From 1 May 2024, BorrowBox will offer library members access to newspapers and magazines as well as eBooks and audiobooks. The Libby and PressReader services will no longer be available to library members.
Three book recommendations from our colleagues that may whet the appetite in these strange days. Grapple with James Joyce, or dip in and out. I'm doing that! What have you got to lose? A ghost story that is good any time of the year. Sure some of us are having Jaffa Cakes for breakfast. And a novel that teaches us about the importance of human relationships. We all understand that now with social distancing and lockdown. Just some ideas to be getting on with. All you need is your Dublin City Library card and PIN and off you go...Miss walking through the streets of Dublin? Our colleague Eileen from Dolphin’s Barn Library asks: why not try Ulysses?I was reminded of it when Stephen King recently tweeted “Well, I finally got around to ULYSSES, the James Joyce joint”. So… before you roll your eyes and reach for the reins of your literary high horse, King can write, loves libraries and dogs, and is sceptical about the current federal power. Back to Ulysses, King’s description is probably the most accurate: if you know the streets of Dublin, you will feel very at home with this book; and if you’re Irish, you will completely relate to the lingo in the dialogue. I read it in my late twenties, I didn’t “get” all of it back then but when I’d finished, I felt like getting a t-shirt printed saying “I’ve read Ulysses”, like people who get t-shirts printed listing all the marathons they’ve run. Look, you’ve got the time. It will be like taking a walk through Dublin (which you can’t do at the moment!). You might not finish it or understand all of it, but at least you will have tried. And in the words of the great Samuel Beckett (another sometimes hard to “get” Irish writer): “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Enjoy!How Fear Departed From the Long GalleryThis short ghost story by E.F. Benson is a little gem and comes recommended by our colleague Lucy in Rathmines Library. It’s a Christmas tale and so not exactly seasonal, but it’s one than can be appreciated any time of the year. It begins bright and funny, but then changes tone. It is poignant with a confident use of language to describe the different reactions of the Peveril family to the ghosts. Benson can be severe on his characters if they digress. His tone is cool but he really makes you care and wonder how you would have measured up had you been one of his characters. E. F. Benson was the writer of the Mapp and Lucia series.In Search of Silence“What seems to be coming at you is really coming from you” – Rabindranath Tagore; India’s first Nobel laureate. This quote is taken from this book and neatly summarises the kernel of it. Bringing the reader on an inward and outward journey, the author reflects on and processes her life before and after the death of her husband by suicide. In a thought-provoking, poetic and witty manner, she deals with issues such as grief, mental health, identity, living alone, womanhood, ancestral heritage and beliefs. Describing her travels to places off the beaten track in India, Nepal and New Zealand, her journalistic eye is apparent with the close attention to detail given. This same attention, with the findings of various sociological studies also discussed, is simultaneously turned on her inner landscape as she finds her way back to “the fire inside” for love and living. In its essence, this book is a meditation on the significance of the relationship with both oneself and others.It come highly recommended by our colleague Mairead from the relief staff panel.Watch our how to video on Borrowbox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
BorrowBox has a great range of all kinds of different eBooks and eAudiobooks. Jessica from Cabra library is going to be picking out some poetry for us to listen to. All you need to access BorrowBox is your library card and PIN. There is no better way to experience poetry and the power of language and words than hearing it spoken aloud.Here are some of her favourite poetry eAudiobooks:From Shakespeare, with Love, The best of the sonnets by William Shakespeare, Read by David Tennant and Juliet Stevenson.She is Fierce Brave, bold and beautiful poems by women, Collected, by Ana Sampson Read by Adjoa Andoh.Gerard Manley Hopkins (Selected Poems) by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Read by Jeremy Northam.Emily Dickinson (Selected Poems) by Emily Dickinson. Read by Teresa Gallagher.Or perhaps you prefer to consume poetry on your own terms, with your eyes rather than your ears? There are plenty of fabulous collections, anthologies and histories to browse and borrow. Warning: You may find yourself whispering/chanting the words of something that particularly catches your eye or takes your fancy! Here is just a small selection of some of the eBooks available to borrow:Dancing By The Light of The Moon, over 250 poems to read, relish and recite, by Gyles Brandreth.Poetry for Millennials, A collection of wise and wonderful words for every #Millennial Problem, Edited by Tamsin King.Dog Poems by the world’s greatest poets.She Must Be Mad by Charly Cox.BorrowboxAccess eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. Watch our how to video on Borrowbox. Members of other library authorities will need to log in using a different link.
