Books Are My Business: Shona Thoma, executive librarian at Kinsale Library
Shona Thoma is executive librarian at Kinsale Library in Co Cork.
Shona Thoma is executive librarian at Kinsale Library in Co Cork. Originally from Kerry, she lives in Glanmire, Co Cork.
Kinsale’s new public library is located at the Old Mill Building at Church Square and is more than 10 times the size of its previous premises at the Methodist Hall.
It includes a dedicated children’s library, a mezzanine reading room, and an event and exhibition space for community meetings, lectures, educational workshops, and concerts.
It’s brilliant, the place is full every day. So many local people have been waiting a long time for this library and the building has also been empty for such a long time.
People are blown away by the space and the architecture. I have heard the phrase ‘I haven’t seen you in ages’ so many times, it is so nice that people are coming in and meeting each other. It is great for Kinsale, it is such a book-loving town.
I studied English and history of art, and the love of books was always there. I also have a qualification in youth and community work.
Around the downturn in 2008, I was weighing up different options. Librarianship matched my skillset, especially working with groups and that sense of community within a library, you are really bringing people together.
I did a post-graduate qualification 10 years ago and I have been working as a librarian since. I worked in academic libraries, then I was in Kildare library service until last year.
The library is a space for everyone and it brings all sorts of people together. We have so many children and older people coming in, and everybody in-between.
We are helping kids to find that next book that they will love, and encourage that love of reading. You are also empowering people, for example, we do classes to help older people with digital skills.
It is great to see them getting online and connecting with their families overseas. You are helping people all the time. The library is also a relaxing space, where people can get away from the busyness of their lives.
The people who use libraries love libraries but we don’t have the membership in Ireland that you would think, something like 40% of people in Ireland are a member of a library, which is quite low.
It is about reaching those non-library users and letting them know what we do. Libraries have done amazing work trying to get more people in, we are evangelical about it.
The bottom line at the moment is that with the cost-of-living crisis, apart from the books, libraries have online subscriptions, audiobooks and E-books, and all of that, at no cost. Anyone who is looking to cut a little bit off their monthly budget will benefit from a library membership. A library is also a social outlet and a welcoming space for people to find information.
We have free online courses, which are an entry point into a bigger world, whether that is returning to work or doing a college course. Libraries are also realising we have role to play in the community in terms of climate action, where people can come and learn how we can come together as a community to fight climate change.
I have a really big book on my TBR list, by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers which I think I’ll only get around to on a desert island.
I would also re-read by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, because I loved it. And by Doireann Ní Ghríofa — it is such a layered book, it would be good company if stranded.
