# Public libraries in Spain



## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

After a year of living in Spain I still am not a member of a public library yet. Which is very unusual for me because back in Belgium and Ireland I was one of the most frequent visitors, spending hours a week in libraries. I am now considering making myself a member of a library as well now, but I was wondering if the Spanish libraries are any bit similar to those in most other EU countries?

For example what are the membership fees per year? How many items can you borrow and do you pay to borrow a book or is the only cost your membership fee? Is there free internet access for library members and can you just hop in and surf the WWW or is booking in advance needed?


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## JBODEN (Jul 10, 2009)

gerrit said:


> Is there free internet access for library members and can you just hop in and surf the WWW or is booking in advance needed?


Before I sorted out a dedicated Internet connection I was advised to use the library facilities at Rute (Cordoba). On arrival I was given a password and invited to take a seat at a PC. No membership, no fees, no fuss.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gerrit said:


> After a year of living in Spain I still am not a member of a public library yet. Which is very unusual for me because back in Belgium and Ireland I was one of the most frequent visitors, spending hours a week in libraries. I am now considering making myself a member of a library as well now, but I was wondering if the Spanish libraries are any bit similar to those in most other EU countries?
> 
> For example what are the membership fees per year? How many items can you borrow and do you pay to borrow a book or is the only cost your membership fee? Is there free internet access for library members and can you just hop in and surf the WWW or is booking in advance needed?


 Where I am you have to be a member to be able to take things out, but you don't have to pay. Some times you can get the membership sorted out there and then and sometimes not. You can borrow books, dvds, cds, magazines and computer games. You can take books out for longer than the other items. There is computer access but I don't know how it works 'cos I've never had to use it.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Where I am you have to be a member to be able to take things out, but you don't have to pay. Some times you can get the membership sorted out there and then and sometimes not. You can borrow books, dvds, cds, magazines and computer games. You can take books out for longer than the other items. There is computer access but I don't know how it works 'cos I've never had to use it.


same here - free to join & free to take books & so on out

there doesn't seem to be a limit as to how many books you can take out in our local library either - I did ask, but the guy just said we could have as many as we wanted

they do stamp a return by date in the book, but my kids have often taken books back late & have never been fined - sometimes they don't even stamp a return by date!

the local Spanish here seem to use the library more as a reading room though - I've never seen anyone else take books out!!


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Thanks for the info! Good to know there is internet access in the library and that they have CDs as well.  Now I guess it's a matter of tracing the closest library and get my membership card.

I'm surprised it's so "unorganised" though. Back in Belgium you could reserve a book or CD and they would even send official letters to your home telling you how much time you have to collect the reserved item, and even with returning the item one day late it was fined. I know in Spain people take everything with a more relaxed attitude, but I didn't expect it to be this flexible.


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