Lost in the stacks online: Short fiction, essays and articles
Welcome to the twelfth entry of our blog series 'Lost in the Stacks' - with recommendations by Dublin City Libraries staff. Submitted by Jessica in Cabra Library. An unexpected problem: what to read when reading a whole book suddenly seems too difficult and exhausting to even consider? Books aren’t really happening for me at the moment – a problem of both focus (lack of) and attention span (nonexistent). I find myself endlessly scrolling on my phone, half an eye on the TV. I am mired in ongoing group chats, family chats and the insidious addictive nature of clicking in and out of news websites for constant updates.RBdigitalWhat I can read, once I’ve made the conscious decision to let go of social media for half an hour, is essays, interviews and short fiction. I have a sudden thirst for other people’s real lived experiences, in easily digestible chunks, but with a sharp crisp bite. With this in mind, here are some recommendations from magazines and journals available through the RB Digital with Dublin City Libraries. You just need your library card number and PIN to access RB Digital, browse magazines (both current and back issues) on your phone, tablet or laptop and check them out to your online account.I have selected a few stories, essays and articles that caught my eye but there is a happy serendipity too in browsing through back issues and dipping in and out of what catches your fancy. What I have found also, is that one story/article leads on to the next in an organic way, so before you know it you’ve spent an hour or so in a separate mental place than previously. With most of us unable to physically travel far from our own homes at the moment, a mental break from the space we inhabit can be liberating and refreshing.The Paris ReviewThe Paris Review is a quarterly literary magazine that features short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and interviews with writers and artists. You are guaranteed to find something interesting, unusual or unexpected.• The Paris Review, Issue 232, Spring 2020Interview with Rachel Cusk, The Art of Fiction No 246, pg. 30• The Paris Review, Issue 231, Winter 2019Fiction by Emma Cline, The Nanny, pg. 15• The Paris Review, Issue 230, Fall 2019Fiction by Matthew Baker, Why Visit America, pg. 209• The Paris Review, Issue 217, Summer 2016Portfolio: Charlotte Strick and Leanne Shapton, Swimming Lessons, pg. 84• The Paris Review, Issue 214, Fall 2015Fiction by Ottessa Moshfegh, Dancing in the Moonlight, pg. 15THE NEW YORKERThe New Yorker is a weekly magazine that publishes reviews, in-depth journalism, essays, news analysis and short fiction. It is always a joy to read, sometimes with the most fortuitous find, and if you have the time for extended browsing it can be fun to read the restaurant and theatre reviews to see what the hip New Yorkers are up to.• The New Yorker, March 16, 2020Annals of Technology – John Seabrook, Adversarial Man; Could what you wear elude surveillance?, pg. 44• The New Yorker, March 2, 2020Personal History - David Sedaris, Unbuttoned; Conversations between father and son, pg. 26• The New Yorker, January 20, 2020Annals of Nature – Alex Ross, The Bristlecones Speak; Learning from the world’s oldest trees, pg. 44• The New Yorker, August 5 & 12, 2019Fiction – Elizabeth Strout, “Motherless Child”, pg. 56Register for RB Digital magazines or via the Rbdigital app: Google Play - Android | iTunes - iOS | Kindle FireWatch our how to video for more information.
Time to unravel - online knitting and crochet resources
Take a moment to have a look at all our great online knitting and crochet resources. Delve in for concise tutorials, how-to guides from experts and designers, and beautiful patterns for clothes, toys and accessories. You’ll find projects suitable for people of all ages and abilities, from knit novices to old hands. Our library e-resources are full of options to get you started, and best of all, they’re free. Submitted by Betty from Cabra Library. Betty has a number of crochet projects on the go, and is currently reading ‘Why Women Read Fiction’ by Helen Taylor.Our library e-resources are full of options to get you started, and best of all, they’re free..Universal ClassIf you want to learn how to knit, then Universal Class has just the course for you. Knitting 101: This course is designed to teach beginners the basics of knitting but it is also useful to those knitters that might need a refresher class. Eleven lessons provide history, discussion of the tools, how to read and understand patterns and color charts, and of course how to start knitting. This course will finish up with some simple knitting projects to practice and complete; access Universal Class online, register with your library card number and email address..PressReader.For a wonder selection of knitting and crochet magazines, check out Press Reader.• Simply Crochet• Simply Knitting• The Knitter• Crochet!• Creative Knitting• Crochet gifts for all occasionsRegister for Press Reader, select Categories, and then Crafts & Hobbies.RBdigitalFor even more magazines with all the patterns, hints, tips and expert guidance that you could want, check out the following titles from RB Digital.• Knitting & Crochet• The Knitter - Lace Collection• Knitscene• 150 Thrifty Knits• Interweave Crochet• 50 Baby KnitsRegister for RB Digital magazines. Watch our how to video here.BorrowboxAnd last but not least, BorrowBox has some great titles for you as well. Just place a reserve on the titles you want, and you’ll get a notification when it’s ready for you to borrow.• Ultimate Crochet Bible• Ultimate Knitting Bible• Beginner’s Guide to Colorwork Knitting• Designer Knit Home• Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast and Fun Projects Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. Watch our how to video on Borrowbox. Members of other library authorities will need to log in using a different link.Happy knitting!!!
