Libraries NI (Northern Ireland)

Highlights

Highlight tile showing a snowman and a puppy with a message Merry Christmas from Everyone at Libraries NI. Link to Latest service Updates

*Christmas Holiday Closure Info* Note: customers can borrow up to 18 books (increased borrowing until 1 January). Read full details

Highlight tile which is a picture of Santa Claus. Link to Christmas Events

Celebrate the magic of the season with festive storytimes, crafts and family events! View timetable

Highlight tile with the following text: Learn At Lunch

Learn @ Lunch online, starting in November on the "First Principles of Screenwriting". More info

Features

Feature tile for Knit and Natter. Link to events list page

Join us for friendly Knit and Natter sessions - perfect for all skill levels! Relax, chat and create together. View events

Feature tile Author Niall Williams who is guest on Bookcited podcast from Libraries NI

Bookcited! Podcast will welcome guest author Niall Williams on 5 December. Listen to episodes here

Feature tile which is a photo of a student studying in the library in the evening

Studying for Christmas exams then check out what libraries have to offer you! View services for students

Feature tile which is a photo of a library at night. Link to Libraries page

Late night opening at your local library - call in and brighten your evening! View opening times

Storytime events in libraries [Feature tile 2]

Storytime events; join us for free! Sessions spark imagination and a love of reading! View events

Feature tile showing the e-Mag of the Week which is the Homestyle Christmas Special. Link to download the e-Magazine

eMag of the Week is Homestyle Christmas Special. Borrow now for free

Book Recommendations

Staff Picks, favourites and reviews!

Time Of The Child by Niall Williams

Set in the small Irish village of Faha during the winter of 1962, the story follows Doctor Jack Troy, a widowed physician nearing seventy, and his devoted daughter Ronnie, who has sacrificed much to care for him. Their quiet, predictable lives are disrupted when Jude Quinlan, a local boy, discovers an abandoned baby outside the parish church during the Christmas fair. Jack revives the child and, with Ronnie, begins caring for it in secret, fearing the judgment of their conservative…

Ripeness by Sarah Moss

Ripeness is a reflective, character-driven novel that explores themes of aging, mortality, and the search for meaning in later life. The story follows Anna, a woman in her sixties who has recently retired and is grappling with the unsettling freedom of time. She spends a summer in rural France, where the slow rhythms of nature contrast with her inner turbulence. As Anna navigates her solitude, she contemplates her past choices, strained family relationships, and the inevitability of decline. The novel…