English for the Library: Joining, Borrowing and Asking
Four sentences carry most library visits: I'd like to join the library, please. Where can I find the crime section? How long can I keep this? and Can I renew it online? A library trip is a short chain of set exchanges, each with its own polite frame.
Below: joining, finding a book, borrowing, reserving, problems and two short dialogues.
Joining the library and getting a card
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Saying what you want | I'd like to join the library, please. |
| Asking the steps | How do I get a library card? Is there a fee? |
| Checking paperwork | What ID do I need? Is a utility bill enough as proof of address? |
| Avoiding a second trip | Can I register online and collect the card later? |
Prefer I'd like or could I to I want; the same frames appear in English for making appointments.
Finding a book and asking where things are
| Question | What it asks |
|---|---|
| Where can I find the history section? | The place in the building |
| Which floor is the fiction section on? | Which level to go to |
| Do you have any books by Ali Smith? | Whether one author is held |
| Is there a catalogue I can search? | The index of what the library holds |
| I'm looking for a book about learning to draw. | A topic, when you do not know a title |
Three small words do most of the work: by for an author, about for a topic, on for a floor.
Borrowing, returning and renewing
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Taking books out | I'd like to borrow these three, please. |
| Asking the loan period | How long can I keep them? When are they due back? |
| Keeping them longer | Can I renew these? How many times can I renew? |
| Bringing them back | I've brought these back. Could you check them in? |
Say how long can I keep them rather than how long can I borrow them. The due date is the day they must come back.
Reserving a book and using the library
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| A book that is already out | Can I reserve it? Could you put a hold on it? |
| Working there | Is there a study area? Is there a quiet room? |
| Internet and printing | Do you have free Wi-Fi? Can I print and photocopy here? |
| Borrowing from elsewhere | Could you request it through interlibrary loan? |
Reserve and put a hold on it mean the same thing: the library keeps the book behind the desk when it comes back. The reference section is the part you read in the building, and the reading room is where the quiet tables are.
When something goes wrong
| Problem | What to say |
|---|---|
| A lost book | I've lost a book. What happens now? Is there a replacement charge? |
| A record that looks wrong | I returned it, but it's still showing as out. Could you check? |
| A fine | The book is overdue. How much is the fine? |
| An account error | There's a mistake on my account. Could you have a look? |
Describe the problem first, then ask what happens next.
Dialogue 1: joining and finding a book
| Library staff | You |
|---|---|
| Good morning. How can I help? | I'd like to join the library, please. |
| Certainly. Do you have proof of address? | Yes, a utility bill. Is that enough? |
| That's fine. There's no fee for residents. | Great. Which floor is the crime section on? |
| Second floor, on the left. | Thank you, that's everything. |
Dialogue 2: renewing and an overdue fine
| Library staff | You |
|---|---|
| Are you returning those, or renewing them? | Renewing, please. I'd like to keep this one longer. |
| That's fine. You can renew for another three weeks. | How many times can I renew? Can I renew by app? |
| Twice, unless someone has reserved it. | One more thing — this other book is overdue. How much is the fine? |
| There is no charge for the first week, then ten pence a day. | I see. Could you check them in now, please? |
Words that trip learners up
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| borrow | Take something and give it back: I borrowed two novels. |
| lend | Give something for a time: the library lends books to members. |
| due date / overdue / fine | The day a loan must come back; past that day it is overdue and a fine may be charged. |
| renew | Keep a loan for longer: can I renew this once? |
| reserve / hold | Ask the library to keep a book for you when it comes back. |
One rule covers the first two: you borrow from the library, and the library lends to you.
British and American words
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| library card | library card / borrower's card |
| mobile library | bookmobile |
| return a book | return / check in a book |
| fine | fine / late fee |
Floors differ too: in a lift, the British ground floor is the American first floor.
Common mistakes to correct early
- Borrow and lend reversed. Can I lend this book? offers your own book to the library. You want Can I borrow this book?
- Dropping the. Say I go to the library, not I go to library. Buildings such as the library, the post office and the gym take an article.
- How long can I borrow it? Understandable, but How long can I keep it? is what staff expect to hear.
- Mixing up renew and reserve. You renew a book you already have; you reserve one that is with somebody else.
For more on articles and small words, see common mistakes for beginners. The same frames carry over to shopping and to the post office.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between borrow and lend?
You borrow something you take away and give back: I borrowed three novels. The library lends books to you, so borrow is what you do and lend is what the library does.
How do I join a library in English?
Say I'd like to join the library, please, then ask How do I get a library card? and Is there a fee? Bring ID and proof of address, or ask Can I register online?
What should I say when a book is late?
Say I think this book is overdue. Could you tell me how much I owe? Then ask whether there is a grace period, or whether you can still renew it.
What is the difference between renew and reserve?
Renew means keeping a book you already have for longer: Can I renew this? Reserve, or put a hold on, means asking the library to keep a book for you when it comes back.
Why do we say I go to the library and not I go to library?
Library is a countable building, so it needs an article: the library, the gym, the post office. Some places take no article, as in I go to school.