a whole new world

The CILIP Carnegie Medal and Kate Greenway Medal winners for 2013 have just been announced. The Carnegie Medal was won by Dyslexic author Sally Gardner with 'Maggot Moon' (published by Hot Key Books). In this tale, when his best friend Hector is suddenly taken away, Standish Treadwell realises that it is up to him, his grandfather and a small band of rebels to confront and defeat the ever-present oppressive forces of The Motherland.

The shortlist also included award-winning Irish author Roddy Doyle's 'A Greyhound of a Girl'. Read about the shortlist on previous blog post.

The Kate Greenway Medal was won by illustrator Levi Pinfold for only his second picture book, 'Black Dog' (published by Templar Publishing). Read more »

The Summer Reading Challenge (@SummerBuzz) for children was launched by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald in Tallaght Library on Monday, 17th June, in the presence of some 60 excited children and two bees!

Here are some photos from the launch and more besides!

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On 26 March 1789 a group of teachers, clergy, booksellers and other interested persons instituted a new society. It was the first of its kind "for raising a Fund for the Relief of distressed School Masters, School Mistresses and their families" called originally the Abecedarian Society, but later renamed the Society for the Relief of Reduced Literary Teachers. Read more »

View Adam Findlater Image Gallery.

This gallery consists of images associated with the family merchant business Alex. Findlater and Company. The gallery highlights the life of Adam Findlater, 1855-1911, as he was not only the managing director of the business but he was also an extraordinary citizen of Dublin. Originally from Scotland, Alexander Findlater came to Dublin in 1823 to begin trading in Whiskey. From the beginning of his merchant days, he was to only involve close friends and family. Subsequently, the company built a solid foundation of trust and reliability within the community and expanded its trade to a wide variety of goods. Through the generations the Findlaters contributed to politics, the military, charity, and the well-being of the city of Dublin. While one no longer sees the impressive Findlater locations of days gone by, Findlater’s remains a highly successful wine distributor. Read more »

School might soon be out, and people might be travelling (or thinking of doing so) to foreign climes on their holidays, but with our younger library visitor in particular in mind that doesn't mean your local library slackens in its efforts to please and fulfill; to the contrary, with all that is happening, you could happily spend many a happy hour or more down at your local library with all that is planned for this (hopefully) long, warm, sunny summer.

Heading up our summer programme for our younger library visitor is the all new Summer Reading Buzz! To coincide with the Reading Buzz all branch libraries around the city are hosting a variety of activities for children of all ages during the months of July and August. So check out too the whole host of summer activities planned; think music, think creative workshops, think art, think magic!

Note that all events are free but some do require advanced booking.

Don't forget, you can keep informed and up-to-date by regularly checking our Library Events page, for events for our younger and older visitors alike! 

A new website for parents called Help My Kid Learn was launched recently by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D. This simple website brings together relevant information for parents and the wider community to support children’s literacy and numeracy development.

The purpose of the website is to provide fun activities that parents can do with their children to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. It includes general information, fun activities and useful tips. Read more »