Thursday 27 February 2020

First ever National Library Open Day this weekend

This Saturday, 29 February, Irish libraries are taking part in the first ever National Library Open Day.

Most libraries in the Republic are open on Saturdays, of course, but this weekend's event extends a special invitation to everyone in the country to drop in and see everything that’s on offer in town and county branches.

In addition to showing visitors all the clubs, classes and activities happening in these important community spaces, Library staff will be giving demos of their online digital collections; their free access to commercial genealogy and Irish Newspaper Archives; and their ebook, audio book, and language-learning services.

Some libraries will be setting out their stall with information desks or scheduled talks on how to start a family history or local history project, others on their growing digital resources that can aid such research.

A number of libraries have particular themes to their Open Day, while others have a wider spread of activities. You can check them out via this LibrariesIreland download, or contact your local branch direct.