Readers in Bury will now be able to use their library cards to borrow books across the whole of Greater Manchester.

The borough has joined the shared Greater Manchester Library Management System, giving people in Bury the choice to borrow 4m books and other items.

It means people can reserve and borrow items from the nine other districts of Greater Manchester as well as from the borough branches in Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom using their Bury Libraries membership card.

Access to all of the online library content remains the same.

Using the new online catalogue, Bury library members can view and renew their loans from libraries across the consortium, search for and reserve books and materials.

Bury libraries membership cards can also be used in other libraries around the region.

Cllr Richard Gold, cabinet member for finance and communities at the council, said: “Joining the Greater Manchester Library System is one more step towards an improved library service for all our residents.

“Book lovers of all ages can look forward to an even better reading experience and library staff can deliver even more for the communities they serve.”

Anybody who needs support in using the new online library system should contact their local library where staff will be happy to help, or email review@bury.gov.uk.

Greater Manchester Libraries is working to improve services around reading, digital inclusion, health and culture

It also has a long history of working in collaboration.

This includes the Time to Read Partnership, which promotes the benefits of reading; a stock purchasing consortium and the Build a Business project which supports small and medium-sized enterprises.

Through their collaborative work, libraries in the region also offer free access to e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines.