Library Projects

Supporting home language reading

Library Projects

Supporting home language reading

School Library Funding Scheme

This scheme is aimed at both primary and post-primary schools to encourage them to acquire books and other materials in all of the home languages present in the school. The scheme has been operational since 2019.  

The initiative encourages students and pupils to maintain their home languages by making books and literature in heritage languages readily accessible in schools across the country. Available to both primary and post primary schools, the scheme recognises the integral role home languages play in a student’s identity and heritage, while also supporting their literacy and language skills

If you have students in your school whose home language is not English or Irish, we offer funding to your school to purchase materials. For more information on when the next round of applications will be, contact us.

languages connect library projects
young girl in library

JCSP Digital Library Home Language Collection

The JCSP Digital Library Home Language Collection offers hundreds of foreign language books in 25 languages for post-primary students whose schools subscribe to the JCSP Digital Library. The collection has had strong loan rates in the first year. The most popular book by far is a Spanish book about Lionel Messi! Check it out here

Dublin City Library Scheme

We have developed a toolkit in collaboration with Dublin City Libraries for branch libraries to give advice on how to acquire home language materials. Libraries Ireland allows everyone to borrow books from any library in the country. Languages Connect has encouraged parents of young children to access public libraries for home language and dual language books. Click here for more info

languages connect library projects

MS Readathon - Read in your home language!

Languages Connect are teaming up with MS Readathon again this year for their annual event, bringing a foreign language element to Ireland’s biggest sponsored reading initiative. While inspiring kids to read, the MS Readathon has also been raising much needed funds for an incredible cause for 35 years.  

ms readathon logo

Last year, almost 12,000 participants raised over €274K for MS Ireland by reading as many books as they could for the month of November.  Pupils chose to read books in French, Romanian, Hungarian, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Italian, Dutch, Arabic and Polish. Well done to everyone involved!

For families with a heritage language other than English or Irish, it is a great opportunity to read together in that language and enjoy sharing language skills with another generation.

Reading in a second language can also be a chance to try something new or connect with a language of a family member, classmate or neighbour!

MS Readathon have a fun and interactive fundraising website where children can rate and review the books they read, collect badges and virtual rewards and much more. Find out more information and where to sign up here

For ideas of books aimed at children and young people, in different languages, check out our Recommended Reading Lists