Books and reading

Browse our library catalogue, or renew your items at our online catalogue page.

If you’re looking for a good book to read, we can help!

• WhichBook - A new way of choosing what to read
• Goodreads
• Nb - a reference copy of the associated magazine NewBooks is available in our hub libraries
• Fantastic Fiction
• Literature Map
• Richard & Judy Book Club
• Shepherd

The theme for Black History Month 2023 is 'Saluting our Sisters'. Highlighting the crucial role Black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change and building communities.

• Nero Book Awards
• The Crime Writers’ Association Daggers
• The Desmond Elliott Prize
• The Booker Prize
• The Booker International Prize
• British Book Awards
• Women’s Prize for Fiction
• Jhalak Prize
• Polari Prize

Reading Well is a national scheme coordinated by The Reading Agency. It comprises several collections of books selected by health professionals and people with lived experience, which are available through public libraries across the UK. 

Visit the Reading Well website for further information.

Books in other languages are available at North Shields Customer First Centre. We also have eBooks available via BorrowBox, our digital library.

Love to Read?  With our Love2Read library card you can borrow up to 20 books at a time and make unlimited free reservations, all for a £5 annual fee. Speak to a member of staff for details.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? We welcome suggestions for books to add to our stock.

Contact any of our branches.

Reading groups are a great way to meet new people and share a love of reading. View our reading groups pages here.

Great reads for discovering diverse voices and special collections - check out our book lists below.

Great reads for every young reader. Find a mix of historical and fantasy fiction, humour, adventure, and mystery. 

A Home Educator card will allow you to borrow up to 15 books from any of our public libraries for 28 days.

This is in addition to a personal card.

Choose from a huge range of board books, picture books, graphic novels, younger stories, older fiction, and information books suitable for all ages from birth to teens.

We have books that will appeal to every child regardless of age or reading ability, including a Dyslexia Friendly Collection, Dual Language Picture books and Reading Well for Young People collection.

Barrington Stoke publish books with dyslexia-friendly fonts, off-white paper and careful spacing between words to help reduce visual stress.

Quick Reads are bite sized books by bestselling writers, boosting reading skills, confidence and engagement in learning - great for young adults who like to read.

Borrowbox, an eBook and eAudiobook app, has a feature where you can change the font to a dyslexia-friendly version and make the text larger.

Graphic novel illustrations can help to carry the story forward and help readers if they lose their place.

Read along Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Junior Edition has a read along button at the top of every page.

Coloured overlays are available in our larger libraries which may make reading easier and more comfortable for some children.