Schools and Teachers

Class visits

We welcome classes to visit their local library and choose their own books to borrow. Your local librarian can provide teachers with membership forms in advance and will give a library tour on the first class visit.

Education Card

All teachers in the Dublin City area are eligible to open a library account called a 'Education Card'. This enables you to borrow 40 items from your local library for a period of 90 days. To obtain a card, please present proof of address (a current utility bill, etc.) and a letter from your school principal on headed paper stating that you are currently employed there. It's a great source of additional books for the classroom, to sample a new reading series, or supplement a classroom library.

You may collect the books from the branch library of your choice.

Class Novels

We have classroom novels to support your school's programme. The collection covers a wide variety of genres and age groups, and can be borrowed by primary and secondary school teachers based in Dublin. The sets are of varying sizes, from ten to thirty copies, some suitable for pre school and primary school classes, some for smaller secondary school groups. Teachers can borrow a set of novels for a period of 90 days.  *The recommended reading age is advisory only, many titles may suit slightly younger or older age groups than the one given. Download the full collection of class novels. (PDF)

When requesting a set of class novels, please pick more than one title, as your first preference may already be out on loan. Contact your local library branch here to make a request.

Events for Schools

From author visits to STEM workshops, we host free events for school classes during the school year. Please contact local library to register your interest.  
We also run children's events during Seachtain na Gaeilge and Science Week and host regular events including book clubs. See all current library events.

Sign up to our newsletter to find out about library events.

Right to Read is a national programme to promote literacy and reading development for people of all ages and backgrounds. It currently includes four national programmes designed to promote children's reading and literacy.

• Spring Into Storytime
• Summer Stars
• Children's Book Festival
• Family Time at Your Library

Online Resources

eBooks and eAudiobooks

BorrowBox, TumbleBook, TeenBookCloud, Era Books Online, Who Next...? A guide to children's authors

Comic Books and Graphic Novels

See: Comics Plus, TeenBookCloud

Dictionaries

See: Dictionary of Irish Biography, Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland

Encyclopedias

See: World Book Online, Oxford Reference, Oxford Research, Oxford Art Online, Encyclopaedia Britannica

Language Learning

LOTE4Kids allows children to enjoy the magic of books in World Languages from the comfort of home. Each book is provided with an English translation to help develop multilingual reading and listening skills.

Read more about eResources for children.

Help with reading and accessibility tools 

Era Books Online 
Books, games and activities for children to improve their reading, writing and comprehension skills. This resource gives access to hundreds of educational books, exercises and learning guides to support the development of English literacy for children.

Lexia Core 5 and Lexia PowerUp  
Dublin City Libraries recently acquired licences for Lexia Core 5 (for junior infants – 5th class) and Lexia PowerUp (for 6th class – 6th year). They are adaptive blended learning programmes that accelerates the development of literacy skills for students of all abilities. The licences have been allocated to primary and secondary schools in the Dublin City Council area. Schools who are interested can contact [email protected]  

TTRS (Touch-type, Read, Spell) is a multisensory, structured, online course which assists adults and children to learn reading, typing and spelling at their own pace. As well as developing typing skills, TTRS is designed to benefit students of all ages who experience spelling, reading or writing difficulties. You can learn in the library or at home. 

To register for TTRS please email: [email protected], [email protected], 

[email protected], or [email protected] with your name and library card number.

Sensory Services: This resource collection has been developed to offer support to children with additional sensory needs, making libraries more accessible and welcoming for them. The collection includes Sensory Cubbies, Tovertafel (magic-table) and sensory boxes and sensory hours. 

The Sensory Cubbies in Cabra, Coolock, Central and Walkinstown Library and the sensory box items were provided by national sensory funding and Dormant Account Funding by The Department of Rural and Community Development.  

The C-Pen is now available to borrow from five of our branches. People with dyslexia, aphasia or other reading difficulties, people learning a new language or with a visual impairment may find these pens useful for home, study or work. The pen reads text aloud with a natural speaking voice.  

The Fact Factory is a magazine with assistive technology that aims to benefit visually impaired children, children with dyslexia and those who are finding learning to read challenging (aged 7 – 11).

Children's books on feelings and emotions

We provide books for children that deal with a range of social and personal issues. These books act as soft introductions to complex issues and are written in a way that young children can understand easily. The books initiate social awareness for children and allow them to understand themselves, others, and the world around them. Ask at your local library.

Topics covered:

• Dealing with feelings and emotions
• Choosing to do the right thing in different social situation
• Overcoming fears and anxieties
• How to make friends and interact with other people
• Behavioural books
• First Look series; at different life events and social issues
• New experiences and how your child can deal with them

Get Creative

More than 100 instruments free for teens to borrow at the Dublin City Libraries!

The Creative Studio in Ballyfermot Library is a free to use digital maker space facilitating the creation of music recordings, podcasts, videos, digital stories and oral histories. And more besides. At the centre of this space are two recording booths providing library patrons with access to a variety of audio and video recording equipment and software.

The Makerspace in Coolock Library offers the opportunity to create things (either physical or virtual) using resources such as computers, audio and video capture and editing tools, laser and vinyl cutters, soldering guns, coding, robotics, 3-D printers as well as traditional crafts supplies such as sewing machines, Lego and art materials. Makerspaces connect people with tools, technology, and social connections that they might not otherwise have access to. The goal is to allow everyone to learn through direct experimentation and from each other, while inspiring an interest in science, technology, design, and lifelong learning.

Learning and Studying

You are welcome to use the designated study and reading spaces in all of our libraries.

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