A home library service (HLS) is a delivery service offered by some
libraries
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
(especially in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
) for people who are unable to visit a library because of sickness, disability, or geography.
Home Library Services deliver library items to library user's homes, as well as
retirement homes and
nursing homes
A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of older people, senior citizens, or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as care homes, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms ...
, where the staff will work with
librarians
A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...
to deliver services. Historically, some home library services are managed by external organisations such as the Red Cross rather than the library itself. Some HLS services use
couriers, while others will have librarians or volunteers connect with users directly.
Direct connection means library staff can connect library users with further community activities and council resources.
Proponents of HLS say that it can help people feel more involved with their community
especially when HLS users form relationships with the volunteers or librarians.
Users of a home library service may request specific titles, or list preferences like
genre
Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...
and format, and have librarians select items for them.
Most users of HLS are elderly and may need
large print
Large-print (also large-type or large-font) refers to the formatting of a book or other text document in which the font size is considerably larger than usual to accommodate people who have low vision. Frequently the medium is also increased in s ...
books.
While HLS is usually a
public library
A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...
service, it has been offered by academic libraries.
By country
Australia
Despite not being a legal requirement of public libraries, HLS is offered by almost all major public libraries in Australia in 2024. It is strongly promoted by the
Australia Library and Information Association (ALIA), who stated in 2000 "The home library service should be a mainstream, integral, part of a public library service, with priority equal to other services of the library" and provide guidelines for the service.
Australian public libraries are not allowed to charge for HLS services because of section 10 of the
Library Act 1939 which states:
No charge is to be made for the delivery to a member of the library of any book or information that the member is entitled to borrow free of charge if the member for reasons of ill-health or disability cannot reasonably be expected to attend the library in person.
United Kingdom
In the UK, home library services are often delivered by volunteers rather than library staff. Some libraries offer HLS to people living in
rural areas
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically descri ...
who do not have local libraries.
Other countries
Home library services also exist in Argentina, Thailand, The Netherlands, Finland, and Canada.
In the
USA
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
, items are sometimes sent through the postal service rather than delivered directly.
See also
*
Meals on wheels
References
{{reflist
Libraries