New chapter for Dublin libraries as five-year plan is unveiled
With nearly 2.3 million people visiting Dublin library branches in 2024, Dublin City Council has unveiled an ambitious five year plan to improve library facilities for everybody into the future.
With 10 specific areas of focus, the Council have followed up on the lessons learned from the previous plan, ‘Libraries Unlimited: A Strategic Direction for Dublin City Libraries 2019-2023’, to develop ‘Libraries Unbound: A Development Plan for Dublin City Council Libraries: 2025-2029’.
With public libraries being at the heart of so many communities, they offer a welcoming environment for learning, literacy, creativity, culture, and connection. That’s why one of the key goals of the City Council’s Corporate Plan is to grow a thriving network of communities that foster inclusion and wellbeing.
The first area of focus is ‘Spaces in Places,’ which aims to increase Dubliners' access to library facilities. This can be achieved through the provision of more study spaces, improved opening hours, and the development of new libraries in underserved areas.
The ‘Off the Shelf and on the Screen’ initiative plans to expand upon the library service’s digital offerings. By growing both their physical and digital collections, Dublin libraries will bring the joy of reading to everyone.
Over 113,000 people attended events organised by Dublin City Council Libraries in 2024, yet the ‘Events for Everyone’ plan aims to take this event further with even more events for children and adults alike. With a focus on topics like the Irish language and climate action, library events both entertain and educate.
Outreach is another important part of the Libraries Unbound plan, as seen through ‘Bring the library to you,’ which ensures services extend beyond just library buildings and into communities. In 2024, 20,128 people attended 226 outreach events organised by the Library in the Community outreach team.
There are also endeavours to encourage literacy, learning, and creativity in children as they grow from babies to teenagers. With a focus on embracing modern tech, the Libraries Unbound plan also aims to tackle digital exclusion for older people.
Archival work is also central to the initiative, as ‘Preserving the Past; looking to the future’ is a core tenet of the plan. This means embracing the Historians in Residency programme as well as events like the Dublin Festival of History.
With Dublin as the fourth UNESCO City of Literature, the plan endeavours to celebrate Dubliner Nobel Prize winners, literary icons, and all the creative people who make the capital what it is. As one of 53 UNESCO Cities of Literature worldwide, the plan aims to ensure the city lives up to this title.
All of these ambitions are backed up by real plans to make Dublin’s library better, with opening hours in branches like Raheny, Pembroke, Walkinstown and Drumcondra already offering extended hours from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The addition of Sunday opening hours was a desire discovered through public consultation.
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme