lower case, followed by your library card number E.g. havering4005678934.

	For ages 5-11 use  Encyclopedia Britannica Junior Library Edition .
	For ages 12-18 use Encyclopedia Britannica Student Library Edition .
	For adults 18+ we recommend the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, find out more about famous people and their lives, click on the image above and in the Library Card Login type 'havering' in lower case, followed by your library card number.

E.g. havering4005678934.

Contact for Library Services

Ann Rennie:  Library Services Manager

Write to:-

Email   Ann.Rennie@havering.gov.uk