Library Service
Visits to Cork City Libraries continue to increase each month since our reopening to allow the public inside on June 19. The increase of services in August to include study spaces and access to public PCs resulted in the visits for September being the highest since lockdown, 33,676 visits as compared to 29,362 in August and 26,098 in July. However, it is still well below the 2019 figure, 67,411. Membership has continued to increase steadily since January 2020 when it was 32,789 for the year ending; it was 36,341 for year ending September 2020 as people continue to join online and renew their memberships by telephone. The increase to services offered, especially public PC access, led to more people visiting the libraries and in turn borrowing items. A significant increase was recorded as compared to August with 40,096 items borrowed in September (24,324 in August). It was a significant increase also when compared to August 2019 when 49,578 items were borrowed. 31,112 items were returned during the month (45,240 in August 2019) 8,280 eBooks and eAudio books were borrowed in September 2020 compared to 4,555 in the same month last year. The demand for this format has led to a significant number of titles being added to the stock nationally with added and unforeseen cost to the library service. The provision of public PC access is a vital part of the library service. They were used 2,806 times in September an increase of 1671 on the previous month (August 1135) While this is much reduced on the same month last year (5,979) it remains a significant figure in the current climate of Covid-19. Culture Night in Cork City libraries took place on September 18 and was a blended affair this year. A music session was live-streamed from Hollyhill Library while the City Library took events onto the streets with Words on Windows poetry on various locations throughout the city, family fun on the Grand Parade with Aaron Towers, a collaboration with The Glucksman presenting artwork by teenagers in direct provision on the walls of the City Library. The exhibition Kaught on the Kampus was held in the outer foyer of the library spilling onto the street and incorporated the art installation of the same name currently on the Grand Parade. There was a great festive atmosphere on the night with a semblance of some sort of normality!
The book Cork Words a Creative Ireland/Libraries initiative was launched in real life at Triskel Christchurch. 40 people attended under strict health guidelines with readings by a selection of the writers from the anthology and an official launch by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Joe Kavanagh.
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