If you like a good detective story and are a fan of books like the Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens check these titles out, recommended for you by our colleague Veronica. Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime and mystery fiction in which an investigator (often a detective), either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder. The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine DoyleWhen Fionn and his sister Tara are sent to the island of Arranmore to stay with their grandfather for the summer, Fionn discovers that the island is not quite what he expected. It is full of magic but there is also an evil lurking beneath the surface. Fionn must unravel the mysteries of the past and discover what secret Arranmore is hiding in order to fulfil his destiny.By the same author:The Lost Tide Warriors A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan. Violet moves to the town of Perfect with her parents. She soon realises that something isn’t right with the town as everyone in Perfect has gone blind and they can only see if they wear rose-tinted glasses. Strange things start happening around her and suddenly there is more at stake when her father goes missing.By the same author:The Trouble with PerfectThe Battle for PerfectThe Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher. Orphan Seren is sent to live in Wales with her Godfather and his family. On her journey there she receives a mysterious package from a stranger. When she arrives in her new home she finds herself left alone in a mansion with secretive servants who won’t give her any information about the location of the family, and her only real companion is a talking clockwork crow. She must solve the mysteries surrounding her new life.Kat Wolfe Investigates by Lauren St. John Twelve year old Kat starts a pet-sitting business, but after the mysterious disappearance of her very first customer Kat has to take matters into her own hands. It is up to Kat and her friend Harper to unravel the mystery as the local police chief doesn’t believe them when they report the disappearance. A great book for anyone who likes detectives and animals.By the same author:Kat Wolfe Takes the CaseWatch our how-to video on Borrowbox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
Borrowbox recommendation: A Life Less Throwaway by Tara Button
Our colleague Mairead recommends A life less throwaway by Tara Button. In this easily digestable book, the author puts forth a clear and well-researched argument for living a simpler/less cluttered, and thereby more meaningful life.Drawing from a decade’s experience of working in the advertising industry, she provides first-hand accounts and statistics which support the views presented. Moving from the individual to wider society, she outlines the economic and psychological benefits of consuming less and focusing on a deeper sense of worth and value.With practical exercises and tips included, as well as information about independent consumer guides and the BuyMeOnce #makeitlast campaign, this book is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to get off the highly consumerist treadmill on which we live. It’s available both to read and to listen to on BorrowBox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
Borrowbox recommendation: Eeny Meeny by M. J. Arlidge
In Eeny Meeny, the debut novel by M. J. Arlidge, he brings us quite a unique and unconventional detective. Helen Grace is a strong female character who is likeable but is also very human and has her own demons to deal with.The theme of the book is the classic tale of a detective trying to catch a serial killer, but Arlidge has done this in a very interesting and thought provoking way. Two victims are abducted and imprisoned. They discover that in order to escape they are faced with the ultimate choice: die together, kill or sacrifice yourself so the other can live. Is the lucky one the survivor?Our colleague Linda says that this book is superb, especially if you like fast-paced page turners, it's well written with no unnecessary details to distract from the storyline.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
If you have an 8-11 year old looking for something to read, here are some fantastic new additions to Borrowbox. Even if you don’t have an 8-11 year old, our colleague Sarah would still recommend anyone to take a look. There are some cracking e-books that have recently been added to the app.The Dollmaker of Krakow by R. M. Romero. One night a little doll named Karolina comes to life in a toyshop in Krakow, Poland, in 1939 and changes the life of the gruff, broken-hearted Dollmaker. “The human children who had owned them were kind to dolls at first, but eventually, the children grew up, leaving their once-beloved playmates to gather dust and mildew in attics and beneath beds. When their wood and cloth and porcelain could sustain their souls no longer, they went back to the Land of the Dolls.”This is a wonderful story that blends both the magic of a Grimm’s fairytale and the realism of the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II.The Warden’s Daughter by Jerry Spinelli. From Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Stargirl) comes the knockout story of a girl who must come to terms with her