UKC

Guidebooks are expensive and sometimes you only need them for a week or a weekend.

Is there anywhere you can hire them from?

Although there aew lots of  advantages of the rockfax app its just not the same as a physical book when it comes to planning your next day's climbs in the pub...

I haven't ever done this for guidebooks but have you tried your local library? Last time I looked (it was a few years ago, mind) they would get a book for you from any library in the county for a nominal fee. I think they'd also procure books from further afield but that would cost a bit more. I live in Lancashire.

ETA: just looked up Lancashire libraries and they charge 85p per item for anything in the county stock and £5 for out-of-authority reservations

Try your local library

Never found any to hire, but I‘ve stayed at several climbers‘ campsites and guest houses in the Frankenjura which had well-worn older editions on the bookshelf and which you were welcome to borrow for the length of your stay. Nice touch.

Good suggestion for libraries.

Not climbing guides, but mine has a really good selection of OS maps  Not sure I'd want to take a library copy out on the hill, but great for planning a potential trip before your fully committed to going.

My local climbing club has a bookshelf of guidebooks.  I've never borrowed one, but it might be an option.

https://gramicci.co.uk/pages/gramicci-library
 

if you’re in London you can borrow guidebooks for free from Gramicci in Covent Garden. They even lend you a cover for them.

If you're in Sheffield, the central library has some kind of endowment to keep a large stock of climbing books and guides