Though it’s a little different this year, children can still join the Summer Reading Challenge! They can meet the Silly Squad, an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into all sorts of funny books. The challenge is running until mid-September and is in a new digital format.

The Summer Reading Challenge website features games, quizzes and downloadable activities that encourage children to take part in reading related activities. Although library buildings are closed, children can still borrow fantastic e-books and audiobooks through RBDigital and Borrowbox with their library card.

Learn more about the Summer Reading Challenge on the Virtual Library.

If you miss your daily newspaper or favourite magazine, grab your library card and read them for free on any device with PressReader. You’ll find newspapers such as The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, plus magazines like Four Four Two, Love Knitting, PlayStation, Q, Railway Magazine, and Good Housekeeping among the thousands of titles available for the whole family.

Our library members get free access to over 7000 newspapers and magazines through the PressReader app or website. There are publications from around the world in a variety of languages including, Italian, Polish, Hindi, and Arabic on the day they’re published. 

Visit the Virtual Library to find out more or download the PressReader app and have your library card number ready to get started.

While local infection rates remain high, Bedford Borough Council has made the decision to keep Bedford Borough Libraries closed for the time being.

The safety of our staff, volunteers and customers continues to be our top priority. We have developed plans for reopening services and this decision will be kept under review. We will provide further information as soon as we are able to; please keep an eye on our website and social media channels for updates.

In the meantime, to help library customers, we will continue to extend the due dates on items on loan and pause charges on any items already overdue. Please continue to hold onto your items until we provide information on how they can be returned once we reopen.

There are a wide range of online services and resources available through the Virtual Library, including e-books, audiobooks and e-magazines. Anyone can join, you don’t have to be an existing library member.   

Search, request or renew your loans all with a few taps.  Put the library in your pocket!                       

Click to download our app via the Appstore or via Google Play.