City library's Decentralized service in the Northern District of Prato

Presentation of the library

The library of the District North belongs to the urban network of libraries of the City of Prato, coordinated by the Public City Library "A. Lazzerini".

It has an area of 356 sq m, with 88 reading seats, a heritage of 13.000 documents (books, newspapers, VHS, DVD, etc) differentiated areas for children, teens and adults, a computer training classroom with 10 PC, a multimedia section with "DVD e VHS, and audio books", a shelf with multicultural books in English, French, German, Chinese and Urdu and books in bilingual version. There is also a corner with newspapers and magazines and a PC from which you can refer to Press Display, the online database with more than 1.700 newspapers from 92 different countries.

Next to the library there is a multipurpose space used for concerts, readings, performances….

All the material of the library is positioned in a way that users may access it directly. On the shelves are posted descriptions that help finding the right material among novels, books, romantics and crimes, comics, humour, travel, computer books and astrology, Chinese books, movies and cartoons.
The librarians are available to help in the search, to give reading tips, to inform about cultural events in the District and in the city, provide opening hours and current addresses on the public offices.

Service

Book and video loan

Almost all of the material in the library can be borrowed. The service is open to everyone and it is free.
You can borrow up to six books at a time and up to 3 videos. The loan lasts a month for books and is renewable for 15 day; for videos the loan lasts 7 days and is not renewable. If the book you are looking for is on loan, you can book it. You can also make proposals for the purchase of books which are not available in the library. If the library does not have the book that you want, you can ask for one of the other libraries of the network on provincial and regional level (interlibrary loan). You will be notified as soon as the book arrives at the library.

Books at home

The library offers a service of home delivery of books and films borrowed for elderly and persons with mobility difficulties

Basket of books

The books donated by the people, but not useful for the library, are collected in a basket and who wants can take them.

Navigate the Internet

The library is completely wireless, you can navigate without a time limit, and there are also 4 public internet terminals, on which the navigation is limited to one hour. You must register by presenting an identity document, to use this service. Minors must be authorized by a parent. The service is free.

Activities

The library organizes initiatives that have as their main propose the promotion and dissemination of reading and the invitation to use the library by an increasing part of the public: animated readings and workshops for children and young people; activities with local schools; readings and book presentations opened to all.