Libraries

We have begun a phased reopening of our libraries with measures in place to protect staff and visitors.

 Libraries that are now open include:

• Leytonstone
• Lea Bridge (book service only)
• Hale End
• Leyton
• Chingford Library
• Higham Hill Library 
• Wood Street Library

Excitingly, we have just opened our brand new Wood Street Library. The library is a key part of the £3m investment in Wood Street that has also seen the creation of high-quality housing and public space improvements alongside a new Post Office.

With increased opening hours (till 7pm on weekdays), it is now  open seven days a week to provide essential services for the community at times most convenient for them. There is also new community meeting spaces and free wifi for visitors and a café that will provide healthy, locally sourced food and beverage options at reasonable price, discounted for library members.

Walthamstow Library is being refurbished and only open for registrars booked appointments, book “click and collect” and purchasing of paper parking permits.

Please check each of the libraries pages for their opening times, and check back for an updated list of libraries open.

All other libraries remain closed.

All library users will need to use hand sanitiser prior to entering the library and wipes will be available on entry to stop the spread of the virus.

Extra cleaning will be undertaken, but we urge visitors to take personal responsibility in wiping down shared equipment.

We will be monitoring capacity, which will be lower than normal, so please bear with us if we ask you to queue outside until it is is safe to enter

Walthamstow Library is open for booked appointments only for birth and marriage registrations. It is not open for general public use. You can book online.

We hope to open more libraries in due course. Please respect the guidelines, our staff and our buildings so we can continue in opening more libraries to the public.

People will be able to join a library online without needing to visit, we are increasing home deliveries and all late fines will be waived for the next three months.

Follow our libraries on Facebook to enjoy virtual events for kids, tutorials and more. It'll also be a place for sharing news and updates.

Request library book delivery during COVID-19

If you would like some books delivered straight to your door, just click on the button below and let us know which books you would like from our catalogue and one of our fantastic volunteers will deliver them to your door in the next 3 working days.

Request library book delivery online 

If you are not a library member already, you will need to join online.

Access the library online 

Register for a library card or manage your existing membership, through the Waltham Forest Libraries website.

Waltham Forest library card gives you access to:

• over six million books, eBooks and eAudiobooks across 170 London library branches - via the Waltham Forest Libraries website or our library app
• thousands of information resources and reference materials, including family history research tools, business and legal resources, and various newspapers, magazines and eMagazines
• free Wi-Fi and PC computer use in the borough’s eight libraries
• a range of online courses, including language lessons, driving theory test preparation and computer skills lessons.

Use our step by step guides to access thousands of newspapers, magazines, e-books and audiobooks.

• eNewspapers and eMagazines by Pressreader - User Guide.pdf
• Audiobooks and eBooks by BorrowBox - UserGuide.pdf
• Audiobooks and eBooks by Overdrive - User Guide.pdf
• Audiobooks by ULibrary - User Guide.pdf
• Audiobooks_ eBooks and eMagazines by RBdigital - User Guide.pdf

Keep up-to-date and get involved, please subscribe to our mailing list.

For enquiries please

• email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk