• Beacon Villages Community Library is run by a charity for the community across Pitstone, Ivinghoe, Cheddington, Marsworth, Slapton and beyond.
  • We are very fond of books, but we are about much more than paper. We aim to provide entertainment, education, and information, to support the community, and to offer a friendly pace to meet.
  • Whether you need a book for your homework, want to visit the Which? website for free, or would like to check what night to put your bins out – we’ll be happy to help.
  • You can find us in the Town Hall on Ivinghoe High Street. We are open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon and Saturday mornings.


Virtual Library


Even when Beacon Villages Community Library is closed, there are still several ways to use the service, from renewing your books and loaned items to accessing a range of information sites online.

Reservations and Renewals

You can reserve items, browse the library catalogue and view and renew your current loans online via the Bucks County Council Spydus system. To use the site you simply need to enter your library card number (printed on your card) and use you r existing PIN. If you don’t know what your PIN is, you can request a reminder using the site. If you recently swapped your card for a new BVCL design library card, you will need to make sure you log in using your new card number and your existing PIN. If you provide your email address, the system will alert you when items are overdue.

We also recommend that you keep tabs on your items by registering with the Library Elf website – registration is simple and the service will automatically email you BEFORE your book so due so that you have time to renew or return it without incurring a fine.

You can also log in to browse your account to see when your items are coming up for renewal. The service can be found online at www.libraryelf.com and is also available as an app for use on your iPhone or smart phone – just search for “Library Elf” in your app store. To register you will need your library card number (printed on the card) and your Spydus login details.

 

E-books

As a library member you can now borrow e-books as well as paper copies.

You can borrow up to 3 items for 7, 14 or 21 days using your library card and PIN. It’s quick, easy and free to download and reserve for library members. There are no overdue charges as eBooks automatically expire at the end of the loan period. E-Books can also be returned early.

You can download bestselling eBooks to a PC or Mac to use, or transfer to your eBook Reader or other portable device. But please note that unfortunately the Amazon’s Kindle device is not compatible with our eBooks.

To see the full range of e-books available for download and to get started, visit the e-books homepage.

 

Audio books

In addition some members might be interested in our audio books service. A large range of audio books is available to download without charge. To use the service you will need your library card number and PIN. You will also need to set up a OneCLickDigital account. Full details are available on the Bucks Libraries website. Or come in to the library for some help and guidance.

 

Stay in touch with BVCL news

We would like to keep you updated on our progress and latest news. To sign up for our newsletter, Please email info@bvcl.org.uk.

You can also ‘Like’ us on Facebook to keep up with latest news and developments: www.facebook.com/BeaconVillagesCommunityLibrary

Or follow  us on Twitter for news and local information: @BeaconVillages

Online information services

There are a wide range of online tools that you can access in the library OR from the comfort of your own home, simply by entering BUCKS followed by your library card number when prompted to log in. You’ll need to use capital letters and remember not to leave a space before your library card number. Services include Theory Test Pro (a simulation to help you practice for your driving theory test), the Times and Financial Times archives, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Who’s Who.

For the full list of sites, visit the Bucks CC site.

In addition, several subscription sites are available to use for free from one of the computers in the library. These include:

  • Ancestry – researching your family tree? This family records database contains 4 billion names from the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and beyond, from census data to  military records and birth, marriage and death records.
  • COBRA – Need business advice? COBRA offers over 4000 factsheets on all aspects of starting and running a business, from writing a business plan to finding finance and negotiating management issues. IF you are in the library, lick to explore COBRA
  • Which? online – want to know which child seat is best for safety or which vacuum cleaner to buy? This premium site from the Consumers’ Association – now known as Which?, offers a full database of consumer tests, advice to make informed choices and a product comparison tool to help you find the right product for you. The service costs £9.75 per month for individual membership, but you can access it for free from a library computer. If you are in the library, click to enter Which?