Press release
‘Take a Closer Look’: Minister Humphreys launches National Public Libraries Open Day
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, is encouraging everyone to visit their local library this Saturday (September 28th) for the National Public Libraries Open Day.
A wide variety of events will take place in libraries nationwide including virtual reality sessions, knitting groups, story-times, LEGO classes and wellbeing workshops.
Minister Humphreys is encouraging members of the public to check with their local library branch to find out what Open Day events are taking place.
The events are underpinned by a national campaign entitled ‘Take a Closer Look’.
Launching the Open Day, Minister Humphreys said:
“National Public Libraries Open Day is a unique opportunity for us to promote library services and celebrate their role in Irish life.
“Ireland’s public libraries have a proud history in the heart of our communities, supporting people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
“Our libraries bring people together. They help people to go on literary and recreational journeys, to use their imagination and unwind.
“As Minister with responsibility for our public library service, I’m encouraging people to pay a visit to their local library this Saturday.
“A range of exciting events are taking place that will truly showcase all that our libraries have to offer.
“Finally, I want to acknowledge the outstanding work of our library staff who have again exceeded expectations by scheduling a diverse range of events for people to enjoy on the day.
“I know that everyone who visits their local library on the day will be welcomed warmly by staff and I am sure that it will be the beginning of a wonderful life-long experience.”
There are 330 library branches and 31 mobile libraries in Ireland. All core library services are provided free of charge. There are no memberships fees and no fines for late returns.
Nearly 800,000 people are registered as library members and more than 12 million items are available to borrow across the service.
Anna Marie Delaney, Chair of the national Libraries Development Committee said:
“The Open Day provides a special opportunity to highlight the very important role of libraries in our communities. Our libraries are for everyone and they offer a broad range of diverse services, both in-house and remote, that support people to connect, to access information, to browse and escape, to receive support and to engage with their community.
“They encourage reading at all levels, improve digital skills and literacy, enable formal and informal learning, support the provision of information and guidance on many topics, and ensure that people have a place in the community to meet and come together.”
The usage of public libraries continues to grow with 14.5 million traditional print and audio visual items being loaned in 2023 – an increase of 18% from 2022. There were also almost 1.6 million eAudiobooks and over 930,000 eBooks loaned in 2023 – an increase of 20% from 2022.
ENDS
This campaign has been supported by funding of €150,000 which has been allocated from the Dormant Accounts Fund through the Department of Rural and Community Development.
How to Join Your Library
Public library membership is completely free of charge for everyone in Ireland. Children and young people under the age of 18 must get the permission of a parent or guardian to join the library. To join the library, you need to complete an application form. You can do this online or in person at the library.
For more information, please visit:
Public Library Service Overview
The public library service is local service with a national reach – members can use all library services, including borrowing and returning items at any library in the country. The national public library catalogue is supported by a nationwide delivery service – items can be ordered online or in person and delivered quickly to the local library.
The public libraries provide -
Libraries are spaces where book clubs, art exhibitions, writing classes, language exchange and even yoga classes take place.
Public Library Strategy - ‘The Library is the Place’
The public library strategy, ‘The Library is the Place’, was launched in July 2023 and was developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development in partnership with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and local authorities. It is a 5-year plan for the period 2023-27 which sets out the strategic context for further investment in library infrastructure, technology, programmes and services.
The strategy was drafted following an extensive consultation process that included a public consultation which resulted in 2,993 returned questionnaires, focus groups with over 300 libraries staff members, further focus groups with key stakeholder groups and interviews and workshops with key interested parties.
Main points of the Public Library Strategy
The strategy contains three overarching themes – People, Spaces and Connections.
66 strategic actions have been listed under nine strategic objectives and three enablers. Some of the specific actions to deliver these are: