Southend Library at The Forum
The Forum Library is based in the town centre’s ‘Educational Zone’ and is one of six libraries in the City of Southend, your library card can be used at any of our six libraries.
Take a Forum Library Tour
Have you discovered the wealth of resources in The Forum Library yet? If not, now’s the time! Whether you want to come as part of a group, or you would like an informal one-to-one introduction to our facilities, our Digital Officers can provide a tour tailored to you.
From historical local maps and microfilm newspaper archives to our online reference library there are so many things to explore. If you’ve been a little daunted to delve into our newest branch, The Forum (it is a pretty large library) book a tour with our Digital Officers and you won’t need to do it alone.
Best of all, tours are completely free! Email digitalofficers@southend.gov.uk for more information or call 01702 534128.
We can also offer Primary schools a Class Visit in the Children’s library. Email librarydevelopment@southend.gov.uk for further information.
To keep abreast of our schedule of events, visit here.
For full-service details, visit here.
Borrow up to fourteen physical items and borrow even more digitally.
We also belong to the SELMS Consortium which enables library users to borrow, for a small charge, from thirteen other library authorities in the southeast of England.
So, if you can’t find what you want, please ask a member of staff who will be happy to help you.
University of Essex students can find details of additional library resources here.
Have you seen what’s at The Forum Library?
FREE wi-fi – just join using the GUEST setting on your device.
Borrow up to fourteen items across a variety of formats: books, audio, e-books, and e-magazines.
Get access to a wide range of free online resources.
Use our PCs for an hour a day free of charge and then £2.50 per additional hour if the service allows.
It’s free and easy to join the library.
Visit our online site or visit the ground floor reception desk at The Forum Library bringing with you some form of name and address ID.
Browse Southend Libraries Catalogue, renew books, place reservations, and access your account online at any time by downloading the FREE Spydus app from your usual app provider, or visit here.
Hundreds of brand new and bestselling e-Books & e-Audio titles await you in our Borrowbox collection.
Press Reader has the latest edition e-Magazines & Newspapers.
Find information, learn a language, or research your family history with our online resources.
Use a library PC to access Find My Past for family history research: access over 10 billion records including the 1921 census, birth, marriage and death records, British Newspaper Archive and more.
Study materials and practice questions to help pass the ‘Life in the UK’ test, available in library and from home.
Practise the UK’s driving theory test; official test questions for all vehicle categories licensed from the Driving Standards Agency.
Online language-learning system for over eighty languages; available in library and from home.
