Libraries in Belfast

Belfast Central Library won the British Library Hidden Treasures competition in 2007 - You can find out what for in our online booklet celebrating Belfast Central Library's 135th birthday! 😄

Check this out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p82

This artist's interpretation of Belfast Central Library was included on a set of postcards released for the library's 100th birthday!

Check this out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p81

This week’s Treasure is more Ross’s products with a range of bottles, stoneware and the more usual glass. One still has ginger ale inside, though we don’t recommend having a taste!

The display will be on the second floor of Belfast Central Library until the end of August

The new Smithfield opens in 1975 a year after the previous market had burned down. It was never truly taken to the hearts of Belfast folk who had loved the chaos of their beloved old Smithfield. Castle Court now stands on the site. Image courtesy of the News-Letter

This is one of many adverts in The Belfast Telegraph and Irish News from October 1888 when Belfast Central Library opened - Painless dentistry! 🦷

Check this out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p79

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE 📢
The Libraries NI website, App and Catalogue will be unavailable on Sunday 21 July from 8:00pm – 10:00pm. Libby and BorrowBox will remain available during this period.

This is due to scheduled maintenance work on our online systems and we apologise for any inconvenience.

Join us in Whiterock Library to celebrate Feile an Phobail with Storyteller Aodan "Jaff" Mac Seafraidh, all ages are welcome at this family friendly event 😀
Booking essential.
📆 Thursday 1 August
⏰ 12:00noon
☎ 028 9050 9236

Does anyone remember getting these from Belfast Mobile Library? 🚏

Check this out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p72

Save the date for Tullycarnet Library's 50th anniversary party 🥳🎂
📆 Saturday 3 august
⏰ 10:00am - 3:00am
Everyone is welcome to attend 😀

The Belfast Central Library sign in book from 1893 - Look how long the work day is! 🕰️

Check this out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p71

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE - Availability of Libraries NI online services and Out of Hours Service 📢
The Libraries NI website, Libraries NI App and Catalogue will be unavailable on Thursday 18 July from 5:30pm – 10:00pm. Libby and BorrowBox will still be available.
Note: the Out of Hours Service will be unavailable from 5:00pm on Thursday 18 July.
We apologise for any inconvenience.

As promised here is more of the memorabilia from Ross’s lemonade company! This week’s Treasure is some of the beautiful jugs they produced to promote their soft drinks. For a closer look visit our display on the second floor of Belfast Central Library

This is definitely a throwback - Unfortunately there are no porters in libraries who would wear such a hat anymore!

Check it out and so much more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p68

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE - Bank Holiday Closure 📢
Libraries across Northern Ireland will be closed on Friday 12, Saturday 13 and Monday 15 July. Our online services will still be available.

Out of Hours Service will not be available from Wednesday 10 July until normal opening hours return on Tuesday 16 July. Please check with your local branch for variations before travelling.

Join us in Tullycarnet Library for an afternoon of Tales and Tunes of Belfast with Sharon Dickson and Geoff Hatt as part of Eastside Arts Festival.
Booking essential.
📆 Thursday 1 August
⏰ 2:30pm - 3:30pm
☎ 028 9048 5079

It’s July. School’s out. That can mean one thing only to (us) folk of a certain age. Summer Scheme! This advert was published in the News-Letter in 1979. As well as canoeing and snorkelling, disco dancing lessons were on the menu at the Grove Baths

We would like to see this lecture by Mr. R A Dawson from the School of Art - We're sure he would teach us how to appreciate pictures! 😄

Check it out and so much more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p66

Join us in Whiterock Library for our Elmer Storytime and Craft session 😀
Booking advised.
📆 Thursday 18 July
⏰ 3:00pm
☎️ 028 9050 9236

This summer, your local library is the place to be for free fun and adventure! With school out, it's the perfect time for children to visit their local library, explore their creativity, and make new friends. 🤩

Check it out 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI070824

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE - Bank Holiday Closure 📢
Libraries across Northern Ireland will be closed on Friday 12, Saturday 13 and Monday 15 July. Our online services will still be available.

The Music Library in Belfast Central Library is still a popular spot, not just because of the wonderful space but the beautiful piano!

Check these photos out and more 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p58

Belfast Central Library are hosting a free, fun family workshop with Dogs Trust to learn all about staying safe around dogs and keeping our four-pawed friends happy and healthy 🐕
This is aimed at children aged 7-11 with an accompanying adult and there will be no real dogs in attendance.
📆 Thursday 18 July
⏰ 2:00pm
Followed by a doggy themed Storytime. Book your place by calling 028 9050 9150 or emailing [email protected]

Join us in Ardoyne Library for some Storytime and Craft fun, for children aged 4 and over accompanied by an adult 😀
Booking advised.
📆 Wednesday 10 July
⏰ 3:30pm
☎ 028 9050 9202

CHRISTMAS DINNER IN JULY 🎄

Although we can’t promise you’ll be able to grow these in time for your dinner, we do have a new selection of Christmas dinner themed seed packets available during July in our festive on our 1st floor 😀

Remember the lemonade man delivering bottles from his float! Over the next few weeks our Treasures will be items from the Ross’s lemonade company of Belfast. To serve their lemonade you could also use a Ross’s jug and tray!
A recent donation to Belfast Central library, you can see them on display on the second floor.

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE - Finaghy Library 📢
Finaghy Library will be closed today (Friday 5 July). We apologise for any inconvenience.
The nearest open libraries include:
📍 Lisburn Road Library - 440 Lisburn Road, BT9 6GR
📍 Suffolk Library - Stewartstown Road, BT11 9JP

Local author Jude Collins has launched many of his books in Belfast Central Library and is a member of some of the library's groups!

Find out more about Jude in our leaflet celebrating 135 years of Belfast Central Library 👉 https://tinyurl.com/LNI135p58

Have you seen the latest exhibition on the staircase in Belfast Central Library? ‘Many Memories, Many Voices: Reflecting on Colonialism, the British Empire and Identity in Northern Ireland and Ireland’ brings together the work of contributors throughout the MMMV project. This includes ‘Response’ by artist Peter Surginor, exploring ideas and objects that people raised. The MMMV project is for people living in Northern Ireland and Ireland to share memories, stories, and objects related to colonialism and the British Empire and was developed by Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with ArtsEkta and the Irish Museums Association 👏

The exhibition is free and you can view during normal library opening hours until the end of August 😀

📢 CUSTOMER NOTICE - Chichester Library 📢
Chichester Library will be closed today (Thursday 4 July) due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The nearest open libraries include:
📍 Ardoyne Library - 446 - 450 Crumlin Road, BT14 7GH
📍 Grove Library - Grove Wellbeing Centre, BT15 3HF