TELLING TALES: THE LORETO LITERARY FESTIVAL – 2026 update HERE
Welcome to Loreto on the Green’s
Library Page
Online Library catalogue
The online Library catalogue contains details of all of the books and DVDs in the College Library and can be accessed HERE. Links to online resources are also here with passwords available from the library: JSTOR, The Churchill Archives, and The Irish Times.
The Library/Resource Centre is located on the Science corridor and is easily accessible to the whole school community. It is a lively place and a comfortable environment to work, read, browse or recharge and in this vibrant and welcoming space.
The Library aims to support both the curriculum and the School’s Literacy and Numeracy Policy in addition to promoting and encouraging reading for pleasure and ensure that the Library is well equipped to meet the ever-changing needs of students and teachers.
We are at the heart of many book-related events throughout the school year. Our flag-ship Literary Festival – Telling Tales – at TCD, The Keelin Shanley Writing Award in conjunction with the PA, workshops, Ted Talks, game shows, puzzles and competitions. Throughout the year we have an array of well-chosen wonderful author visits – Adiba Jaigirdar, Sam Blake, Meabh Collins, Triona Campbell, Meg Grehan, Nicola Byrne, Grainne O’Brien and Caitriona Coyle all joined us recently and we look forward to welcoming many more.
Senior and Junior popular bookclubs are available to attend every two weeks the mornings for all pupils, which as well as being full of chat, aims to encourage and maintain reading levels and Reading for Pleasure during the holidays and down time. We’re also open every lunchtime and breaktime and the space is generally a hive of activity with pupils’ clubs, jigsaws, board games, reading and drawing.
Additionally, thanks to our current Writer-in Residence programme with author Dave Rudden, throughout the year we run lots of fun creative writing activities, The Keelin Shanley Writing Award workshops, D&D sessions, and exam prep seminars.
This site also provides lists of useful resources to supplement learning and research from our drop down menus as well as ‘How To’ guides on various topics.
The Library is open from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00p.m. on Wednesdays
The Loreto Reading Passport Challenge
Our new Reading Wheel, which comes with its own House specific Reading Passport, involves reading 8 books across 8 genres for First Years and 6 books across 6 different genres for TY and Second Years.
Each genre is grouped in sections under different colours. A passport stamp/sticker is awarded on completion of each book read and on completion of a stamp in each genre, House Points will be awarded. Those whose passports have each genre with at least one stamp will be awarded at their Year Group Prizegiving. Those who go over and above, with multiple stamps in each genre, gain maximum House Points for that, and will be rewarded at our Whole School Prizegiving.
Each time you finish reading a book from the list, please find the librarian. You will be asked some questions about what you have read and then awarded the appropriate colour sticker.
Remember though, it is not a race! We want you to make sure you take some time to enjoy and think about your chosen books and hopefully pave the way for a lifelong reading habit.
The title choices for 25/26 are below (just click on the link) .
Best of luck with it and of course….Happy reading!
Genres and Book list for First Year Reading Wheel 2025
Genres and Book list for TY Reading Wheel 2025
Genres and Book List for Second Year Reading Wheel 2025
Programme of Events
This year we are looking forward to lots more fun with our Writer-in-Residence, Dave Rudden. Dave is the author of the brilliant Kights of the Borrowed Dark series, the Dr Who series of books, the brand new Conn of the Dead series, among many others. We will also be hosting some D&D taster afternoons with fellow schools along with Dave and D&D supremo, Graham Tugwell. Keep an eye on our Insta page (@loretothegreenlibrary) for all the latest updates on what’s happening!
Book Clubs
As a ‘Readers For Life’ School, Book Clubs are taken very seriously! We run one each, every two weeks for Junior and Senior Years. As well as books recommended for each meeting we usually also have a long term, slightly more challenging read that we can discuss every term. We also like to team up with other schools for a joint book twice a year. It’s been such fun hosting these, and it’s also great for our students to visit other schools where reading and book clubs are part and parcel of the educational fabric
Podcast
Our Podcast, ‘Behind the Red Door’, is researched and broadcast by Library Committee students and recorded in the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) We’ve been lucky to have some great guests join us – designer and entrepreneur, Sonya Lennon, best-selling writers Louise O’Neill and Oisin McGann, Journalist and broadcaster, Jen Gannon, as well as Dave Rudden Graham Tugwell, and Theatre person. We have six episodes available on Spotify and waiting for you!
Ms. Aileen Ivory
Librarian
September 2025