Membership and Library Services

How can I join?

To join, you will need to have some identification showing your current address, e.g. a driver's licence, electricity bill or post office book. Young people (under sixteen) will also need to have their application form signed by a parent or guardian.

What can I borrow?

Members may borrow up to twelve items at once, including books, computer games, CDs, DVDs and talking books. Back issues of magazines are also available for lending.

How long can I keep library stock?

The standard loan period is 21 days. However this period can be extended by phoning or calling in to your local library, or via our website. Items not reserved by another borrower may be renewed up to fifteen times. Extended loans can be arranged for members who have special needs; please ask at your local branch for more information.

How can I renew items?

There are three ways to renew items; in person, by phone or online. Library staff will be happy to check your ticket on request at your local branch. It is recommended that you update your loans on each visit to your library. You can also phone ANY of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown branch libraries to check your account status. Please have your library card to hand as you will be asked to quote your membership number from it. To renew online, visit our site at www.dlrcoco.ie/library and click on the appropriate link. You will be prompted to enter your borrower number (this is the number over the barcode on your card). You will also need a PIN number; for security reasons this will only be given to you in person at your local library. If you have any problems accessing your account online, please contact one of the branch libraries.

Are there any charges?

It's free to join the library and charges are only incurred on library items when they are overdue or when reserving an item.

Adult tickets: 70c per item per week or part of a week
Children's tickets: 55c per item per week or part of a week
Reserving an item(s): 50c per item

To avoid paying fines make sure to renew or return your borrowed items on or before the date they are due back. However, remember that you can still renew items that are late to prevent fines accruing further.

Services, Events and Activities

There are numerous events and activities taking place in the libraries throughout the year, designed to appeal to all age groups. As well as annual national festivals such as Bealtaine and Saoire there are also plenty of activities continuing on a weekly or monthly basis in each of the branch libraries.

Book Clubs

There is an active book club for adults in each of the branch libraries. Meetings are on a monthly basis and the books are chosen by the members each time. Stillorgan Library also hosts a Dickens book club specifically dedicated to this author's works and Dalkey Library host an Irish language bookclub where books in Irish are discussed in Irish. Details about each club are available at your local branch upon request.

Music Rooms

Dalkey Library has two music rooms complete with piano and harp, which are available for use by members of the public. Other acoustic instruments may also be brought in for use in these rooms; please consult with staff. Sessions are run on an hourly basis and it is advisable to reserve a room in advance.

Language Exchange Sessions

Some libraries run Language Exchange sessions in which members of the public can practice their skills in a second language in an informal setting.

Storytime

Several of the libraries run a storytime session for young children. This usually takes place once a week during September-June and lasts for half an hour or so. All our storytellers are staff members or volunteers from the local community.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions of a wide variety of all forms of artwork from local, national and international artists are regularly on display in branch libraries. These change from season to season and move from branch to branch.

Competitions

DLR Libraries regularly run free to enter competitions; past examples include everything from table quiz mornings to photography and art competitions to poetry festivals. These will be advertised in branches when they take place.

Local History

The local history collection for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is held in Dún Laoghaire Library. It consists of material relating to the county and it's environs, and includes books, directories, photographs, maps, periodicals and censuses, as well as resources on microfilm and CD Rom. Phone, email or call in to Dún Laoghaire Library if you're doing historical research or have a query about the locality.

Dún Laoghaire Theatre Group

The Theatre Group meets on the second Saturday morning of each month in Dún Laoghaire library.

Writers' Groups

An active writers' group meets every second Wednesday in Dundrum Library to read from and discuss their own compositions. A similar group meets every second Thursday in Dalkey Library. For more information contact these branches.

Board Games

There are chess and games clubs for young people in several of the branches; ask at your local library to see what is available near you. A Scrabble club for adults also operates in Dundrum library every second Friday.

Computer Games

A range of computer are available to borrow in Dundrum and Deansgrange libraries for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP. The collection includes games for all ages in a variety of genres. Although they are currently only being stocked in Dundrum and Deansgrange libraries any particular title, if available, can be sent to any branch on request.

 
Home Library Service

This service is run from Stillorgan Library and provides regular visits to people who are unable to visit the libraries themselves. A selection of books, CDs, cassettes, etc. is brought to the individual in their own home or nursing home. Enquire at the library for more information.

Library Online

Internet Access

All Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown libraries provide free public access to the internet. Free wireless internet access is also now available in all library branches. Please note that all access to the internet is subject to the terms and conditions of the library service. Printing is available from the library PCs and is charged per printed page. It is also possible to request a computer with accessibility features such as a large screen and text-to-speech software.

Library Website

On the website www.dlrcoco.ie/library, you can search the catalogue, reserve books and other media for collection at your local branch, renew your current loans and access your online account with your PIN number. The website provides a gateway to numerous online resources. Check to see what's happening in your local library by clicking on News and Events, listen to podcasts of library cultural events and read or post book reviews. There is also a wealth of useful links including Britannica online and other resource databases and a link to www.borrowbooks.ie with which you can search the library catalogues of most of the counties in Ireland.

Library Stock

Books, Periodicals and Newspapers

Over 400,000 books are available for lending throughout the branches. These include books for adults and young people, fiction and nonfiction, large print and literacy material. Periodicals and newspapers are held in all branches. They supplement the book stock and provide up-to-date information on both general and specialised areas of interest. Back issues of most periodicals are available for lending.

Audio-Visual Material

We have an ever expanding collection of DVDs, Talking Books, CD's, computer games and language cassettes which may be borrowed from all branches. They can be borrowed in exactly the same way as printed material; up to twelve titles at any one time on each library ticket.

Reference and Information

A selection of reference books is available for consultation in each library. Each branch also holds a variety of application forms, including those for passport, driving licence and the voters' register. While Dún Laoghaire Library houses the main Local History collection, each branch keeps some material containing historical information specific to its own local area.

Inter-Library Loans Service

A Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown library card gives you access to the stock in all library branches in the county. An item held in another branch can be ordered in by request; these reservations cost 50c each. However for the same fee the Inter-Library Loans service can search for titles in libraries further afield in both Ireland and Britain. Out-of-print books, journal articles and specialised items can be obtained in this way.

Library Festivals

Bealtaine

Bealtaine is the Irish national arts festival celebrating creativity in older age. It takes place each May countrywide and involves hundreds of events in every art form. Taking its name from the ancient Celtic festival celebrating springtime, Bealtaine celebrates renewal, creativity and growth in ageing. Bealtaine is coordinated by Age & Opportunity - the national agency working to promote greater participation by older people in society. The library service participates every year with a selection of talks and activities ranging from author visits to craft workshops.

Library Voices

This is a bi-annual series of author talks by national and international authors and literary figures. The library service has a long and rich tradition of cultural programming and this series of author talks is part of our mission to present great literary names to the community.

Recite Now

Recite now is a poetry recitation competition open to all primary schools in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The competition aims to introduce the joy of learning and reciting poetry to children. It has 2 categories Cat.1 Senior for 5th and 6th classes and Cat.2 Junior for 3rd and 4th classes. Heats are usually held in January or February with the final during the Poetry Now Festival.