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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Portlaiose Library
Portlaoise Library will celebrate one year open on Wednesday July 17.
Since opening, the library has welcomed over 148,000 customers and issued over 90,000 items of library stock in this period.
Usage of the library has doubled since its relocation.
The library has announced it will celebrate the special day with entertainment and festivities for everyone.
The first event to kick off a day of celebrations will be a storytelling birthday party for tots. "We’ll read charming stories, sing cheerful songs, and enjoy some birthday surprises," say organisers.
The free event is suitable for children aged three and up. It will run from 12:30pm to 1 o'clock, with booking required.
At 2pm, the library will hold a family science show with 'The Mad Professor'. Suitable for children aged seven and upwards, the event promises 'explosions, eruptions and slime-making, on a journey of exploration through science!'.
"Apart from increasing our lending and browsing services, Portlaoise Library has attracted high usage from all our communities, including from local schools with over 126 class visits giving a total of 2,778 pupils visiting with their teachers and classmates," say library representatives.
Pictured: Portlaoise's state of the art library, located on Main Street.
"Adult events and educational workshops continue to be well supported with a total of 614 separate events being held in our community and meeting rooms in the new library.
The library continues to offer a host of digital services including wireless printing access, photocopying and scanning facilities, free Wifi and PC booking available in the library. There is also a huge range of online lending options for eBooks, eAudiobooks and eNewspapers with your free library membership," they finished.
Laois County Council librarian Bernie Foran told us that the last year has been 'incredible'.
"It has been an incredible year for the County Library service in Portlaoise," said Ms Foran.
"The new library in its modern premises and premium location has demonstrated the high usage and demand for library, cultural and information services in our community and we would like to thank the public for their support in the last year.
"Apart from the increase in the volume of reading material loaned, we have also seen increases in usage by schools, community groups and educational providers such as the LOETB and Climate Action groups," she said.
During exam times, the library accommodate over 80 students daily in their study spaces.
"The addition of the local history and studies service and reading room to the new library continues to draw a lot of interest and use to the library, with visitors from many other countries calling in to trace their ancestors or view our archive and photographic collections," said Ms Foran.
"To date we have hosted over 20 individual history events in the library and a total 224,775 visits to the local Studies website www.laoislocalstudies.ie".
Other weekly services that the library host are children’s storytelling, Women’s Shed meetings, knitting circle, Irish conversation group, book clubs for adults and children, regular author visits with Q&As, and innovative Climate Action talks and workshops.
Portlaoise Library was officially opened in 2023, having been announced in 2013. Located on the site of the former Shaws Department Store on Main Street, the library cost €7.5 million to build.
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