| Library Name: | Dublin City Libraries |
| Location: | Dublin, Ireland |
| Num Branches: | 21 |
| Pop Served: | 527,612 |
Dublin City Libraries is the public library service for Dublin, Ireland. It is largest library authority in the Republic of Ireland, serving over half a million people[1] and around 2.6 million visits annually[2] through a network of 21 branch libraries and a number of specialist services.[3]
A free public library service in Dublin had its origins when a public meeting on 19 March 1877 prompted by the Dublin Municipal Council agreed to adopt the Public Libraries Act of 1855 and requested the Dublin City Corporation apply its terms to Dublin. On 2 October 1884 two branch libraries were opened - one in Thomas Street, the other in Capel Street. Further branches were opened including Charleville Mall Library in 1899, Kevin Street in 1904, and Pearse Street in 1909. The Pearse Street branch had a difficult start as it was closed shortly after opening because of a lack of financial support for staff or books. However, with the philanthropic support of Andrew Carnegie it reopened in 1914. These branches ran as independent libraries until the 1930s when Dublin's first Chief Librarian, Roisin Walsh was appointed in 1931 and organisational restructuring established the Dublin City Libraries as a centralised service.[4]
As of December 2023, Dublin City Libraries has 21 branches.[5]
The Pearce Street branch, now known as Dublin City Library & Archive, was extensively renovated including an extension into two adjoining late-Georgian houses. It reopened in 2003. This branch houses historic print collections including the Dublin City Archives, the Dublin and Irish Collection of books with imprints dating from the 19th century, the Dix Collection of mainly 17th and 18th century Dublin and Irish imprints, the Yeats Collection, the Children's Book Collection, imprints of publishers such as the Dun Emer and Cuala Press. and a collection of material dating from the 16th to 18th centuries with the Gilbert Collection forming the nucleus. The Dublin City Archives contains records of the civic government of Dublin from 1171 to the late 20th century including Dublin City Council and committee minutes, account books, correspondence, reports, court records, charity petitions, title deeds, maps and plans and drawings all of which document the development of Dublin over eight centuries.
The philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) funded the building of four Carnegie Libraries in the Dublin City Libraries branch network. These were:
Since 2006, Dublin City Libraries have promoted a particular book with a series of public events.[7]
| Year | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | At Swim-Two-Birds (1939) | Flann O'Brien |
| 2007 | A Long Long Way (2005) | Sebastian Barry |
| 2008 | Gulliver's Travels (1726) | Jonathan Swift |
| 2009 | Dracula (1897) | Bram Stoker |
| 2010 | The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) | Oscar Wilde |
| 2011 | Ghost Light (2010) | Joseph O'Connor |
| 2012 | Dubliners (1914) | James Joyce |
| 2013 | Strumpet City (1969) | James Plunkett |
| 2014 | If You Ever Go, poetry anthology, ed. by Pat Doran and Gerard Smyth | |
| 2015 | The Barrytown Trilogy (1987–91) | Roddy Doyle |
| 2016 | Fallen (2014) | Lia Mills |
| 2017 | Echoland (2013) | Joe Joyce |
| 2018 | The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers, ed. by Sinéad Gleeson | |
| 2019 | The Country Girls Trilogy (1960–64) | Edna O'Brien |
| 2020 | Tatty (2004) | Christine Dwyer Hickey |
| 2021 | Leonard and Hungry Paul (2019) | Rónán Hession |
The International Dublin Literary Award is administered by Dublin City Libraries.[8]
The application for designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, part of the Creative Cities Network was initiated and led by Dublin City Libraries.[9]