Local councils in the UK run a network of public libraries open to all residents. Membership is free; users can borrow books, audiobooks, ebooks and films, and most libraries also provide free internet access, study spaces, reading groups and children's story sessions. Schools also have their own libraries.
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The British Library in London is the national copyright library — by law it receives a copy of every book published in the UK — and is open to researchers free of charge. The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh and the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth play similar roles for Scotland and Wales.
You may be asked who runs local public libraries (the local council), or whether membership is free (it is).
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