Let's talk about Kent Libraries

We know how much people love our libraries. We love them too.

You may have noticed the range of services we deliver has continued to change and expand over recent years to meet the needs of Kent’s communities. The way we deliver many of these services has also changed to reflect the growth of technology and new ways of communicating.

You won’t be surprised to learn that the pace of this change quickened during the pandemic. We had to adapt fast to ensure that we continued to still be able to deliver a library service. This meant:

  • developing the digital services we provide (e-books, e-magazines and newspapers) and making it easier to join the library virtually
  • delivering events and activities online while still prioritising services to those most in need via our befriending telephone calls, home library service and postal loan service
  • developing our select and collect book offer which meant books could be selected and picked up at the library or mobile library front door.

We have now reopened all our 99 libraries and mobile libraries with measures in place to ensure we keep everyone as safe as possible. Find out more about the full range of services we provide.

We know that the library services we provide are hugely valued by local people. The Libraries, Registration and Archives Strategy helps us to steer the service in the right direction. This is even more important as we continue to recover from lockdown.

Our current strategy runs until the end of 2022, and whether you are a current library user or not, we need your help to develop a new one. Our early conversations with library users, residents and partners will be vital in helping to shape Kent library services for the future.

Update 26 January 2022

Over the last few months your feedback has been helping us to understand whether your use of library services has changed and how you feel about them.

From this we now need your help identifying what our priorities should be and have created a new survey to help capture your thoughts.

We encourage you to subscribe on this page (under 'Stay Informed') for further opportunities to help shape our new strategy.

How to get involved

There are currently three ways you can help:

  • take part in a second Survey, which explores in more detail some of the feedback you have provided so far
  • tell us what Kent Libraries mean to you by clicking on the Stories tab below
  • use our Ideas board to tell us what would encourage you to use our services more or for the first time. This could be your ideas for new services or improvements to our existing services.

You can take part in any or all of these activities - it's completely up to you!

We know how much people love our libraries. We love them too.

You may have noticed the range of services we deliver has continued to change and expand over recent years to meet the needs of Kent’s communities. The way we deliver many of these services has also changed to reflect the growth of technology and new ways of communicating.

You won’t be surprised to learn that the pace of this change quickened during the pandemic. We had to adapt fast to ensure that we continued to still be able to deliver a library service. This meant:

  • developing the digital services we provide (e-books, e-magazines and newspapers) and making it easier to join the library virtually
  • delivering events and activities online while still prioritising services to those most in need via our befriending telephone calls, home library service and postal loan service
  • developing our select and collect book offer which meant books could be selected and picked up at the library or mobile library front door.

We have now reopened all our 99 libraries and mobile libraries with measures in place to ensure we keep everyone as safe as possible. Find out more about the full range of services we provide.

We know that the library services we provide are hugely valued by local people. The Libraries, Registration and Archives Strategy helps us to steer the service in the right direction. This is even more important as we continue to recover from lockdown.

Our current strategy runs until the end of 2022, and whether you are a current library user or not, we need your help to develop a new one. Our early conversations with library users, residents and partners will be vital in helping to shape Kent library services for the future.

Update 26 January 2022

Over the last few months your feedback has been helping us to understand whether your use of library services has changed and how you feel about them.

From this we now need your help identifying what our priorities should be and have created a new survey to help capture your thoughts.

We encourage you to subscribe on this page (under 'Stay Informed') for further opportunities to help shape our new strategy.

How to get involved

There are currently three ways you can help:

  • take part in a second Survey, which explores in more detail some of the feedback you have provided so far
  • tell us what Kent Libraries mean to you by clicking on the Stories tab below
  • use our Ideas board to tell us what would encourage you to use our services more or for the first time. This could be your ideas for new services or improvements to our existing services.

You can take part in any or all of these activities - it's completely up to you!

What do Kent library services mean to you? Tell us your story here.

We are very proud of our library service and all of the staff who work to deliver positive outcomes for the residents of Kent. 

We'd love to hear what the Kent library service means to you and particularly the positive difference it makes to your life.

Hearing your stories of when the library service has made a real difference, particularly over the pandemic, will help us to understand where our services have the greatest impact and what we should be developing and focusing on in our new strategy. 

You can add text, photos and videos to your story. However, please ensure you have permission to share anything featured here and don't use full names when referring to people, only first names.

