Not a tall tale as library wins all-Ireland title
Mullingar Library has won an all-Ireland title as recognition for the work the staff there do as well as its My Open Library Service and its Library of Sanctuary status.
The title is Library of the Year for the Island of Ireland, in the British Book Awards 2025.
It is a newly introduced award that celebrates libraries that excel in engaging readers and implementing initiatives that deeply benefit their communities, say the organisers.
It recognises Mullingar Library for its inclusive space, its opening hours through the My Open Library Service and its Library of Sanctuary status. In particular, it is celebrated for its staff-led ‘All Star Book Club’ for adults with Down Syndrome.
Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Paula O’Dornan, senior executive librarian, Westmeath Libraries, said she is “delighted to have recognition of the work that the staff in Mullingar Library have done over the last year, in particular developing increased services to the public”.
She said the judges particularly picked out the ‘All Star Book Club’, a staff project led by Colm Muldoon, branch librarian.
“It’s a book club for adults with Down Syndrome; we meet once a month for about an hour, and there are about 10 participants,” said Colm. “It was a project set up initially with Down Syndrome Ireland, their adult education officer almost three years ago, and it’s gone from strength to strength – we’ve been asked to speak about it nationally – it’s used as an example of best practice, so I think that was picked up by the judges.”
Colm said the suggestion for the project came from local members of Down Syndrome Ireland, who approached the library, and they worked in partnership to get it going.
He said it’s more often the case that the library will approach different groups with suggestions, and in this case that the opposite happened shows the level of engagement. “Actually, participants of the group were involved in training us in how they’d like the group to be led, so they were involved in the set-up; we met with them and they told us what they’d like from it.
“We’re lucky in Mullingar, because they all decide to read the same book. Other book clubs in Ireland, members read different books and come in and talk about them, whereas here there are lively discussions about the one text, so they’re an engaged group.”
Colm says the book club is his favourite time of the month.
Ms O’Dornan added that the other thing their award reflects is that this year Mullingar was awarded Library of Sanctuary status: “That was putting together a portfolio of activities, ranging from how we’ve developed the service, including things like the sensory room, to including the book club for the All Stars, to every Friday we have parent and toddler story time, which is followed by a breastfeeding support.
“We will always support there being books in libraries, and we’ve just had Ireland Reads Day and World Book Day, and we’re looking forward to Spring into Story time, so books are at the heart of us, but there’s so much more, for example, Seachtain na Gaeilge. We’re trying to reinforce how inclusive, how welcoming the library space is – that you don’t come in for judgment, you come in to enjoy it, and that the staff have put an awful lot of work into making that happen.
“So it’s important for this sort of award to recognise what we’re doing, because sometimes you go along, thinking ‘this is our bread and butter, it’s nothing special’, but actually, when you take a look at it, it is something special.”
• The British Book Awards, also known as the Nibbies, have been celebrating achievements in the book industry for more than 30 years. The introduction of the Library of the Year award, sponsored by publisher DK and run in association with The Reading Agency, underscores the role libraries play in fostering literacy and community engagement. As regional winners, the Mullingar staff now wait for the overall winner to be revealed at The British Book Awards ceremony on May 12.