mother's death from inside the walls of a prison. “How do you be a child to a mother you never knew? For twelve years my father had been enough. Family photos and a yellowing newspaper story had been enough. Sure, from the time I’d first heard the story, I’d thought about my mother. Anne O’Reilly. The lady who saved me from the milk truck. I cried for her. For myself. Sometimes. And that was it. That’s how the world was. Other kids had mothers. Cammie O’Reilly didn’t. End of story. Now, in the weeks after Mother’s Day, something was changing. Enough was no longer enough. Dormant feelings stirred by a smile at a ballpark moved and shifted until they shaped a thought: I was sick and tired of being motherless. I wanted one. And a second thought: If I couldn’t have my first-string mother, I’d bring one in off the bench. But who?”This book by the author of “Stargirl” is funny and poignant. The perfect book to read while in isolation as you won’t be able to put it down. I know I couldn’t.The Song from Somewhere Else by A.F. Harrold. Frank doesn't know how to feel when Nick Underbridge rescues her from bullies one afternoon. No one likes Nick. He's big, he's weird and he smells – or so everyone in Frank's class thinks.“The inside of the house wasn’t what Frank had expected. Nick’s school jumpers always had food on them and his shirts weren’t always washed as often as everyone else’s. He certainly never brushed his hair. And everyone knew he smelt, probably had fleas. But the house didn’t seem to be like that. For a start the hallway was clean and bright. The walls were white, and big colourful abstract pictures hung on them. More pictures were stacked against the wall as if they were waiting to find homes. There were no carpets, but the floorboards were painted white and made it feel like you were on holiday. It was calm, quiet. Underneath the clumping of their shoes on the floorboards was a quiet quite unlike any she’d ever heard at home. Her brother would always cry in the middle of a silence, or her dad would turn the radio on in the kitchen and let old, boring pop music fill the house. The only thing, the only odd thing, she thought, was the smell. It was something like a forest. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it didn’t smell like indoors.”The popular children’s author brings us a book that will make you think. And reminds us to never judge a book by its cover!! It’s also fantastically illustrated by Levi Pinfold.The Young Rebels by Morgan Llywelyn. His pupils are inspired by his vision of freedom and an Irish Republic, and John Joe and his friend Roger see the Easter Rising as their chance to fight for Ireland's freedom. But the two boys are horrified to learn that they are too young to take part. They disobey orders to stay away from the city centre and quickly become caught up in the dramatic events of the Rebellion. Called to be brave and resourceful beyond their years, they witness events that change their lives forever. Another dramatic blend of history and fiction from the inimitable Morgan Llywelyn.“I hate the Irish language, it’s the language of poverty. Unfortunately it’s one thing we have no choice about. I wonder if my father realised this is a bilingual school? If he knew he might not make me stay here. He shares the government’s contempt for everything Irish. The attitude is: everything that’s English or from England is noble and fine. Anything that’s Irish – meaning native to this country – is dirty and stupid. Why would anyone go to all the trouble to create a school like St Enda’s for boys who are dirty and stupid?My first weekend at St Enda’s will be hard. I know I’ll feel lonelier than ever. The day pupils will go home and only a few of us will be left here. There used to be more boarders but some of them have dropped out. The Head and the other teachers support a political movement which is not popular with everyone. Irish nationalism.I don’t see why a school should be involved in politics. Politics is as boring as history, which I hate. Neither has anything to do with me.While my classmates and I are on our way to the refectory, I say in a rather loud voice, ‘Studying things that happened donkey’s years ago is as stupid as studying a language nobody uses anymore.’We return from our collation to find the Head in our classroom, writing on the blackboard. He puts down the chalk, gives me a long look, and leaves the room. On the blackboard is written, ‘The Irish language is your special birthright. It is a secret code that belongs only to you.’ I never had a secret code before.”This is a fantastic book for anyone, young or old, who loves history. It is set in Padraig Pearse’s school, St. Enda’s and in the book, Pearse is not an historical figure who died over 100 years ago; he’s a living person. A book about what it’s like to live through an experience that entire history books of the future will be written about –something everyone in 2020 can relate to!Watch our how-to video on Borrowbox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
