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The national Right to Read programme brings together local authorities and local bodies involved in supporting literacy and reading development in the local area for a coordinated approach to providing these services in the local community. Right to Read supports literacy development for individuals, families and children as part of a locally coordinated, sustainable and standard approach across the country.

Donegal Library Service, with partner organisations, draws up and coordinates an annual local Right to Read Action Plan and works with those partners towards its implementation. Highlights annually in our libraries have included Spring into Storytime sessions during April, the Summer Stars reading programme during July and August, and the much anticipated Wainfest Children's Arts and Books Festival during October. Other projects with network partners include Read DL, Babbling Babies nursery rhyme and action song book, Bookworm Babies and Creating Lifelong Readers, as well as programmes with libraries and local schools such as Battle of the Books. Partnerships are critical to implementing all elements of the Donegal Right to Read programme. 

All programmes and projects included in the Action Plan aim to encourage reading habits and to foster a love of reading.

For information on the national Right to Read programme see Right to Read.

New Adult Literacy Workbooks

These workbooks aim to support adults to improve their English language skills. They cover reading, writing, grammar and comprehension. Each activity has an icon at the top to let you know what is being covered. 

Donegal County Library Service have 40 copies of each of the titles linked to the resources below. Each workbook contains activities which can be completed as you read the book of the same title. 

You can get a special library card which means you can borrow more than one copy of the same book. We invite groups to set up book clubs and use these workbooks to further develop their literacy skills.

For example, if you wanted to read Brooklyn with a group of 6, you could request 6 copies of that title. You could then collect the books from your local library. The workbook that accompanies Brooklyn can be downloaded below. 

It is important though that you explain that you want the version of the book linked to the workbook as the library may have other versions of that book.

How to borrow the books linked to the resources below:

  1. Visit your local library and explain to the staff that you would like a library card that is set up for multiple loans. This allows you to borrow multiple books for an extended period.
  2. Have a look at the relevant book list and choose 2-3 titles – some of the titles may already be on loan, so multiple choices can help speed up the process.
  3. Contact your local library requesting the titles in order of preference at least 2 weeks before they are required. Please explain how many copies of the title you would like.
  4. Your local library will contact you when one of your selected titles is ready for collection.

The workbooks for Brooklyn, Slumdog Millionaire, The Children Act and The Talented Mr Ripley are particularly relevant to ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students.

Workbooks and book titles:

The Adult Literacy for Life National Programme Office, based in SOLAS, funded this project through Donegal ETB.

Resources

These workbooks aim to support adults to improve their English language skills. They cover reading, writing, grammar and comprehension. Each activity has an icon at the top to let you know what is being covered. 

Donegal County Library Service have 40 copies of each of the titles linked to the resources below. Each workbook contains activities which can be completed as you read the book of the same title. 

You can get a special library card which means you can borrow more than one copy of the same book. We invite groups to set up book clubs and use these workbooks to further develop their literacy skills.

For example, if you wanted to read Brooklyn with a group of 6, you could request 6 copies of that title. You could then collect the books from your local library. The workbook that accompanies Brooklyn can be downloaded below. 

It is important though that you explain that you want the version of the book linked to the workbook as the library may have other versions of that book.

How to borrow the books linked to the resources below:

  1. Visit your local library and explain to the staff that you would like a library card that is set up for multiple loans. This allows you to borrow multiple books for an extended period.
  2. Have a look at the relevant book list and choose 2-3 titles – some of the titles may already be on loan, so multiple choices can help speed up the process.
  3. Contact your local library requesting the titles in order of preference at least 2 weeks before they are required. Please explain how many copies of the title you would like.
  4. Your local library will contact you when one of your selected titles is ready for collection.

The workbooks for Brooklyn, Slumdog Millionaire, The Children Act and The Talented Mr Ripley are particularly relevant to ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students.

Workbooks and book titles:

The Adult Literacy for Life National Programme Office, based in SOLAS, funded this project through Donegal ETB.

Donegal Literature and Landscape 2024

Buncrana Community Library was the location for a very special event called Donegal Literature and Landscape on Ireland Reads Day, Saturday 24th February 2024. Inspired by the Booker Prize win of Donegal author Paul Lynch, a host of the county’s most talented poets, novelists, artists and historians came together to discuss the way the unique and rugged landscape of Donegal has influenced their own work. 

A number of panel discussions led by Kathy Donaghy examined how authors ‘bring Donegal with them’ into their work as well as examining what ‘writing Donegal’ means in terms of both contemporary and historical literature. Writers from William Allingham to Brian Friel have tapped into our richest resource, the hills, glens and coastline of the county to create great works of fiction, poetry and drama.

This event, funded by Creative Ireland, was an opportunity to celebrate Donegal as a place apart. A place that that has inspired and produced writers from the Four Masters and their annals to a Booker Prize winning author.

You can now watch the panel discussions back here:

 

 

 

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