New free e-books service

Cheshire West and Chester Council Libraries have launched a new free e-books service.

There are currently over 2,000 titles available for loan including children's and non-fiction titles.

Readers can download up to three e-book titles at any one time, in addition to their 20 physical library items.

Titles can be loaned for 14 or 21 days and there are no late fees or charges as books are automatically removed from your device after that time.

The new service is already proving to be popular with around a third of titles on loan at any one time.

Library members can place holds on titles they wish to borrow and also recommend titles for purchase.

The service is supplied by Overdrive and is available from the Cheshire Libraries Catalogue

Councillor Lynn Riley, Executive member for Localities said: "E-books are free to all library members and users can download titles direct to their PCs, iPads, tablets, smartphones or to a Kindle Fire via the Overdrive App.

"We believe the introduction will enhance and complement the existing e-collections offered by Cheshire West and Chester Libraries and will allow library users a much greater choice in accessing library services and resources.

"You may not be aware that you can access the library services virtually and anyone wanting to know more or needing help setting up access to e-books should just get in touch."

Chester West and Chester Council Libraries offer a wide range of e-resources free of charge to library members including Firstclick Digital e-audiobooks, Ancestry and Find My Past for Family History Research.

Titles also include The Times Digital Archive, Oxford English Dictionary, Naxos Music Library, Britannica, Which? Online, Theory Test Pro and many more.

Library staff will be happy to help people become familiar with the e-resource collection to enable them to access a wealth of information and choice.