Services

INFORMATION SERVICES 

Do you have any information available (free of charge) that will help or will be of interest to your community? Do you need any information about your community, e g phone numbers of sport clubs or cultural organisations? Please contact your local library or one of the Key Persons.

Bibliographies and Address Lists

The Central Information Service Subdivision compiles address lists and bibliographies. Address lists on various topics are compiled and distributed to the affiliated libraries to be used as part of the Community Information Services. The address lists mainly cover organisations and institutions in the Free State and also include some useful addresses of organisations in other provinces as well as national institutions.Information Support Service,An Information enquiry service is available for affiliated libraries and individuals. Contact the Central Information Service Subdivision with any queries and requests for which your public library cannot find the answers. We will use our extensive range of reference and information resources,

LENDING SERVICES 

Membership

Ask library staff at your local library to complete a registration form

What is needed?

  • ID book
  • Names and telephone numbers of 2 relatives or friends

Maximum number of items that can be borrowed

If you are a member of a library you can borrow:

  • 2-4 books (adults)
  • 2-4 sound recordings ( compact discs)
  • 2-4 periodicals (adults)
  • 2-4 books (children)

Lending periods

The lending period for library material for adults and children is normally two weeks (fourteen days)

Material available on loan

  • Books
  • Sound recording (compact discs)
  • Periodicals (not the latest issues)
  • Videos

Material not available on loan:

  • Reference books
  • Prescribed study books
  • Latest issues of periodicals

OUTREACH SERVICES 

Children’s Services

Story hours are presented regularly (normally once a week) at approximately 126 public libraries throughout the Free State. Story hours are also on the library programmes that are presented at public libraries during school holidays. Contact your local library for dates and venues.

Video shows

Your child’s favourite book produced as a video. Libraries throughout the Free State present video shows to children, normally as part of their children’s programmes during school holidays. Contact your local library for dates and venues.

Puppet shows

School holidays and children’s programmes at public libraries in the Free State are synonymous. Puppet shows are occasionally part of these programmes. Contact your local library for more information.

Pre-schools

Need library books for your pre-school? Your local public library will lend books to you as a block loan. Contact your local library for more information.

Old Age Homes

Public libraries provide a special service to old age homes. Library staff visits old age homes to administrate the exchange of library books. Contact your local library for more information.

Prisons

The Free State Provincial Library and Information Services provides library services to prisons. Contact one of the Key Persons for more information.

Farm Workers – Box Libraries

We provide library services to farm workers who are unable to use public library facilities. Contact one of the Key Persons for more information.

Reading circles

The Library Service supports the establishment of reading circles where books and literary issues can be discussed. Our staff is available to assist reading circles with discussions and an annotated list of books suitable for group discussion is made available every year.

Share your programme

Libraries are invited to send details of their programmes for children’s services and on reading circles to the Directorate for publication on our Web Site. Please send your programmes one month in advance.

REFERENCE SERVICES 

The following collection of reference material is available in the stock of the Provincial Library and Information Services Directorate.

  • Dictionaries
  • Encyclopedias
  • Year books
  • Atlases
  • Road and Street Maps
  • Directories

Contact your local library for more information.Contact the Central Information Services Subdivision in Bloemfontein with any queries and requests with which your public library cannot help you.

STUDY FACILITIES 

Handbooks

A collection of school handbooks and prescribed handbooks of tertiary institutions in major study fields are available at public libraries throughout the Free State. These handbooks can only be used inside the libraries. Contact your local library for books in stock.

Reference works

Dictionaries, encyclopedias, yearbooks, atlases, road and street maps and directories are reference works. As these books are used continuously in libraries and are expensive material, you can only use these reference books in the libraries. Contact your local library for more information.

Study cubicles

Most public libraries in the Free State have study areas which members of the public can use for study purposes. Contact your local library to find out if there is a study area available in the library.