This page will contain links to all Explore’s policies in due course.

Index

Complaints Procedure

Every year, over a million people use Explore services.  Our aim is for every experience to be an excellent one, but we recognise that sometimes things will go wrong.  When that happens, we want to put them right swiftly and learn from our mistake to improve things for next time. So, if something goes wrong please let us know.

Fees and Charges – Libraries

Books, audiobooks and language courses – adults and children

  • Loan period: 3 weeks
  • Hire charge: free
  • Daily charge for overdue items: None
  • Reservation charge: None
  • There are replacement item costs for lost or damaged books charged at the actual book cover price.

Toy Library

  • Loan period: 3 weeks
  • Reservation charge: Free
  • Hire charge: Free
  • Charge for overdue items: none if the toy is borrowed using a child’s library ticket.

Computer use

  • Library members: First two hours free. Additional sessions charged at non-member rate
  • Non-members: £1 per session, which is up to an hour

Printing

Payment can be may with card or coin, but you must have exact change only.

From public access computers, app and e-mail

We have a special offer on homework printing and printing from www.gov.uk. In both cases the first ten pages are free.

  • A4 mono (black and white): 20 pence
  • A3 mono (black and white): 60 pence
  • A4 colour: 70 pence
  • A3 colour: £1.40

From Microfilm/Microfiche

This is only available in York Explore from dedicated machines.

  • A4 mono (black and white): 20 pence
  • A3 mono (black and white): 60 pence

Photocopying

Payment can be may with card or coin, but you must have exact change only.

Photocopying both A4 and A3 is now available at all of our Explore locations (York, Acomb, Clifton and Tang Hall).

  • A4 mono (black and white): 20 pence
  • A3 mono (black and white): 60 pence
  • A4 colour: 70 pence
  • A3 colour: £1.40

Planning Maps

Adding an extension or transforming the loft?  Tang Hall, Acomb and York Library can provide location plans in line with the requirements of the planning department. See the maps and planning page for prices.

Scanning

Self-service scanning is available without charge at Acomb, Clifton, Tang Hall and York Explore for both A3 and A4.

Requests

If you want to borrow an item which is on loan to someone else you can request to be put on a waiting list, and we will let you know when it is available. This service is free.  You can collect the item at any library.

If you want to request something which is not owned by Explore we can get it from another library service. The charge for this is £15 per item.

Room Hire

See the room hire page for a description of our meeting rooms with prices.

Security of the self-service printing solution

When I print a document from my own device by emailing it to the printer, where does my print job go and how secure is it?

Your print job goes to the “PrinterOn Cloud” data centre in Canada for processing.  Print jobs are encrypted, and can only be decrypted for printing by the Print Delivery Station which corresponds to the specific one in the email address you used (e.g. acombmono@printspots.com): they cannot be exported or duplicated for printing or viewing elsewhere.  Print jobs are automatically deleted one hour after printing, or after three days if they are not printed.  To collect printing, you need the random six digit Privacy Release Code, which has only been given to you and is not accessible by library or IT staff.  Please note that whilst we have taken care to buy an appropriately secure print system, Explore libraries cannot be responsible for the security of whichever email system you use to send your print job and receive your unique code.

More specifically, the encryption part of the process works as follows.  A unique 128-bit AES encryption key is generated for every printed job processed. The PrinterOn cloud server releases the job to the printer using SSL, and every PrinterOn print server (‘Print Delivery Station’) generates a unique RSA 2048-bit public and private key pair. The print data AES key is encrypted using the RSA key-pair and is delivered alongside the print data to the print server in the library. This scheme effectively creates two levels of encryption for every print job.

The system is operated by Ormonde Technologies Ltd. It only collects personal data for the delivery of printing and copying services. User Data is not retained or shared for any other purpose.  The supplier’s full data protection statement is available on their website.

When I print something from the library computers, where does my print job go & how secure is it?

Print jobs sent from the library computers do not leave our own trusted public network, but otherwise are encrypted and decrypted using the same method as that specified above. The Privacy Release Code required to collect each print job is generated in the PrinterOn cloud, then delivered to the user’s computer screen and to the print server over SSL connections.

Customer Charter

Explore is dedicated to the provision of a high level of service for all customers. This charter outlines our service commitment to you and how you can help us to provide you with a quality service.

 You can expect:

  • Prompt, courteous service
  • Helpful well-trained staff who will treat you with respect, confidentiality and in a culturally appropriate manner
  • Fair and equitable access to our collections, services and programmes
  • Collections which aim to meet your needs and are well-maintained and accessible
  • An information service which is responsive to your needs and provides access to resources beyond the library’s walls
  • Convenient hours of opening
  • prompt responses to your enquiries, comments or complaints

Help us to help you by:

  • treating other people in the library with respect and courtesy, whether they be customers or members of the Explore team
  • treating library facilities, equipment, collections and property with due care
  • assisting staff in understanding your needs clearly
  • providing us with feedback on how we may improve our services, or how we can help to resolve a specific problem. You can do this by either speaking to a member of staff or on-line using our “contact us” form.
  • participating in the activities and services offered by the library in a spirit of good humour and co-operation
  • ensuring that children in your care are properly supervised while in the library and that children under 8 should be accompanied by a parent or carer at all times
  • complying with any directions or instructions given by staff