I can't wait to read the submissions we get in for the A&SL blog competition. I'm hoping Parkey Posey in Party Girl or the 'punk-ass book jockey' librarians in Parks and Rec get honourable mentions!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Announcing the A&SL Blog Post Competition! Library staff & LIS students in Ireland - send us your blog posts on the theme 'The representation of librarianship, libraries & information work in media and popular culture' by 31st August to be in to win €100, €75 or €50! aslibraries.ie/asl-blog-pos...

How nice to see the article I wrote with Gwendolyn O'Connor published. It looks at the Human Library events in DCU and will be useful for anyone who is thinking of taking part in a Human Library event as an organiser, participant or attendee.

libfocus@libfocus.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Our latest guest post is from the HSLJ editorial team who highlight the latest issue of the journal and put out a call for submissions for their Winter issue. Congratulations to libfocus team member @eilisoneill.bsky.social whose co-written article features this month! More at www.libfocus.com

Lauren Sneyd's guest post looks at the key messages delivered at the HSLG conference 2026 on the theme 'Finding Strength in Difference'. The presenters offered timely insights into how libraries can navigate rapid technological change. Find out more at www.libfocus.com

What a privilege to be part of such a warm, collaborative committee. Thanks to everyone who helped us make #ASL2026 happen - here's to planning #ASL2027 (after a quick lie down)

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 4mo ago

And that's a wrap for #ASL2026! The A&SL committee would like to thank our keynote speakers, case study and poster presenters, sponsors and attendees for their enthusiasm and engagement. Thanks also to the @ria.ie staff and our photographers for helping to make this year's conference such a success.

We're thrilled that @lizjolly.bsky.social and @niamhtumelty.bsky.social will be joining us as keynote speakers at #ASL2026. Niamh Tumelty will be in conversation with @cathalmccauley.bsky.social so there's yet another reason to join us in March!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Tickets are now on sale for #ASL2026! We can't wait to see you in @ria.ie in Dublin on 24 March 2026. With @niamhtumelty.bsky.social and @lizjolly.bsky.social as our keynote speakers, this is an event you don't want to miss. Registration and conference information at tinyurl.com/8s2kfz62

It's happening...#ASL2026!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Save The Date! We are excited to announce that the Academic & Special Libraries Section Conference will take place on Tuesday 24th March 2026 in @ria.ie in Dublin. The #ASL2026 conference theme is Reimagining Librarianship: Purpose, Practice and Possibility - call for papers coming soon...

Looks brilliant - sorry to be missing it!

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Joining us for tonight's DCU Book Club is John Patrick McHugh who is discussing his novel Fun and Games with @dublincityuni.bsky.social Writer in Residence Sarah Gilmartin.

We really appreciate the effort everyone made to join us for this tour of @chesterbeatty.bsky.social last night. We know how strong the urge to hibernate is on these dark winter nights. I for one am feeling very cultured indeed this morning!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Huge thanks to Chester Beatty Library and our tour guide Mary who introduced us to the history and fascinating collections of @chesterbeatty.bsky.social last night. It was great to catch up with our A&SL members too - thanks for joining us!

More titles for the TBR pile!

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Look out for our Booker Prize displays in Cregan and O'Reilly Library this week. The winner will be announced on 10th November so get borrowing & reading! Find out more about this year's @thebookerprizes.com shortlist and recent finalists on our Booker Prize in DCU Library guide tinyurl.com/3jd85evb

Brilliant post from @hayleybrabazon.bsky.social about how she's engaging students taking part in the @dculibrary.bsky.social History in Your Hands project.

libfocus@libfocus.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Congratulations to Hayley Brabazon from @dculibrary.bsky.social whose blog post 'What a TikTok ‘Thirst Trap’ Taught Me About Library Outreach in the Age of Disinformation' was highly commended in the 2025 @conultraindev.bsky.social Library Assistant Blog awards. Read it now over at www.libfocus.com

Don't miss the chance to visit one of Dublin's most beautiful libraries and to meet members of the @aslibraries.bsky.social team (we're awful sound all the same).

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Join us for an exclusive tour of Chester Beatty Library from 6.30-7.30 pm on Wed 5th November! The tickets are FREE and available to current members of the @aslibraries.bsky.social group. Places are limited so reserve your ticket now at tinyurl.com/v4vrx9fy

Love this blog post from Claire Dunne. Beautiful book covers and social history captured in bookplates.

libfocus@libfocus.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Congratulations to Claire Dunne @ucdlibrary.bsky.social winner of the 2025 @conultraindev.bsky.social Library Assistant Blog Award! Read her blog post 'Shells, Shorthand, and Skipping Classes: Documenting Prize Bookplates in the John Manning Collection of Children's Books' now at www.libfocus.com

Thanks to our library volunteers, Dr. Leeann Lane for her engaging talk, Anne Tannam’s open mic, the Voyage art workshop, the 400+ scavengers racing through the library & the brave riders in our Tour de Library cycling challenge...we had a blast on Culture Night! @culturenightdub.bsky.social

Watch the inspiring talks from our #ASL2025 keynote speakers Helen Rimmer @thekindbraveleader.bsky.social and Claire McGuinness @clairemcguin.bsky.social @ucdischool.bsky.social. Up on YouTube now and lovingly captioned by us so that you catch everyone important word! tinyurl.com/459c8vkj

Here are some of the gems I've found in the books donated by John's relatives. Thanks so much to his family for sharing his collection with DCU Library.

