Blogs

Access to Transparent Language Online will no longer be available through RBdigital. The same great language learning is now available directly at Transparent Languages Online.

Meet Libby our new way to download and read digital magazines for free.

Don't panic! Everything you need for learning languages, upskilling on computers, and online learning is still here. Our large selection of foreign language newspapers and magazines, titles include Hola, El País, Le Monde, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, Jeune Afrique, Bunte & Paris Match, are now located in the Lending section of the Central Library.Our reference books are available to borrow in the main lending section of the library. We also have a wide range of study material for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), FCE (First Certificate) & CAE (Cambridge Advanced) exams, TOEFL & TOEIC resources, as well as books on English grammar, vocabulary, English in the workplace and English writing.Learning a language has never been easier. You can learn a language on any device!“Road to IELTS” is an online resource, and free to all library members who are studying for The International English Language Testing System exam. This will provide you with over 300 activities and 30 practice tests covering all 4 areas of the IELTS exam.Online learning couldn't be more straightforward. Microsoft Imagine Academy is designed to prepare you for the future by building your expertise in today’s most popular technologies. There are over 100 downloadable learning materials to choose from. Again this is free for all members of the library.Assistive technologies are available here in the Central Library for people with visual impairment, or people whose first language is not English, indeed anyone who finds reading difficult.TTRS or Touch Type Read and Spell is an online course for both adults and children. This online course assists students to learn at their own pace at the learning hub in the library or at home.The Magic Table (or ‘Tovertafel’ in Dutch) is an award-winning innovation from the Netherlands that uses technology to help people with mid-to-late stage dementia and adults with learning disabilities. A staff member can give you a demo or alternately you could make a group-booking.If you have any queries on any of the resources above contact the Central Library on 01-8734333 or email [email protected] the library is simple as ABC. There are no fines and you can use your card in any library in Ireland. Teenagers will need the signature of a  parent or guardian when completing the membership form. Their parent or guardian will need to bring photo I.D. and proof of address. 

Our featured online resource this week is Freegal ,a free music service which offers access to about 15 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists, and over 40,000 music videos.The Freegal Music website has thousands of artists, tens of thousands of albums, and millions of songs.In total the collection is comprised of music from over 40,000 labels with music that originates in over 100 countries. There is no software to download, and there are no digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. Dublin City Public Library users have unlimited streaming and can download 5 songs per week. All you need is your library card number and PIN. Go to https://dcpl.freegalmusic.com/ or download the free App from Google Play or the Apple Store  

The e-resource featured in this week’s blog is World Book Online. A suite of three websites from the publishers of the famous World Book encyclopedias. Supplying you with accurate information at age appropriate levels in a controlled safe learning environment.From pre-primary to secondary school – from the wobblers and toddlers to tweenies –  World Book provides fast and accurate information at every level in an immersive learning environment. The information is reliable, age-appropriate, and easy to read and comprehend.·         Early World of Learning for ages 3 to 6 years: this is a resource for preschoolers and children in early primary education. Developed with experts on early childhood education, it offers rich resources designed for the younger child.(An example of a webpage on World Book Online)·         Kids for ages 7 to 11 years: this is a premier reference website developed especially for young students. It features an intuitive user interface, thousands of easy-to-read articles packed with stunning illustrations, videos, interactive maps, and a wealth of engaging games and activities.(Example of the search function on World Book Online)·         Student for ages 12 to 15 years: this contains numerous tools to engage users in 21st-century education and blended-learning practices.(Further example of the search function on World Book Online)And best of all, it’s free with your Dublin City Public Libraries membership card.See World Book Online for more details.

Whatever your area of interest, we have an online resource for you.  Today we’re going to take a look at The Great Courses Library Collection. This resource gives our library members access to an amazing world of knowledge.

“I’ve read everything written by my favourite authors, what shall I read next?”  Sound familiar? Well this online resource, now available with your library membership, will help answer that dilemma.Get book recommendations anywhere, anytime with Who Else Writes Like...?Who Else Writes Like...? is an established reference resource and reading promotion tool. It is designed to help anyone who enjoys reading fiction to expand the number of writers they read.You can browse by genre or go straight to an author of interest, check up on characters and series or the latest prize-winning writers, and follow the links to authors' websites for additional information.So click on 'Browse authors' to get started and discover a whole new world of fiction writers based on your favourite authors.How to accessSelect Log in with your library card number, then select 'Dublin City Public Libraries'. In branch libraries no login required.