Some more recommended reads on BorrowBox, this time from our colleague Brian.Common literary examples of nonfiction include expository, argumentative, functional, and opinion pieces; essays on art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic writings (including electronic ones).The titles listed below are available on BorrowBox; see more on how to access BorrowBox at the bottom of this post.Limmy: Surprisingly Down To Earth and Very Funny. This autobiography from Scottish comedian Brian Limond (aka Limmy) is an extremely candid, hilarious look at his life, dealing with his adolescence in working class Glasgow, along with issues such as mental health, drug use, initial success and the peaks and troughs of life as a comedian. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. Part memoir, part training log, celebrated writer Haruki Murukami documents his training for the 2005 New York City Marathon, while reminiscing on his memories of writing and athletics.What I loved about this book is how Murukami successfully interconnects both the worlds of writing and athletics and vividly evokes the feelings and experiences that both these world can bring to us. David Bowie: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Melville House/David Bowie. This collection of interviews with David Bowie (including his last) discusses everything from the creative process, and musical influences, to his spirituality, drug use and sexuality. The book gives frank and personal insights into how Bowie changed creatively and personally over a five-decade period. If you’re a huge Bowie fan, like me, or just have a passing interest, this is an essential read.Accessing BorrowBoxWatch our how-to video on Borrowbox. Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.
Our colleague Anne-Marie has some reading recommendations for you on the Irish War of Independence.The War of Independende was fought by the Irish Republican Army against the British forces between 1919 and 1921 when the fighting stopped while a peace treaty was worked out.The titles listed below are available on BorrowBox; see more on how to access BorrowBox at the bottom of this post.The Irish War of Independence by Michael HopkinsonHopkinson’s book on the Irish War of Independence is a concise and detailed account of the period. He offers an excellent breakdown of the conflict, including an analysis of how the war began and he provides an essential insight into the last years of the British administration in Ireland. He traces the development of the IRA guerrilla campaign in the country including an overview of the intelligence war conducted by Collins and how this penetrated the heart of Dublin Castle and civil service in Ireland. Hopkinson documents the activity of the IRA in the most active counties during the war and he complements this with the added international dimension, including the support provided through American sympathisers of the Republican movement.Overall this book provides an excellent and valuable account of the War of Independence in Ireland.The Irish Civil War: Law, Execution and Atrocity by Seán EnrightSean Enright’s account of law and execution during the civil war shines a new light on this dark period of Irish History. The author draws on military and legal documents to provide an excellent overview of individual cases of robbery, murder and gun possession. Most chapters are short but compact as Enright effectively conveys the chaos of civil war and how the new Irish administration dealt severely with those who continued to pose an armed threat to the nascent state.Enright covers the various military trials and exposes how the rule of law was often subverted by those who were responsible for upholding it. Some executions occurred without any trial at all and the author’s storytelling abilities provide a compelling read in this welcome addition to Irish Civil War historiography.Ireland’s War of Independence 1919-21 The IRA’s Guerrilla Campaign by Lorcan CollinsLorcan Collins’ overview of the Irish War of Independence details all the major events of the period from the beginning of the guerrilla campaign to the various ambushes and counter measures imposed by the British on Ireland during these years. The author captures some of the lesser known events of this period, such as a fireman who helped Republicans during the burning of the Customs House and the prison escapes that occurred often throughout the war.Collins’ book is an accessible account of the period and is a must read for those seeking a good overview of the Irish revolution.Prisoners of War Ballykinlar Internment Camp 1920-1921 by Liam O’ DuibhirIn this book, O’Dubhir traces the life of internees at Ballykinlar Camp from its opening at the height of the War of Independence December 1920 to the releases in 1921. Each chapter provides specific details of the internment experience, ranging from the monotony of camp life to the various activities undertaken by internees in an attempt to occupy their time. The author provides a detailed account of sporting events, art and drama activities and educational classes that occurred during the final year of the conflict. O’Duibhir also relates the internal strife within the camp including cases of ill treatment and the various escape attempts organised from within the camp by the prisoners.This book is a well-rounded account of internment in these troubling times.Accessing BorrowBoxWatch our how-to video on Borrowbox. Check out details of how to access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.