Thanks for coming to have a look at what we’re doing.
Sutton Open Library is a new way to share books and make friends in the borough.
You’ll be able to list your books on a website and see what other people in the borough are sharing. Then if you see something you like you’ll be able to get in touch and borrow it.
The Sutton Open Library website will keep track of who’s borrowed what so you’ll know who’s borrowed your books and who you’ll have to return the ones you’ve borrowed to.
We’re just starting the design process and we hope to be up and running by mid-January.
If you’d like to help us shape the way the service works please read through the questions below and let us know what you think in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When does the service start?
A. We hope to be fully up and running by mid-January. We’ll have a preview of the service available much sooner than that if you’d like to help us design and test it.
Q. Is this a book swap service?
A. No. You don’t have to lend a book to be able to borrow one. Just like a normal library you’ll be expected to return books you’ve borrowed and people who’ve borrowed from you will do likewise.
Q. Will I be able to lend things other than books?
A. No. It’s only for books.
Q. Does this mean that the council will be reducing its library service?
A. No. The Sutton Open Library is an extra service to help you share and borrow books that might not otherwise be available. You’ll also be able to make new friends that share your reading interests. The existing library service is unaffected.
Q. What happens if someone doesn’t return my book or damages it?
A. We expect that the vast majority of members will be responsible and will look after other members’ books. We’ll be looking at ways to encourage good use of the service and to deal with any problems that may occur. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this so please leave a comment if you’ve got a good idea.
Q. How many books can I borrow at once?
A. We haven’t decided whether there should be a limit or what it might be. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Q. How long can I borrow a book for?
A. We haven’t decided how this should work yet. One way would be to let lenders decide and agree this with borrowers. Please let us know what you think in the comments below.
Q. I’ve got another question that you haven’t answered yet.
A. Please post it as a comment here and we’ll answer it as soon as we can.