This January we've added to the fantastic range of Oxford eResources on offer with your library membership. Now you can search the American National Biography online, use a range of Oxford dictionaries, and consult the Oxford Bibliographies in Victorian Literature and British and Irish Literature for free by logging in with your library card number. American National Biography onlineDiscover the lives of more than 18,000 men and women – from all eras and walks of life – who have influenced American history and culture in the acclaimed American National Biography Online (ANB).  From missionaries to musicians, social workers to statisticians, cowboys to chemists, and Vikings to astronauts, the portraits in ANB combine to reflect the rich diversity of American life from pre-colonial times to the present.“… ANB represents the benchmark for online scholarly reference tools. It is the go-to biographical reference for scholars and users at all levels … Educators will especially appreciate the handy guides and collections that will help novice students begin the research process.”  - Library JournalSubscription courtesy of Oxford University Press for 2018.Start using American National Biography Online today at: http://www.anb.org Oxford DictionariesFind thousands of translations into and out of English, and learn more about language and culture surrounding these featured languages:English and Spanish  https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/Arabic https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/arabic/German https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/german/French https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/french/   Italian https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/italian/Portuguese https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/portuguese/Russian https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/russian/Chinese https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/chinese/ Oxford BibliographiesThese guides will prove useful as a reliable and up-to-date starting point for anyone researching Victorian Literature or British and Irish Literature. Every article on Oxford Bibliographies is a respected guide to current thinking in that area, written and reviewed by experts, and with original commentary and annotations.The Victorian Literature module includes annotated bibliographies on over 100 topics including Gender, Charles Dickens, Brontë sisters, and Oscar Wilde, Race from this important era in literary history.In the British and Irish Literature module you’ll find over 100 bibliographies on writers, themes, forms and genres from early medieval to modern period. Topics range from the 1916 Rising, writings of the Irish famine, the Irish Short Story,  Arthurian Literature, Post-War Irish Drama to Postmodernism. Featured writers include Seamus Heaney, Jane Austen, John Keats, Elizabeth Bowen and Christopher Marlowe.Subscription courtesy of Oxford University Press for 2018.Oxford Bibliographies: British And Irish Literature & Victorian Literature  http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/ How to loginIn your library: In libraries you will be automatically logged in on library computers and wi-fi.Accessing anywhere: Select 'Login with a library card' then select 'Dublin City Public Libraries' when logging in outside your library. On your mobile device look out for the key symbol, image right. See Also: Check out the full list of eResources including digital magazines, eBooks, digital comics, databases and elearning courses available with your Dublin City Public Library membership. 

Good Housekeeping Magazine gives you the best recipes, health advice, beauty and fashion expertise, great ideas for your home and real life inspirational stories. In this month's issue Dame Judi Dench talks about celebrating 60 years in show business, finding love again, and stepping back into the shoes of Queen Victoria.Download Free eMagazines with RBdigital and your Dublin City Public Libraries membership!Zinio for Libraries is now RBdigitalZinio for Libraries has merged with RBdigital (July 2017).The new RBdigital app means it will be easier to discover, browse, checkout and download digital magazines on your mobile device.Download the app:  Google Play - Android | iTunes - iOS | Kindle FireChoose Country: Ireland and enter your username/email. Then select Library: LGMA and then enter your password.New user: before opening app, create an account on RBdigital magazines.Existing user: If you were already signed up with Zinio your password and username will remain the same.  Any magazines you have checked out with remain on your account but will need to re-download magazines.Download the full list of digital Magazines available (PDF, 342KB) 

Autumn is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf and try something new!Why not start learning a new language, try a university course, develop your digital skills for work and/or leisure, pick from over 400 free online courses or enrol for the Lord Mayor's Certificate in Oral History. Here are just some of the learning opportunities available at your library this Autumn.The Lord Mayor’s Certificate in Oral HistoryThe Lord Mayor’s Certificate in Oral History is offered by Dublin City Council as part of its commitment to life-long learning. The course will equip participants with skills in the preparation and conduct of oral history projects, including best practice in the collection and archiving of oral history interviews. It examines the wealth of recorded oral narrative sources in Ireland in both oral history and folklore.Classes are held on Monday evening to facilitate attendance by a broad range of people. Commencing in September 2017, the course will be taught at Pearse Street Library, Dublin 2. The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 15 September 2017.Communiversity ProgrammeCommuniversity is a programme where people can attend higher education courses in the familiar surroundings of their local library. The initiative is facilitated by Dublin City Public Libraries in conjunction with the Northside Partnership, Dublin South City Partnership, Ballyfermot Partnership and the Department of Adult and Community Education, Maynooth University. Students have completed modules in local history, politics and philosophy, economics, psychology and Chinese studies and media studies.The programme is run once a year over a number of weeks. If you are interested in attending Communiversity programme, please enquire at the following libraries: Ballyfermot, Coolock, Dolphin’s Barn and Walkinstown.Getting Citizens OnlineGetting Citizens Online is an initiative of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. This programme offers 10 hours free tuition to a complete beginner at Cabra and Coolock Libraries this November. By the end of the course, learners will know how to use the internet from setting up email, to using search engines and making calls over the internet.Other course content looks at specific government online services, social media, video, tv and radio, instructional videos on Youtube and some digital photography. The following libraries will provide this course on tablets which are very easy to use. The course is run in the mornings and afternoons.Basic internet searching will be available in other locations throughout the year. Please email [email protected] for further information.Open Learning Centre ProgrammeUpskill in languages and basic computer applications with two excellent resources available from the Open Learning Centre in the Central Library.Utalk is a language app tool widely used for improving language.With Microsoft Imagine Academy, you can access a suite of programmes such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. You can benefit from an extensive digital curriculum and certifications for fundamental technology skills as well as courses critical for success in today’s technologically evolving world.You can use the above from anywhere once you first sign up at the Open Learning Centre 01 8734333 / [email protected] Class: eResourceUniversal Class offers a unique online education experience. There are over 400 courses available on a diverse range of subjects. Learn to create a website, plan on writing a novel, overcome your fear of maths or touch up some old photos. You will never be bored with Universal Class. There is something here for everyone.The courses involve real instructors to guide your learning and video-based lessons. Register using your Dublin City Library membership card barcode number. Register atwww.LGMA.universalclass.com/register.htmlYou can learn in your own time, at your own pace.Mango Languages: eResourceMango Languages is an online resource that teaches real conversations in over 70 foreign languages. Use your library membership card barcode number to register and create a username and password. You can use Mango on your phone or tablet by downloading the Mango Languages App from Google Play - Android | iTunes - iOS. Please note that once registered for Mango, you will need to follow the link from our website whenever you wish to login and use the service (i.e. bookmarking the Mango page will not suffice).Happy learning!