This paper describes the origins and impact of Ireland’s cross-border mobile library service, which began as a peace and reconciliation project and continues to serve communities along the border between Co. Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and Co. Derry and Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Through an oral history project with the long-time cross-border mobile librarian Denis Doherty, supplemented by literature review and interviews with library staff, this research demonstrates the ongoing success and evolution of the cross-border mobile library service, which has thrived beyond its original project term (2003–06) and continues to serve rural communities along the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, particularly where branch libraries and school libraries are absent. The value of the service lies in the deep care demonstrated by library staff and the flexibility of the mobile library, from the early days of the peace process to addressing chronic loneliness two decades later.
Danielle Dempsey (Wed,) studied this question.