Laois County Library

Local Studies

The Local Studies Section of Laois County Libraries is located at Library Headquarters, Portlaoise.  This Department appeals to a wide variety of visitors ranging from students to people researching their local area,  Americans and Australians searching for their Laois roots, local historians and others availing of primary source material for future publications and works.

This special collection consists of books, journals, newspapers, photographs, maps, slides, microfiche, microfilm and archival material.  The most widely used resource in the Local Studies Department is the newspaper collection. This comprises of:

• The Leinster Express (1831 – 2001) on microfilm and hardcopies from 2002 to the present;
  • The Leinster Express from 1831-1949 is now available online in all public libraries in Laois. The paper has been digitised and is searchable via irishnewsarchive.com
• The Nationalist (1883 – 2004) on microfilm and hardcopies from 2005 to the present;
• The Leinster Independent - some copies on microfilm.

Construction of a New Laois Library on Main Street has begun.