American Public Libraries vs. Irish Public Libraries

Friends of the Library or other book sales:

It isn't uncommon to go into a library, even if it isn't your local one, and go to the book shelf or even a full book store that is dedicated to Friends of the Library. Friends of the Library is a volunteer group who raises funds for libraries in the states. Often, they sell off book donations that didn't make it into a collection or weeded books from the library itself. The books are often cheep and the proceeds solid go back to the library.

This doesn't exist in any organised and large fashion in Ireland. Some libraries may sell books, but this is unusual. Rather, book sales seem to be a primarily American feature as a result of underfunded libraries making the most of a situation.

Volunteering:

Often, the work of a library in America cannot be done without the hard work of a team of volunteers. However, in Ireland, it is rather less common to have the option to volunteer at a public library at all (private, school, or academic libraries often have these options, with the cavate that members of the public often can't participate).

Coming to Ireland as a library student, I wanted to learn the differences between the two systems. To my disappointment, it wasn't really an option to volunteer at any of the city run public libraries.

Library of Things:

A similarity between the two countries' libraries in the rise of Library of Things. As the need for libraries change, so do what the Irish and American libraries provide. I've attended many public libraries who have existing or newly implemented library of things. It's wonderful to see such a unique idea get support and interest from the community.

Small country, large system vs. large country, smaller systems:

It's not uncommon in the States to have a cooperative of several libraries to form one larger system. Often this is some regain, county, or maybe even most of a state. In Ireland, the public library system is cooperative with every other public library in Ireland. You can check out a book in Galway and return it in Dublin. It was impressive to me, as an American, to find that this system works. But it's just a different perspective. While hearing about a library system country wide seems wildly unfeasible to me, hearing one is state wide isn't. But Ireland makes it work, not least because it isn't to the scale of America.

No signup fee and no subscription services:

Ireland shares in a (majority) of America's ability to sign up for a library card for free and also have no need to pay a yearly fee. You might be reading this and wondering why I mention this, surely that's true everywhere. But it isn't. Germany and Austria, to name two countries, require a (usually small) sign up fee to the library and then to pay a yearly fee to keep the card and services active. I shall not dive into the usefulness or not of that here, but suffice it to say, the libraries in Ireland are not so removed from the American idea of libraries for that.

Overall, the public library system in Ireland is welcoming, orderly, and a treat to work with. I find much of its processes the same as or better than in the States. While I do miss being able to volunteer, I think the fact that the librarians aren't overworked and understaffed to be important. I hope and suspect that volunteers or the funding brought in by Friends of the Libraries just aren't as needed in Ireland.

To close, I want to say that visiting libraries, both in the States and out, has truly opened my eyes to the differences between a simple public infrastructure. I look forward to more travel insight in the future.