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Huge thanks to the family of John Francis Dolan who have donated over 200 books from his wonderful collection to our book swap shelves in DCU Library. Find out more about the book swap at www.dcu.ie/library/dcu-...

New on Libfocus: @helenfallon.bsky.social writes about her current project supporting prison libraries in Malawi. A powerful reminder of how libraries transform lives. www.libfocus.com/2025/09/pris...

If you're in Swords village this week drop into the castle and marvel at the artistry that has gone into the quilts in this exhibition. The planning, patience and skill involved in the creation of each piece is astounding.

Visit the Sadako and Paper Cranes exhibition in Cregan Library, which marks 80 years since the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima. Produced by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, exhibited in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Ireland & SALIS tinyurl.com/4bh7xsv6 @dublincityuni.bsky.social

We had so much fun yesterday with Magic Days crèche and DCU School of Psychology! 🐘📚 The kids listened to Elmer the Elephant, explored feelings, and decorated their own colourful Elmers. Thanks to Lorraine, Marianna & Cutie Pie the puppet for a lovely morning! @dcupsychology.bsky.social

Michelle McMeekin's @conulconference.bsky.social review gives an excellent snapshot of #CONUL25 in Tullamore. It is the first of three conference reports from this year's bursary winners. Read all about the conference talks, trends and tastes at libfocus.com

I love the colour and craic the Joycean Jaunters bring with them every year to @dublincityuni.bsky.social. With the help of the Ulysses Book Club I'll finally get all those Joycean references by #bloomsday 2026!

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · last yr.

Keep an eye out for the Joycean Jaunters on the @dublincityuni.bsky.social St Patrick's Campus! The merry group is celebrating Ulysses and all things James Joyce with readings, poetry, songs and stories as part of #bloomsday2025 Pics @kobpix.bsky.social bloomsdayfestival.ie/event/drumco...

Bookmarking the @librariesni.bsky.social Bookcited! Podcast this very minute bookcited.podbean.com

libfocus@libfocus.bsky.social · last yr.

Our latest link-out covers #library controversies and #libraries championing climate action, endangered crafts and book-inspired songs, must-read LGBTQ+ authors to celebrate #pridemonth, the latest in AI and open science and more at www.libfocus.com

Well done to Anne Marie Barrett - her conference review is a great reminder of a fantastic day

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · last yr.

Don't miss Ann Marie Barrett's review of #ASL2025 in @laibluesky.bsky.social's An Leabharlann! Read about the brilliant talks from our speakers including the powerful speeches from @thekindbraveleader.bsky.social Helen Rimmer and @clairemcguin.bsky.social www.libraryassociation.ie/an-leabharla...

I've learned so much about how to make the most of our library spaces, resources and staff expertise at #CONUL25. One of the many highlights was the talk from @mulibrary.bsky.social staff about the bats in The Russell Library. Read more here: mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/2024/10/01/h...

Hanging Out with Books: The Secret Nightlife of the Russell Library

When Sarah Timmins joined the Special Collections & Archives team as the Senior Library Assistant this year, she was only the latest staff member to be introduced to some time-honoured guests i…

mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · last yr.

Congratulations to @orlanicaodha.bsky.social and Gwendolyn O'Connor who delivered an inspiring talk about the @dublincityuni.bsky.social Human Library event at the @conulconference.bsky.social. The DCU Library team is looking forward to a second day of thought-provoking talks at #CONUL2025.

This is one of my favourite @dculibrary.bsky.social days of the year. It's a joy to meet the finalists and their tutors and celebrate all the work they do together during the year.

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · last yr.

We can't believe it's already one week since we held the DCU Library Creative Writing Competition awards in O'Reilly Library! See @kobpix.bsky.social's photos from the night and read all twelve shortlisted entries including the winning Telescreen Cell by Sam tinyurl.com/29e6mbxj

Join us for our joint Summer Celebration networking evening on 17 June in The Royal Irish Academy! Current @healthlibraries.bsky.social @aslibraries.bsky.social members are invited to book their free tickets to catch up with library colleagues & enjoy a talk by Prof. Aphra Kerr tinyurl.com/mve6k6h3

Our latest guest post is by Kevin Tuohy who writes about his archival and cataloguing project for the Cape Clear Heritage Centre in West Cork. The materials in the collection offer a rich insight into 20th century cultural, linguistic, and political life in Ireland. This and more at www.libfocus.com

It was exciting to be in Merrion Square today when The Adversary by Michael Crummey was announced as the @dublinlitaward.bsky.social winner. More exciting still the @dublincityuni.bsky.social team met the author - such a great initiative by @dublincitycouncil.bsky.social #DublinLitAward

So proud to be part of the History in Your Hands project team - what a brilliant day. Well done to all the students who took part from Dominican College, Trinity Comprehensive and St Vincent's Secondary School.

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · last yr.

Happy History in Your Hands Awards day! With three winners from each school, and renowned Irish footballer Niall Quinn handing out the awards we're so excited to celebrate everyone involved in the project - especially the brilliant students! Stay tuned for updates.. @dculibrary.bluesky.com

Glorious Exploits was one of my favourite books last year and Ferdia Lennon did not disappoint at the @dublincityuni.bsky.social Book Club last night. The audiobook, read by the author, is brilliant too!

DCU Library@dculibrary.bsky.social · last yr.

This season's @dublincityuni.bsky.social Book Club is ending on a high with a discussion of the award-winning novel Glorious Exploits. Darren Murphy from DCU's School of English interviews author Ferdia Lennon in the sun-dappled Belvedere House Library.