Frequently asked questions
Please visit our library website to find guidance on accessing eBooks and aAudiobooks, and eMagazines and eNewspapers.
Additional support can be found on the Overdrive help pages, Libby FAQs and Help Centre, and PressReader help pages.
To contact Support in the Libby app:
- Open Libby.
- Go to > Get Some Help.
- Search for your issue or question, then tap ask our Support team.
- Choose a category, enter a description, and follow the prompts.
Some libraries are able to offer work experience opportunities depending on the time of year and library resources. This includes opportunities for young people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. Please contact us if you would like to enquire about work experience and your enquiry will be passed onto the relevant Library Manager.
Many of our libraries also offer volunteer roles suitable to younger people.
Libraries do not hold hard copies of the current electoral register. This can be viewed at your local registration office.
Historical registers can be viewed in any East Sussex Library through Ancestry.com. You will need to log into our public network computers to access this resource.
We are able to accept some book donations provided items are in good condition and they relate to the East Sussex locality, local history or local studies. Donated items are placed into stock for loan or sold in our Bookends book shops.
Please be aware that donations are assessed depending on item condition, customer interest, and current stock levels. As such, we are not always able to accept all donations.
Spydus ePayments allows library users to easily pay for a range of library charges via the library catalogue. Library users are able to select the charges they wish to pay and then proceed to process them. Payments are managed by WorldPay, not the library service. We don't store sensitive financial information.
To start your online payment, log into your account and navigate to the Fines & Charges folder.
In the Fines & Charges folder, you will be able to select the charges you want to pay. If you are a head of family, the charges from your dependents, will also be available in the same folder.
After you click on the Pay selections button, you will be redirected to the WorldPay site, where you can safely complete the payment details.
As soon as the payment is submitted, if your payment is successful, you will be redirected back to your account on the library's catalogue again, and you will see the payment receipts, and the paid charges will disappear from the Fines & Charges folder. You will also receive an email confirming the payment. The email is sent to the email address provided in your membership record.
If your payment is unsuccessful, your charges will remain in the account, and after 60 minutes you will be able to retry.
- Can I join two children to Summer Reading Challenge using one library card?
No. Each child must have their own library card and PIN to sign up to the Challenge so that we know how many children take part. Your child can join online and we will post their card to you, or you can join them in the library. - Can I use my adult membership card to sign my child up to Summer Reading Challenge?
No. your child will need their own library account to take part. Remember, there are no overdue charges for children under 16, so it’s worth them having their own membership! Your child can join online, or you can join them in the library. - I don’t know my child’s PIN
You can reset your child’s PIN online or by asking in the library. - My child can’t read yet, can they still do the Challenge?
Yes! They can take part by sharing books with you or a friend, or by listening to CD audio books or e-audio books. You can also borrow multisensory stories from our Bag Books Collection if your child has learning disabilities. You can find out more about these here - Why do you want to know what school my child goes to?
We offer children the chance to have their certificate presented in school if they complete the Challenge so we need to know which school to send it to. Once we have sent out all the certificates we delete this information. We also visit as many schools as we can to tell children about the Challenge so it’s useful for us to know how many children from each school take part. You do not have to give us this information if you prefer not to. - My child is under 4. Can they sign up for the Challenge? They love books!
As some of the prizes for the Challenge aren’t suitable for children under 4, we have the Pre-School Challenge for them to do instead. Sign them up and we will give you a collector’s card for stickers. When you’ve shared 6 books they will get a special medal sticker! - How do I register my child as a finisher when they’ve read their 6 books?
Log into your child’s library account with their card number and PIN. Click on ‘personal details’ and scroll until you see Summer Reading Challenge 2024. Enter the date your child completed and the name of their school in September. Tick the ‘certificate in school’ box if they want their certificate presented in school. Don’t forget to visit the library to get their medal!