Ireland's libraries to get €40m to buy new books and audio-visual materials

There are roughly 770,000 library members across Ireland at present, with more than 13.2 million books in the national collection.

Local authorities are to spend €40m over the next four years topping up the country's public library stock of books and audio-visual materials.

The Local Government Management Association has tendered for a contractor to provide the materials to the various library services up until May 2029, at a cost of €10m a year.