Dublin City Public Libraries has a wide range of services providing for and embracing the ethnic diversity of our library users.
Books and Multimedia
We have books, films, newspapers and magazines in many languages.
Children's Books
All libraries have children's picture books in different languages and some books in two languages.
Bright Books Collection
Adult fiction books in a variety of languages are held in Central Library, Cabra, Charleville Mall, Dolphin’s Barn, Finglas, Kevin Street, Marino, Pearse Street, Rathmines and Terenure.
Languages include Polish, Russian, Czech, Slovak, French, Spanish, Chinese, German and Italian.
To search our online catalogue, use the 'keyword search' and enter your language and the word “literature” e.g. Polish Literature
Rosetta List
The Rosetta Collection gathers a selection of contemporary Irish writing translated into thirty languages. It includes important donations from the Ireland Literature Exchange. It includes both household names and lesser known authors, and makes Irish writing available to a world audience in Dublin. The Central Library’s World Books collection is available to readers in all Dublin City Public Library branches and can also be accessed through the Borrowbooks website or by inter-library loan throughout the country.
To search our online catalogue, use a 'keyword search' and enter the word "Rosetta” and your language. View the Rosetta List in our catalogue.
Moldovan Books
The Moldovan Community in Ireland donated dozens of books in Moldovan to the World Books collection in the Central Library. The collection has fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. This donation makes the books available to over 5,000 Moldovans currently residing in Ireland, either by borrowing the books directly from Dublin City Public Libraries or nationwide through the Borrowbooks website and service.
View the Moldovan Collection in the library catalogue.
Bulgarian Favourite Books
The Bulgarian Embassy donated best-loved Bulgarian books to the World Books Collection in the Central Library.
Goethe Collection
A collection of contemporary German fiction books for adults and children. A list of titles can be viewed in our library catalogue. To view this list do a subject search of the catalogue using the words "Goethe Institute Collection". View the Goethe Collection in our catalogue.
All books are held in the Central Library.
Newspapers and Magazines
The Central Library has newspapers and magazines in different languages including Bunte, Corriere della Sera, Izvestia, Jeune Afrique Intelligent, Le Monde Selection Hebdomadaire, El Pais (Sunday edition). Some libraries have newspapers in French and Russian. Paris Match is available in Ballymun, Kevin Street, Pembroke and Terenure. Hola (Madrid) is available in the Central Library, Donaghmede and Rathmines. Metro Eireann is available in 14 libraries around the city.
Visit our web guide to view a list of international newspapers online.
DVDs
All libraries have DVDs which can be viewed in a variety of languages.
Language Learning
Self-learning language facilities are available in several branch libraries and in the Open Learning Centre in the Central Library. A certificate is awarded on completion of 50 hours of study. Our libraries have language courses on tape and CD that may be borrowed and dictionaries that may be used in the library.
Institute of Linguists examinations are held in the Central Library in January and May of each year.
Conversation exchanges are a way to practice speaking a language with native speakers in an informal setting.
The Central Library holds conversation exchanges in Italian, Spanish, French, German, Irish, Japanese and Russian and an English conversation session on Fridays 3.30-4.45pm- Cabra Library holds conversation exchanges in Spanish, French and Irish
- Raheny Library holds conversation exchanges in Spanish, French and Irish
- Ballymun Library holds conversation exchanges in English, Irish and Polish
Computers and the Internet
We have free broadband and wireless Internet access in all our libraries. We have Microsoft Office, Excel, Access and PowerPoint on all our computers.
The following languages are supported on library computers:
English (English, Ireland as default), Arabic (Egypt), Arabic (Saudi Arabian), Arabic (U.A.E.), Belarusian, Bosnian (Latin, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Bulgarian, Chinese (Taiwan), Chinese (PRC), Croatian, Czech, Dutch (Netherlands), Estonian, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Malay (Malaysia), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Sanskrit, Serbian (Cyrillic), Slovak, Spanish (International Sort), Spanish (Traditional Sort), Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese.
Assistive Technology
Kurzweil 3000 is available in Central Library, Pearse Street Library, Cabra Library, Ballyfermot Library and Ballymun Library. It is a computer programme that can help any one wanting to improve their English pronunciation. It scans text from any book onto the screen and then reads it out loud.
Netvibes
Netvibes is the first page you will see on our computers. Netvibes gathers together a variety of websites that you may find useful, such as job and house search, European press, mail and tool kit and much more.
Web Guide
Our Web guide groups recommended websites by subject, for example:
Events and Exhibitions
Our libraries hold many exhibitions and events. Some feature different cultures, in particular those events and exhibitions in the Central Library. Libraries actively encourage the celebration of other cultures. Examples of recent events and exhibitions include Africa Day celebrations, Estonian National Day, The Holocaust Education Trust Ireland exhibition: Fighting for Dignity, Experience Japan Week, Traveller Education Week and African Story-telling.
View a list of current events
Guide to City Centre Services
A Dublin City Directory and Map of essential services for migrants is now available from all of Dublin City branch libraries and Citizens Information Service (CIS) in O’Connell Street. The 'Find Your Way' directory is currently available in five languages – English, Polish, Chinese, Russian and French. It contains contact details of migrant organisations, community groups and information on education, employment and social welfare. Find Your Way is also available online.
View 'Find Your Way' in library catalogue