Sgoil Shiabost (Shawbost School) Library is also open to the public three days a week and offers: a range of fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children for loan, plus large-print books and books on tape, CDs and videos; four public-access PCs with free access to the Internet, E-mail and the full range of Microsoft Office applications; a range of daily and weekly newspapers; and coin-operated photocopying facilities.

Gaelic as the mother tongue in the Western Isles plays a significant role in the literature and religious, cultural, social and educational life of the community. Western Isles Library Service aims to provide access to all aspects of Gaelic in its printed and recorded form through its branches; one copy of each book is kept in a study collection in Stornoway Library. In addition to adults' and children's books in the Gaelic language, the Library houses Gaelic periodicals, newspapers, maps, cassettes and a range of bilingual and Gaelic medium curriculum support materials for teaching staff. Gaelic language learning courses are also available, many with accompanying audio and video cassettes.