Josh Keating with his siblings, Ciaran and Laura, from Cortown, Kells, cut the ribbon to open the new refurbished Navan Library HQ, with the help of Cllr Jimmy Fegan, and watched by county librarian Ciaran Mangan and Meath County Manager Tom Dowling.

A new extension to Navan Library and the refurbishment of the Meath County Library headquarters, providing spacious and ultra-modern facilities, were unveiled last week.

With the minor extension to the branch library and the refurbishment of the county library headquarters, Meath County Manager Tom Dowling said the official opening marked the beginning of a new chapter for the landmark building at Railway Street, Navan.

Officially opened on 19th March 1974, the building was the first purpose-built county library headquarters erected in the country since the foundation of the State. The building cost a total of £130,000 to build and was built by local building firm, Cormac Murray Ltd.

Almost 40 years later, the building has been completely transformed to provide the modern facilities required to support the extensive branch network and specialist local studies and schools services.

The minor extension to the Navan branch library now provides a new meeting and events space. The library service is now in a position to expand its wide-ranging programme of events and activities designed to cater for borrowers of all ages.

With 7,000 borrowers and issuing over 165,000 items a year, Navan library is one of the busiest branch libraries in the country.

Speaking at the opening, Meath County Council leas-cathaoirleach, Cllr Jimmy Fegan, praised architects Collins Maher Martin, Blakesdeen Construction Ltd, and the staff of Meath County Council and Library Service for their contribution to the project.

He noted that the transformation of the building was "absolutely magnificent".

Meanwhile, the library service has also announced the arrival of its downloadable book service from US library partner, Overdrive.

Library members can now download ebooks and e-audiobooks to a range of devices including computers, e-readers, MP3 players, smartphones and mobile devices.

A valid library card with a PIN is all the borrower needs to get started.

Visit or contact your local library to update a card. With many popular fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from, the new collection is guaranteed to have something for everybody.

There are no late fines, as titles automatically expire at the end of the lending period.