Grab and Go

Our COVID-19 page can help you understand the changes when visiting a library and see what other services are available.

Library services available during COVID-19

Solihull’s Grab and Go library service is running at most libraries across the borough.

Children and teenagers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Opening hours vary between branches. Please check here for opening hours.

Customers are able to return items, browse and select their own stock and have limited access to using the public computers.

We are not able to offer full access to all of our services at this time but will be reviewing this on a regular basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

The service is available for current Solihull Libraries card holders and for new customers. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

You will need to bring proof of your name and address with you. This can be a driver’s licence; utility bill; bank statement; council tax statement or any other official document that has your name and address recorded.

You can visit the library and bring with you your online membership registration number. Staff will then issue you with a library card.

You will be required to bring proof of name and address with you which could be: a driver’s licence; utility bill; bank statement; council tax statement or any other official document that has your name and address recorded.

There is no charge to join the library.

Yes - as required by Government regulations all customers, unless exempt, should wear a face mask throughout the duration of their visit. Children under the age of 11 are not required to wear a mask.

The library service has followed recommendations from Public Health England and the latest government guidelines on making our public spaces as safe as we are able to for customers and staff.

Unless exempt, you will be asked to wear a mask on entering the library and to sanitize your hands. Staff will be collecting contact details for Test and Trace purposes.

Staff will guide customers if queuing is required as we will have a limit on how many customers we can have in the library at any one time.

Parents visiting with their children will be asked to supervise them throughout their visit.

All of our staff will be wearing face visors when interacting with customers or will be working behind sneeze screens.

If you are in mandatory quarantine or currently feeling unwell, please do not visit the library.

There will be a limited number of computers available for the public to use, due to social distancing we are unable to have a full availability at this time.

You will need to book a computer time slot by contacting the library you plan to visit.

The time slots can be up to a maximum of 45 minutes and you will need to bring your library card with you to log onto the computer. Non-members are able to access the computers as a guest although customers will be encouraged to join the library for ease of accessing computers on future visits.

Due to social distancing we are unable to provide IT assistance at this time.

Although the library WiFi can still be accessed we do not have any seating/tables available for customers at this time and customers will be limited to a 30 minute time slot when they visit.

Printing is available from the limited number of computers that are available.

Scanning and photocopying (A4 only) is now available.

Due to the high number of items in quarantine and items currently being dispersed over 13 locations it is not possible to offer this service.

You can ask for a specific title if the item is located at the library you are visiting, staff will check if the item is on the shelves. There is no guarantee that we will be able to supply the specific item. If items are not on the open shelves, are in quarantine or are already on loan we cannot supply them.

We are unable to obtain new stock or borrow items through the interlibrary loan service as our suppliers are not operating at the moment.

Customers will need to either email: libraryarts@solihull.gov.uk or phone: 0121 704 6965, giving three days/72 hours advance notice to order items from Reserve Stock.

Customers who have pre-ordered Reserve Stock items can collect their items from a shelving unit situated next to the Help Desk on the ground floor of the Core Library and then issue them at the self-service kiosk.

Solihull Libraries are following government and Public Health England recommendations regarding quarantining items for 72 hours after they are returned. This is to reduce the risk to library staff and customers.

Once quarantine is completed, library staff will return the items from your card and the books will be placed back on the library shelves.

Customers returning items at The Core Library will need to return their items using the self-service kiosk and then place the items onto the trolley at the side of the kiosk. The trolleys will be moved and placed into quarantine for 72 hours before items are returned to the shelves.

Due to social distancing, the need to quarantine items and the limited number of customers we are able to have in the library we are unable to provide newspapers or seating areas for customers to sit and browse or read newspapers at this time.

This will be reviewed on a regular basis.

The library’s free PressReader service gives access to most of the national and local papers online, see our enewspapers page for more information.

This service will resume on Monday 19 April.

There will be an appointment system in operation at the Core for you to book a 2-hour session (Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 12.00pm or 1:30pm-3.30pm) to view reference books and local history resources (excluding microfilms, which are not currently available). 

You may make an appointment by telephoning 0121 704 6977 or emailing heritage@solihull.gov.uk at least three days in advance. You will need to specify the exact items you wish to consult.

Staff will locate the items and then confirm a mutually convenient appointment with you. It will not be possible to view any additional items on the day of your visit other than those pre-ordered.

Yes this service will still be available from library computers, but sessions are limited to 45 minutes and must be booked in advance. Printing and use of USB memory sticks are not currently available.

Ancestry and Find My Past are currently allowing remote access to these sites for library members until the end of March (Ancestry) and until further notice (Find My Past). They are reviewing this on a regular basis and we will post any further updates here and on our social media channels.

Yes these will continue in term time only.

Unfortunately due to social distancing and the limit on how many customers can visit the library at one time these activities will not be offered at the moment.

The Advice Hub is not open at The Core or Chelmsley Wood Libraries at this time but advice is available by phoning: 0121 709 7590.

The public toilets will not be open during our Grab and Go service except in The Core Café where a queuing system will be in place.
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