To get us started we have added a few stories from our staff and customers.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

If you have any ideas for how we could encourage more people to enjoy our library services, please feel free to tell us on our Ideas board.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • A helping hand back to normality

    by Graceno7, almost 3 years ago
    I have always been a library member. Happy childhood memories of a quiet space and beautiful safe stories i could disappear into away from my chaotic childhood. No wonder after the isolation of the covid period i ran back to my safe space, in adulthood.


    I live alone, quite happily as it happens as i had a rich group of friends to socialise with. Covid put paid to that as did losing my job. When unlock was over my friends went on with their work lives and my days were emptier, i found i was less self assured and less... Continue reading

  • Long Time Volunteer

    by Susanne , almost 3 years ago
    I have been a volunteer in my local library for many years, running various craft activities including a very successful Knit and Natter group. I know it has been hard for our knitters not to be able to meet face to face, and we are all delighted that we have just been able to restart our meetings.


    This group does so much more than just sit and knit. It provides a safe space for skill sharing and social interaction - a place for ';knowledge exchange' as one of our members put it. We have also supported many charities, both local... Continue reading

  • Cannot do without reading.

    by PHB, almost 3 years ago
    I was so pleased when Headcorn library reopened after lockdown. Throughout lockdown a friend was kindly keeping me supplied with books, however it is not the same as visiting the library and choosing books. Reading is one of my main hobbies, if I could not have access to books there would be a considerable void in my life.

  • Libraries are key to my family's lifestyle

    by Teesel, almost 3 years ago

    My wife and two young children (5nsnd 3) visit Kent libraries at least once a week, often more. Mostly at Folkestone library but we also include a visit to the local library on day trips around Kent, inc Deal, Sandwich and Maidstone. When at a library, we spend time browsing together, then reading a selection of books in the children's area, and of course borrowing books.

    Libraries have enabled my children to take in a high volume of books, which has led to them watching less tv and learning patience and creativity.

    Libraries are a fundamental part of our lifestyle... Continue reading

  • Connection

    by Rosemorey, almost 3 years ago
    In a world increasingly digital and with real human connections at risk since covid, I believe in the power of community hubs like libraries.


    With two small children with who I am trying to limit dependency on screens, a free and social access to diverse and wonderful books is so critical.


    Have a safe space where people without the means for easy access to reference materials or the Internet these places are invaluable.


    As a social centre where you can mix with all types of people, organise local events and publicise local important issues, libraries can do this.


    I think... Continue reading

  • A Haven

    by vixhug, almost 3 years ago
    I have always been a member of the libraries, as a child I would choose books after school and read them with my mum and now I am a mum of two small children, it is a big part of our lives. Both children have regularly gone to rhyme times and love music and singing as a result and we read in the libraries together. My children use ipads or tablets at home because we borrow books from the library and read them at home instead and as a result they have amazing imaginations and love books and even 'read'... Continue reading

  • Love my library and online services

    by SandwichMimi , almost 3 years ago
    Dear KCC,


    My local library is Sandwich and I visited in person with my two children before the pandemic and thought the helpful staff and library was an amazing resource. Once the pandemic hit and both my husband and I lost our jobs we as a family started to use many of the online resource from Kent libraries. I contact ask a Kent librarian and had the most amazing experience with the librarians be so helpful and professional. They helped my in my job search and with my teens homework! My husband’s elderly parents live in Deal and they started... Continue reading

  • A Life Line

    by Page turner, almost 3 years ago

    I have always belonged to a Library. To walk through the door and just smell the books has always been an instant cure for tight shoulders and a stressed brow. And of course pure escapism to just lose yourself in the words of a favourite author or branch out into another life, another place, or another sound.


    For the last 25 years a group of friends have met once a month as a Book Club and we must have borrowed hundreds of books over the years. During lockdown we met on Zoom and were able to discuss the books we... Continue reading

  • Library books straight to my e-reader

    by GinTonic, almost 3 years ago

    We LOVE Libby and Overdrive. My daughter is an avid reader and having the ability to borrow e-books online, especially during the pandemic was a life saver (and is huge money-saver!). We have Kobo e-readers which means you can access the library catalogue via the reader itself, which makes it so simple to find and borrow titles. Thank you for providing this service.

  • A childhood full of learning

    by Deb Ramsgate, almost 3 years ago

    For children, I believe books are a magical door opening onto a wonderland. Many children do not have access to books at home, for various reasons, some of which are very difficult to address. My daughter has special needs and, at her birthday parties, I regularly gave her little friends books to take home, rather than wasteful party bags full of sweets and plastic toys. Many years later, I remember her head teacher telling me that, for quite a few of the children, the only books in the house were the ones we had given them. For children in poverty... Continue reading