The free Library at Home Service is for Bath & North East Somerset residents who aren’t able to access their local library services. Reading has a very positive effect on health and wellbeing and we aim to enrich people’s lives by giving them access to library services and offering friendly social contact with volunteers who love reading.
Service users, who we call Readers, are matched with a Volunteer based on interests, location, and preferences. These relationships can be short-term, if someone needs help while they are briefly housebound, or can last for many years and build into long term friendships.
There are three types of service delivered by our team of volunteers, designed to help people access library services and reduce social isolation.
Click the titles below to read about the differences in the services, and scroll down to find out how to access the service, become a volunteer, or to learn about eligibility.
Home Library Service
The Home Library Service offers both reading material and social contact.
Service users (Readers) are matched with a Volunteer who will collect books from the library, bring them to the Reader’s home, and have a chat. They will then return the finished books. Visits are commonly monthly, but the frequency will be agreed between Reader and Volunteer.
Books can be reserved by the Reader, or chosen by the Volunteer based on the Reader’s preferences.
Watch the videos below to hear what the Home Library Service means to two of our Readers.
When you join the Home Library Service, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- Borrow up to 20 items at a time
- Enjoy talking books, hardbacks, paperbacks and large print books
- Borrow books and most other items for up to 6 weeks
The Home Library Service is delivered by volunteers and is limited by the numbers of volunteers who help us. If you have family or friends who are able to assist you with library book ordering or collection, this enables us to continue to support other readers who do not have this kind of support.
Book Drop
Book Drop provides reading material for people who can’t access our libraries in person, but aren’t socially isolated. Often, these Readers are only temporarily housebound, such as after an injury or operation.
The Volunteer will pick up books and deliver them to a Reader’s door at a pre-agreed time, collecting finished books and returning them to the library.
Books can be reserved by the Reader, or chosen by the Volunteer based on the Reader’s preferences.
Reading Friends
Our Reading Friends Service offers befriending without delivering physical books. It’s perfect for Readers who are able to access library services, but are socially isolated or lonely.
Readers and Volunteers are matched based on interests and will have regular phone or virtual calls, with a shared interest in reading used as a starting point for conversations.
These calls are one-on-one, but we also run groups in our libraries that can help people who want more social contact. Check our Events Calendar for groups.
Access the Service
If you, or someone you know, would like to find out more about getting involved in the Home Library Service, Book Drop or Reading Friends, please contact us at HomeLibraryService@bathnes.gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can call the Library and Information Service on 01225 39 40 41 or ask a friend or family member to ask about the scheme at your local library.
We are in need of more volunteers, so there may be a delay for new Readers.
Become a Volunteer
We need more volunteers! The service is growing and more people are in need of help.
Watch a chat between our coordinator and volunteers to learn about these rewarding roles from a volunteer’s perspective.
If you are interested in volunteering for the Library at Home services, click the links to visit our Volunteering Portal, read the full role descriptions, and apply:
We’re also looking for Home Library Service Support Volunteers for the Bath area.
If you have any questions, please email Library_Volunteers@Bathnes.gov.uk.
Eligibility
Library at Home services are for B&NES residents. The support can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs.
The service is provided for people who are living in the following circumstances:
- you are living in sheltered housing, an adult residential or nursing home
- you are living with a long-term illness or disability
- you have a sensory impairment
- you have profound or severe learning difficulties
- you are suffering from poor mental health or social and cultural isolation
- you have a short-term need for help (for example, following an operation)
- you are a carer who is unable to leave the home for any length of time