'How-To' books on Driving and Cookery most popular

In the list of the ten most popular non-fiction books borrowed from the library for the first half of 2008, books on cooking and passing the driving test dominate. Reflecting the rush to exchange those provisional driving licences for the real thing, books on passing the driving test occupy the 1st, 2nd and 10th place on the list. Rachel Allen’s Food For Living and Favourite Food at Home hold the 3rd and 4th place on the top ten list with Neven Maguire’s Real Food For Families in 5th place. Further reflecting the impact of TV and radio exposure on people’s reading interests, Clare’s own David Coleman’s book entitled Parenting is Child’s Play and Derek Mooney’s Complete Irish Wildlife both make the top ten. Following her recent death, there has been a resurgence of interest in Nuala O’Faolain’s biography Are You Somebody? The final book to make the list of the top ten most borrowed books from the library in the first half of 2008 is the Guinness Book of Records – always a favourite with both adults and children. This is the first year since 2001 that a book of house plans has not made the top ten list – a sign of the times.