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Find out about changes to our services and Christmas opening times on our Festive information page. To find out when your bin will be collected over the festive period, visit Changes to County Durham bin collections at Christmas.

Due to maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 11.45am on Tuesday 24 December until 8.00am on Thursday 2 January: our online Council Tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Internet access and computers in our libraries


Free computer and internet access is available across all our libraries.

You can book a session by visiting or telephoning your local library, or via Library Online. You can use the computer for 30 minutes and stay on for a maximum of two hours if no-one else is waiting.

All of our libraries have:

  • specialist screen reading software
  • large keyboard and trackerball mouse available on request
  • free access to the Ancestry UK website
  • printers and scanners (you will have to pay for each page you print)

Who can use library computers

Anyone! As long as you have joined the library you can use our computers. 

Children and young people using the computers and internet

There are no age restrictions on use but we have the following safeguards in place. Parents or guardians can withdraw permission for their child under 18 to use a computer (notification letters are sent out when anyone under 18 uses a computer for the first time). We also recommend that younger children be accompanied when using computers as the council and our staff cannot accept responsibility for children's use of the internet in the library. Ask a member of staff for more details.

Computers and internet access

Computer access is free for library members and sessions can be booked in person, by phone or online. 

  • The computer can be used for up to one hour, which can be extended if no-one else is waiting.
  • All computers have a range of software and printers and scanners are  also available for use.
  • As well as the Library Online facility, library computers also give you free access to research and information sites such as Ancestry.co.uk - the largest online collection of family history records in the UK; online reference sites such as Who's Who and Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  • You will also be able to access the full range of ebooks, e-audiobooks and emagazines.
  • Please see Public access internet guidance for more information on computer and internet access.

More information

For more detailed information about using the computers and internet in our libraries see our Public access internet guidance page.

Related information



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