Pathways to Learning Programme (PAL)

The Pathways to Learning Programme (PAL) supports the development of wider access to libraries and archives collections throughout the island of Ireland. COLICO established the programme in consultation with all sectors and following on from the conference held in 2006 Pathways to learning: exploring the potential for cross-sectoral library service provision.

Two pilot schemes under the Pathways to Learning programme were developed, one on a regional basis in Cork (Cork PAL), and the other on a thematic basis, focussing on music (Music PAL) commenced in late Summer 2009, and were formally launched on 8th March 2010 during Library Ireland Week.

The PAL website is maintained by An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in co-operation with Trinity College Dublin and Cork Institute of Technology.

Pathways to Learning Implementation Team (PALIT)

In 2008 COLICO established the Pathways to Learning Implementation Team (PALIT) to support and oversee cross-sectoral library service provision under the PAL programme. Their Terms of reference and membership can be downloaded here.

PALIT supports, monitors and co-ordinates two cross-sectoral service provision schemes, Cork PAL and Music PAL.

Cork PAL

Cork PAL is a regional scheme for the Cork region where all participating institutions will offer free reciprocal access to their hard-copy resources. It includes at present University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork City and County Libraries, Cork City and County Archives, Cork University Hospital and Mercy Hospital. Staff training for Cork PAL participants took place in University College Cork and the Cork PAL pilot service was launched in August 2009. The programme was formally launched by Minister for Education & Science Mr. Batt O'Keeffe during Library Ireland Week on 8th March 2010. Full details of this scheme and its operation are available on the PAL website

Music PAL

The Music PAL scheme aims to facilitate access to music information and materials available across a broad range of libraries and archives throughout the island of Ireland. The Music PAL scheme currently includes 15 public, 9 higher education, 3 conservatoire and 6 special libraries throughout the island of Ireland, a total of 33 institutions in all. Many of these hold broad collections of various sizes, while others focus on specific musical genres. The full listing of all the participating libraries is available on the PAL website

Librarians across the sectors and north and south of the border responded very positively when COLICO first floated the idea. Music PAL builds on the collaborative work established through the Pathways to Learning programme in the Republic of Ireland and the Inspire programme in Northern Ireland, and also follows in the tradition of the excellent collaborative work done in the past by COLICO.

The Music PAL Committee was formed in 2008 and is chaired by Trinity College, Dublin. The committee includes representatives from An Chomhairle Leabharlanna,Queen's University Belfast, Belfast Public Libraries, National Library of Ireland, Cork City Libraries, Dublin Institute of Technology and RTE Sound Library and Archive.

A training day for all participating institutions was held in Dublin during 2009 and the Music PAL scheme commenced on a pilot basis in September 2009, leading to a public launch by novelist and radio broadcaster Deirdre Purcell during Library Ireland Week on 8th March 2010.

COLICO invites all libraries/organisations which have expressed interest in Music PAL to participate to the scheme by contacting the COLICO secretariat. More details on Music PAL are available on the PAL website

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