In 2004, the Library’s International Exchange Partner was the Dublin City Public Libraries in Dublin, Ireland. In April 2004, librarians from both countries participated in several round table discussions in Dublin, and met with administration and staff working on improving community outreach programs. Library staff had the opportunity to share stories during a storytelling gathering and were totally captivated by the richness of the Irish storytelling and musical traditions! They returned the favor by presenting several programs to groups of Irish children of different ages and social background.
A month later, the Miami-Dade Public Library System welcomed the Dublin City librarian/storytellers, who happily shared their expertise with library staff, visiting and performing in several branches. The week featured Irish culture in a variety of ways including music, dance, and storytelling. Many of the Irish groups in our community also participated in our activities.
