& Information Centre
High Street, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4QA
Phone 01494 874732
(Registered charity 1159743)
Location
The library is in the centre of the village, opposite the duck pond. There is a large car park behind the library. Parking is free for one hour (display a ticket). Parking around the village green is allowed for up to an hour.
Opening Times
Tuesday 10am to 1pm
Wednesdays 10am to 7.00pm
Thursday 10am to 1pm
Fridays 10am to 4.30pm
Saturday 10am to 1pm
About the Community Library & Information Centre
The library is a community led public library, run and staffed entirely by volunteers from the village, working in partnership with the Buckinghamshire Library Service. The Community Library opened in January 2007 following the closure of the Council run library.
The Community Library aims to provide an excellent library and information service responding to local needs.
The library won the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2017.
Membership is free
The library is part of the Bucks Libraries network and is free to use. If you have a Bucks Library Card you can use it at the Community Library. You can borrow up to 20 items for up to three weeks. Items can be borrowed and returned at any Bucks Library. Items can be returned out of hours via the library’s letterbox. You can view your borrowed items online. Borrowed items can be renewed online, by phone or at any Bucks library.
New members joining at the Community Library will be issued with a Bucks Library Card. This entitles you to use all Bucks Libraries and gives you access to digital services including free e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines and e-databases. Membership is free. You can join the library at any age. If you are under 16 your parent or guardian will need to sign your registration form and provide proof of their identity.
Book Stock
There are over 8,000 books in the library. The stock is continually updated and may be viewed online. We have a wide selection of adult fiction and a good selection of popular non-fiction books including biographies, history, travel, gardening, sport, cooking and craft books. We stock the latest top 10 paperbacks.
We have an excellent stock of children's fiction books for all ages up to young adults and a good selection of children’s non-fiction as well.
Many of the books in the library are gifted by residents. If you have a recent book in nearly new condition that you have enjoyed reading, please consider gifting it to the Community Library. Up to six books can be donated at any one time.
Reservations at the library and online
You can reserve any County catalogue item i.e. books, DVDs, CDs etc. online or by request at the library for local pick up. For users aged under 18 or over 65 the reservation service is free. For users aged 18-64 the cost is 60p if the notice to collect is sent by email. There is an additional charge if the notice to collect is sent by post.
If the book you are looking for is not available in the Bucks catalogue, you can also search for and reserve books from some nearly 300 SELMS partner libraries via the online catalogue. This gives you reservation access to over 6 million books. SELMS out of county reservations cost £3 per book. The County catalogue is here.
Newspapers and Which?
The library has The Times, the local paper and Which? Magazine, with two years Which? back copies available for reference.
Internet Access and free WIFI
There are two PCs providing internet access for the public. Microsoft Office software is available on the PCs. There are printing and copying facilities available.
Use of the PCs is free for the first hour for Bucks library card holders, thereafter the charge is 50p per half hour. Children must be library members and have parental permission. For visitors and non-members the charge is 50p per half hour. The print charge is 30p per page.
The library is a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can connect your Wi-Fi enabled device (smartphone, laptop, tablet etc.) to the internet at the library. The service is free.
E-databases available only in the library include Ancestry.com, the business information reference (COBRA), a directory of medical consultants and a database of academic research papers.
Library events
There is Bounce and Rhyme for under 5 year olds, held in the library at 10.30 am each Friday. A Knit and Natter group is held in the library at 2pm each Monday. There is a monthly book group meeting in the library. This and other library events are advertised on the library notice board and via the village e-mail newsletter.
Local and tourist information
We hold a great deal of information on the village and the immediate local area, together with some information on other parts of Buckinghamshire and London. Our aim is to be the main information provider for both local people and visitors.
Become a Friend of the Library
We receive some support from Buckinghamshire Council. However the library does require village support. Your financial support will help ensure that we are able to provide the best possible stock selection for both adults and children. Your support will also help fund library improvements. We want the library to be first class asset for the village. You can become a Friend of the Library for an annual donation of £10. Donation Forms are available here and in the library.