New €2.5m Stillorgan Library opens to replace prefabricated 1970s building
A new €2.5m public library has opened in Stillorgan, south Dublin, to replace the old facility which was housed in a prefabricated building since the 1970s.
The two-storey library at St Laurence’s Park, is more than 1,000 square metres in size, double the size of the old library.
The new facility includes flexible study spaces, meeting rooms, publicly accessible computers, technology services, exhibition areas and an outdoor courtyard.
It is also planned to become a My Open Library facility, which will extend access for members from 51 hours to 98 hours a week.
From left to right: County Librarian Catherine Gallagher, Jerry Buttimer, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Cllr Barry Saul, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Cllr Barry Saul, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, said the library was “far more than a building”.
“It will be a place where children discover a love of reading, where students can learn and thrive, where creativity is nurtured and where people of all ages can come together,” he said.
“As a local resident, I grew up using the original prefabricated library, and years later, my own children enjoyed that same library too.
“I’m delighted that this new modern library at the heart of Stillorgan will once again be a hive of activity, imagination and creativity for people of all ages.”
Stillorgan Library has been one of the busiest branches in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, attracting more than 100,000 visits each year and serving communities including Stillorgan, Mount Merrion, Kilmacud and Leopardstown.
The former library closed in October 2021, with services temporarily relocated to Stillorgan Village Shopping Centre while the new facility was being built.
Kaitlyn Fernandez at the launch of Stillorgan Library
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council chief executive Frank Curran said the library would support learning and community activity for years to come.
“Libraries continue to evolve as centres of learning, innovation, culture and community connection, and this facility has been designed to meet those needs for decades ahead,” he said.
“With expanded learning spaces, enhanced technology, flexible community facilities, and future My Open Library access, this building will transform how people engage with library services.”
“It is a flagship public investment that will enrich lives, strengthen the community, and support the continued growth and regeneration of Stillorgan,” he added.
The project received €2.5m in funding through the Department of Rural and Community Development library capital programmes.
The library forms part of the wider regeneration of St Laurence’s Park, which includes 88 social and affordable homes and public realm improvements.
The library is now open to the public.