The Library service is one of several services provided by Kilkenny County Council.
Most services/facilities in the library are available to all. However in order to borrow items you must be a member.
Download Library Brochure 2009 - 2010 (503 KB PDF Document)
To become a member of the library service, you must provide identification, complete an application form and pay the appropriate fee, if required. Parents/Guardians need to sign for Children under 14 years.
Adult Waged (Full Time Employed) €15
Adult Unwaged Free
Family €25
Children Free
Adult 8 items Family 20 items Child 6 items
The standard loan period is 3 weeks. This period may be extended if the item is not requested by another borrower, either in person, by phone or on-line.
The Library carries a wide variety of different types of stock for lending: - Books - novels and factual books for adults, teenagers and children - Daily and Local newspapers - literary, - Books on tape/CD - Multi-Media collection - language courses, videos/dvds etc. - Multi-cultural - novels and factual books - Literacy Collections - Music CD's
Internet access is available in all our branches.
There is no charge for Internet use for members; the charge for non-members is €3.00 per half hour or part there of. Printouts: A4 size, black and white, 10c per copy. €1.00 for colour copies.
Children under 14 years need their Parents/Guardians permission in order to use the Internet. There are 23 PC's for Public Internet Access in Library branches.
The Library website www.kilkennylibrary.ie incorporates the Library catalogue.
Members of the public can search the catalogue and view recommended titles. Library members can also view their account details and renew and reserve items.To renew or request, you must have a pin number, which you can get from any branch.
Other programmes available on the library PCs are:Microsoft Word and Excel. The Driver Theory Test CD . Links to four International News Portals
A variety of services is available for the visually impaired such as ZoomText, Jaws Screen Reader and Kurzweil software to both scan and convert text to speech and read aloud.
- Books, tapes, CDs - Author visits - Book Clubs - Activities - Children's Bookfest, Storytelling etc.
There are dedicated Young Adult sections with appropriate books and popular chart music selections in all branches. In Loughboy and Graiguenamanagh branches there are special Teenzone area with soft seats and listening posts.Extra computers have been installed in this area in Loughboy.
There are 4 reading groups within the service at Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh, Loughboy and Urlingford Libraries. For more details see "Activities" information on home page
The Library caters for a variety of languages including Eastern, Western European, Asian and African - Books - fiction - Language courses including learning English as a foreign language - dual language Books - magazines/newspapers - French, Spanish and Polish
If an item you require is not available on the shelf in your local library, you can either:-
- Ask a member of staff for assistance -Search library catalogue online and request the item if it is in stock in any of the libraries..(Have you library number and pin number to hand.)
If the item you require is not in stock, the library may buy the requested item if appropriate. You can also request it through the national Public Library Network in Ireland at www.borrowbooks.ie
The Library provides block loans for community groups and institutions.
- Photocopying - main service points - Exhibitions and displays - Notice boards - Class visits - Book Sales (ex-stock) Website/Catalogue: www.kilkennylibrary.ie E-mail: info@kilkennylibrary.ie
The Mobile Library service makes 60 stops around the County.
Click here to download the timetable for 2008 in word:
Mobile timetable 2008
Click here to download the timetable for 2008 in pdf.:
Mobile Timetable 2008.pdf
The Schools' Library van visits 90 Primary Schools, 3 times a year for book exchanges. However at the moment (February 2010), a driver for the van is not available and the service to schools is not available. If teachers wish, they may phone and arrange a loan for their school from Library Hq. Phone Anna Byrne at 056 7794160 / 7794167.
Kilkenny County Library is dedicated to providing the people of Kilkenny with access to its rich heritage. Our aim is to provide as many sources as it is possible locally in Kilkenny, rather than having people travelling to national repositories in Dublin etc. The focus of Local Studies in recent years has shifted from an emphasis on dates, places and important figures to how local people lived, their views and beliefs and how this related to the wider world. The huge increase in people doing their own personal genealogical research is evidence of this trend. The collection contains several thousand items and includes books, periodicals, microfilms, newspapers, photographs, maps and CDs of both Kilkenny and genealogical interest
The main Local Studies collection is situated in Library Headquarters, 6 Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny.
Local Studies opening hours are: Monday-Friday: 9.00am - 1.00pm;
2.00 -5.00pm.
Telephone: 056 7794160 E-mail:localstudies@kilkennylibrary.ie
The collection can be searched on the online catalogue at www.kilkennylibrary.ie
All branches carry small ready reference collections covering their areas and some general Kilkenny-wide titles as well as small genealogical collections. Each branch also provides online access to OSI (Ordnance Survey of Ireland) Historic Maps from the period of 1837-1913.
There are comprehensive reference sections in all library branches which include: encyclopaedias, dictionaries, directories, atlases etc. These can be referred to in the library but cannot be borrowed.