Clare County Library announce new app and festive fun

CLARE County Library have plenty to keep book lovers ‘appy’ this December. The library service has announced the development of an app to enhance visits to the library.
You will soon be able to check in and check out your own books in the county’s Wi-Fi-enabled libraries, at De Valera Library, Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush, Scariff, Sixmilebridge, Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay.
The app will also be able to check your own account, update your loans, search the catalogue, reserve books and e-resources. The Clare County Library app is free and available on the App Store and the Google Store.
That’s not the only technological advancement being progressed by Clare County Library services. Dormant Account Funding grant aid is to be utilised to provide literacy software to Clare schools. Library staff have contacted over 100 primary schools in the county in the past number of weeks to offer Touch-type, Read and Spell (TTRS) licences to students. So far, Clare schools have requested 365 licences for their students. Library staff have also contacted adult education providers and a number of licences will be issued for adults engaged in learning this month. Library staff are also providing training for teachers and administrators on how to use the software.
Clare County Library has announced an enhanced range of activities during December to facilitate access to Library services and to celebrate the festive season. Looking for gift ideas? Or something to read yourself over the Christmas holidays? Library staff have been busy doing the work for you. Staff have read, reviewed and recommended books published in 2020, including Irish-published and international fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.
You can now order your library books online and there is also a range of e-books and e-audiobooks to choose from. Check out ‘Best Books of 2020’ on the Clare County Library website.
“Every Christmas Eve, Icelandic people practise a tradition called ‘Jolabokaflod’, which translates as ‘Christmas book flood’. Jolabokaflod involves the giving of books as presents, so that friends and family can curl up with a good story on cosy nights in. We have exported and imported many Christmas traditions over the years, and this is one that librarians would recommend: the Icelandic Jolabokaflod,” said a spokesperson for the library service.
Clare County Library is offering a range of family events in December to promote the importance of reading at home. This programme of events is provided by children’s writers, local artists and library staff.
Activities include storytime with author Mary Murphy, art workshops for schools with Natasha Mac a Bháird and Audrey Dowling, and crafts with library staff. A popular offering is library staff’s ‘Favourite Childhood Books’, where library staff pick their favourite childhood reads. There is something here for everyone from the very, very young to the young at heart.
Clare County Library has supported a number of book clubs in many of the libraries. The Library has also provided book club sets to book clubs. Over the past number of months, a number of branches have been offering online book clubs. Again, it gives the opportunity for people to ‘meet’ and link up with other book lovers.
One exciting upcoming book club event is with Scariff Library. The group there will be reading Charlotte by Helen Moffett in a new online book club on Tuesday, December, at 11am. Helen Moffett, the author, will also be making an appearance on the day. Check out https://www.helenmoffett.com/about for further information on the author.
It is a real treat of a book, a sequel to Pride and Prejudice. It is also available on Borrowbox as an e-book or e-audiobook. Scariff Library, similar to our other branches, is now open for those preferring a library visit in order to browse and select for yourself, if you prefer. For further information or to book the event, contact Scariff Library on 061-922893 or email scariff_library@clarecoco.ie
For more information on all Clare County Library services, visit www.clarelibrary.ie