Gorey Library will pilot an ambitious five-year Library Strategy that includes the complete abolition of library fines and the roll out of the ‘My Open Library’ initiative which will see a significant increase in library opening times in 100 of the 330 library branches around the country.
The strategy has been announced by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring.
The news has been welcomed locally. Minister Michael D’Arcy said; “This is great news for library users in Gorey and further afield. With the abolition of all fines and increased opening hours in many of our local libraries, I hope that more people will visit and use their local libraries.’’

GOREY LIBRARY will pilot ‘My Open Library’ initiative.

The libraries involved in the My Open Library initiative will see library opening hours increase from current normal working hours to 8 am – 10 pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Libraries will continue to be fully staffed during the normal working hours and there will be no decrease in staffing hours under this arrangement.
Gorey Library will be one of the initial tranche of libraries in which My Open Library will be rolled out and the extended opening hours will be implemented by autumn of this year.
The increase in opening hours is made possible by the provision of self-service technology; library users will be able to scan books in and out when the libraries are unmanned. Libraries will continue to be fully staffed during normal working hours.
Last year, Minister Ring allocated €3.4 million for self-service technology, books and hot desking facilities in preparation for the rollout of this strategy. Local authorities invested a further €1.2 million.
Minister Ring said; “By introducing these measures, I am working to ensure active library membership from 16% of the population to 30% by 2022. This strategy focuses on removing barriers to access by eliminating fines and other charges and challenging the belief that the library is only for certain sectors of society.”