Visitors to any library across the county can now pay for specialist help for a range of services, including researching family trees, learning more about their area, finding new authors and or helping their child to read.

The personal knowledge advice service, inspired by gym personal trainers, was launched yesterday.

David Tonks, information librarian at Wellingborough Library, Pebble Lane, said the service was an easy and friendly way for visitors to use a librarian's knowledge and skills for their personal use.

He said: "Whether you would like help using the internet to research your family tree or view pictures for relatives, or simply discuss reading books for yourself and your family, this is a way to have a librarian dedicate their time to helping you.

"A good example was a test-session we held last week, when a woman came in wanting to know about lace-making.

"We spent the time browsing and finding the right books and then using the internet to find more designs and tips.

"The idea came from people using personal-trainers at a gym, and we felt this was a service the public would appreciate in libraries."

Sessions cost £15 for half an hour.

Library user Edith Bowers, 76, from Wellingborough, said: "My son lives in Australia and puts pictures online, which my family have to print off for me, so I might use the service to learn how to view them myself."