Resources and Services Available at Your Local Library

Introduction

There are a number of educational and learning services available at your local library. You can find your local library here.

Libraries Ireland

Libraries Ireland is a shared library management system which allows anyone with a public library card to borrow and reserve items from any public library in the Republic of Ireland. It is free to join and all 30 library authorities are part of the service.

At your library you can access:

If a resource is unavailable in your local library, and is available in another library, then you can request it through the interlibrary loan service. You can search the online catalogues and websites of Irish public libraries and request to borrow through the interlibrary loan service.

Access the interlibrary loan service here:

E-Learning courses

There are over 400 courses available, including accounting, history, office skills and more. You can access these services through your local library website or through the national portal:

Supporting schools

Public libraries also provide a wide range of resources and activities to support schools in developing children’s literacy, numeracy, creativity and communication skills.

The Ask About Ireland Website offers digitised content from public libraries, including Griffith’s Valuation (historical land values between 1848-1864), unique historical film, out of print resources and digital books. It is now one of the largest educational websites in Ireland, providing free access to an extensive collection of teaching and learning resources for primary and secondary schools.

Online Resources

Lexis Nexis is a provider of news, information and company information from all over the world which also provides access to national and local Irish and international titles, including newspapers, journals and periodicals.

Visit Vision-net.ie for a fully searchable online source of company information and business names for all businesses within Ireland.

All public libraries now have computers which the public can use to access the internet. To book a session contact your local branch library. Many libraries offer introductory sessions for new users.

All public library users are provided with online access through a single platform to a number of online resources, such as:

Online languages can be accessed directly from the website of your library service.

View Online Library Catalogues

To view a catalogue you must provide your:

Individual library catalogues can be searched online by author, title or keyword. It is also possible to renew loans and check borrower information such as loans and reservations online.