Adult library users in Colchester and across the county will face a new charge for reserving books starting 22 April 2026. Essex County Council is introducing a £1.15 fee for each item requested item, regardless of whether the request is made online, through an app, or with staff in person.
The council introduced the fee as a way to reduce waste from uncollected items. According to official data, approximately 32,000 of the 400,000 books ordered across the county last year were never picked up, leaving those items unavailable to other readers. The council estimates that the new charge will generate around £150,000 in savings annually. Residents who walk into a library and choose books directly from the shelves will continue to pay nothing.
Children, teenagers, and concessionary cardholders are exempt from the new fee. This policy change follows a period of debate regarding the local library budget. Earlier this year, the council initially proposed cutting £100,000 from the library book fund but later reversed that decision following public pressure. Instead, the council established a new £120,000 fund dedicated to books and resources.
The reservation charge applies to the Colchester Library & Community Hub, which reopened in December 2025 following a £450,000 refurbishment. The new fee in Essex is higher than similar charges in neighbouring areas, where costs range from 50p to £1.00 per reservation. Groups such as Save Our Libraries Essex have expressed concern that the cost could discourage regular library use.
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