Cork City Library celebrates near‑million visits and digital expansion

Almost one million people visited Cork City Library’s ten branches in 2025, equating to about 4.5 visits per resident of Cork city, according to acting city librarian Eibhlín Cassidy.

The main library on Grand Parade, which opened in 1930, now employs around 120 staff and serves as a quiet haven in the bustling city centre. Cassidy says the library is often the first stop for newcomers seeking information, English lessons or a place to sit.

Cork City Council has bought the Counting House on South Main Street and plans to relocate the library to the former Beamish & Crawford brewery site, although the move is still years away.

Balancing physical books with digital services is a key focus. The library’s digital strategy maintains core physical collections while expanding e‑services such as BorrowBox, language learning and digitised archives, and treats the online offering as a “virtual branch”.

Senior executive librarian Angela Hannon, who joined from Hollyhill Library, oversees a busy events programme that delivered 4,366 events last year to almost 65,000 attendees. The calendar, linked to festivals like Seachtain na Gaeilge and Cork World Book Festival, includes talks, music, exhibitions and workshops covering topics from local history to global justice.

Margaret O’Sullivan runs the Rory Gallagher Music Library, where over 100 donated musical instruments – from CDs and vinyl to keyboards and ukuleles – are available for loan.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Michael D Beckwith / Pexels.