The following guidelines ensure library staff, members and visitors are provided with a safe and comfortable environment.
Library users must treat others, including Library staff, with courtesy and respect. The Library may exclude anyone engaged in the following:
- Disruptive behaviour, including disorderly or offensive conduct, noise, or activity that interferes with the rights of others, physical abuse, abusive or threatening language.
- Soliciting, selling or other commercial activities.
- Theft, vandalism or other illegal acts.
- Loitering on the premises under circumstances that warrant alarm for the safety or health of any person or property in the vicinity.
Library users must also:
- Meet acceptable levels of dress and personal cleanliness.
- Leave the Library when requested at closing time or during emergency procedures.
- Inform Library staff if aware of any risk or potential risk to people or property.
- Comply with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) when copying or reproducing Library materials, including Library electronic resources.
CCTV systems operate at Chatswood and Naremburn to help safeguard the security and safety of staff and visitors.
- The CCTV systems are governed by the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (NSW) and privacy legislation.
- Footage is retained for a limited period to allow for investigation of reported incidents.
- The footage is not available to be seen by the public.
- CCTV footage of a specific incident may be released to a law enforcement agency where it is required or permitted by law.
Personal items must not be left unattended. The Library is not responsible for any loss or damage. Please do not place your belongings where they may put others at risk of injury.
To claim lost property, you will be asked to provide ID, to describe the item and to estimate the day when the property may have been left. Lost property enquiries can be directed to: library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au Please check our Lost Property Guidelines(PDF, 399KB).
No food is to be consumed in any of the Library branches. Drinks must have lids.
Library clients must use the Library facilities appropriately, and must not disconnect Library IT equipment.
Willoughby City Library Services welcomes children of all ages at the library. However, the Library is a very busy public place, and it is unsuitable for children to be in the library without the care of an older person.
Children must be accompanied by an older person to help ensure their safety while in the Library. In this case ‘accompanied’ means within sight – ie, the older person can always see the younger person.
- Children under the age of 11 should be supervised by someone over 18 at all times in the Library.
Library staff cannot take responsibility for the safety of children who are left unattended at the Library. If children are left unsupervised in the library, staff will attempt to notify parents/guardian/caregiver. If staff cannot contact parents, the Police will be notified.
The Library does not accept book donations. However, we accept donated items relating to the Willoughby area for our Local Studies collection. Email enquiries to library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au
If your books cannot be donated, you may wish to:
- Swap a small number of good condition books at a Street Library
- Consider donating books to a charity of your choice
- Ask local schools if they are interested in receiving your books
- Trade in your books at a second hand book shop
- Give your books away
If you are a resident of our local area, books can also be recycled through the services of Willoughby City Council.
Tutoring for fees
Commercial tutors (ie, where there is a fee charged for tutoring) are able to operate within one of the Library’s hireable spaces. Please see information regarding these hireable spaces here.
Tutoring for fees in the open area of the library is prohibited under the Library Act (Library Regulation 2018, Part 3 Clause 14).
Part 3 Clause 17 of the Library Act also states that a Library user may be directed to leave the library if the person has contravened any provision of this Part.
Volunteer tutors
Volunteer tutors (ie, where no fee is charged for tutoring) can apply for permission from the Library via email. Please include your name, organisation, dates and times of tutoring and contact details.
Willoughby City Library Service provides free access to the Internet through its public computers and Wi-Fi.
Parents/guardians of children under the age of 18 are solely responsible for their child’s access to and use of the Library’s internet facilities, including access to sites, their subject matter and content.
All users must adhere to the Library's Internet Usage Guidelines(PDF, 173KB) at all times.
Your attendance at events hosted or supported by Willoughby City Library may be digitally recorded through photographs and/or video recordings. Images may be used on our websites, publications, social media channels and circulated to the press and other media organisations for publication, transmission or broadcast. If you do not wish your image to be published, please notify staff before the event.
No photography or filming is allowed in the Library without permission from the Library. Please email any enquiries to library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au
Those who do not comply with the Guidelines may be asked to leave the Library or may be refused access to the Library.
Chatswood Library currently has four rooms that may be booked by students for group study without charge. Students can book up to two hours each day.
- Minimum 3 students and maximum 4 students per booking, per room.
- One booking per group per day, i.e if you are already part of a group booking, you cannot make a second booking.
- Students must book in person, on the day, at the Information desk.
- All students must be present at check-in, and show valid student ID. A student ID will be retained by the library until the booking is complete.
- Bookings are forfeited if you do not arrive within 10 minutes of the booking start time.
- Lidded or bottled drinks are welcome, no food is to be consumed within the library.
- Maintain 1.5m physical distancing.
- Follow the Library's Conditions of Entry and NSW Health guidelines.
- The Library reserves the right to accept or refuse any or all applications for bookings.
What is the Creator Space?
The Creator Space is a multi-purpose area of Chatswood Library. It is available free of charge to groups running creative and/or learning activities – for example, Catan games, Python hacks, quilting, chess, VR storyboarding. This applies to small non-funded, unincorporated community groups as per Fees & Charges.
Further information about the Creator Space can be found at the Willoughby City Council website.
Please refer to the following documents: