Mayo library and children’s books project launch new partnership
Mayo County Library Schools Service and the Children's Books of Mayo Project are delighted to announce a new partnership for the 2026-2027 academic year that will provide schools and teachers throughout Mayo with access to a specially curated collection of local books and educational resources.
The new collaboration will see a collection of titles from the Children's Books of Mayo Project, together with copies of the Children's Books of Mayo Map, made available for teachers and schools to borrow through the Mayo County Library Schools Service for periods of up to six weeks.
As part of the partnership, a beautifully designed outreach booklet has also been developed. The booklet incorporates material from two of the books included in the Children's Books of Mayo collection and features engaging activities and learning opportunities that will help pupils explore Mayo's rich cultural and natural heritage in the classroom. The booklet is available for schools during field trips to the library.
Educators can register for a Block Loan Library Card through their nearest Mayo library branch. And teachers are also welcome to visit the Schools Library Service at Mayo Library Headquarters, adjacent to Castlebar Library, where a dedicated collection of specialist resources is available.
The Mayo Schools Library Service offers a wide range of supports, including:
Teacher Resource Collection (TRC): providing support materials for classroom and special educational needs teachers on topics such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, bullying, gifted children and self-esteem.
Specialist Services for Learning Support and Resource Teachers: including high-interest, low-reading-level materials and literacy support collections.
Dual-Language Collections: featuring books in English and a second language to support multilingual learners.
Touch, Hear and See Collections: for children with one or multiple disabilities.
Request Services: enabling teachers to source specific titles, authors or topics.
Class Novel Sets: for whole-class reading and literacy programmes.
Advisory Services: offering guidance on children's literature, reading promotion, literacy development and school library organisation.
Block Loan Library Cards: providing extended borrowing privileges for schools and educators.
Speaking about the partnership, representatives Kate Healy and Celene Brennan from Mayo County Library Schools Service and Anna Livia Cullinan from the Children's Books of Mayo Project welcomed the opportunity to further connect young readers with the stories and places of Mayo. “This partnership provides an exciting opportunity for schools to explore Mayo's rich literary and cultural heritage through high-quality children's books and educational resources. By making these materials available through the Schools Library Service, we hope to support teachers, inspire curiosity among students and foster a lifelong love of reading and where they live.”
Schools interested in accessing the collection or learn more about the Schools Library Service can contact the Schools Library Section at Mayo Library Headquarters by phoning (094) 9064919 or email khealy@mayococo.ie.