Liam Ronayne himself witnessed the hilarity of another element in the library's striking programme for 2005 (music publications, childhood celebrations, ballad-sheets, Rory Gallagher and antiquarian collections and antique bindings make up other events throughout the year) when he visited Barcelona for the city's feast of San Jordi.

From this jubilant festival comes Cork's World Book Day on April 23rd, an evocation of the Catalan tradition of presenting a book and a rose to a loved one in memory of the renaissance of Catalan culture.

It features open-air barrows and book-sales, with breakfast at the Farm Gate in the English Market, readings from Colm Tóibín and Catalan novelist Victor Aldea on the evening before, and from Carol Ann Duffy, Enda Walsh, Tanja Duckers from Germany and Kristina Ehen from Estonia among others on the 23rd. The date commemorates the birth and death of Cervantes; Ronayne hopes this will become an annual event in Cork.

Attention architects

Head of a thriving institution with two new buildings to be added to its branches and extended opening hours, Ronayne, with the help of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, is inviting young and student architects from all over Europe to design the ideal 21st-century library for Cork. But although the Grand Parade - and the library - are due for major renewal work later in the year, no commission is promised as a result of the competition which, closing in June, will be followed by an architectural symposium on libraries for September.