Applications are invited from library authorities for funding under the Writers in Libraries Scheme,  for projects to run during 2012.

The general theme for this year’s funding is ‘Reaching the Hard-to-Reach’, people and communities who are less likely to use public libraries and/or who face particular barriers to accessing public library, cultural, and education services.

The hard-to-reach include, for example, the over-55s; reluctant readers; people who don’t use libraries; people with poor experiences of formal education and people who are live in socio-economically deprived areas.

Partnership is once again a key criteria and projects involving the community and voluntary pillar would be particularly welcome.

Details of the criteria and how to apply are available on this website and may be downloaded as a PDF.

For more information about making an application please contact Jane O’Hanlon in Poetry Ireland.

The Writers in Libraries scheme is co-funded by An Chomhairle and the Arts Council, and managed by Poetry Ireland.

Public Consultation – Review of Part B (Fire Safety)  – Building Regulations 1997 – 2006

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan,T.D., announces the commencement of a comprehensive review of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations and the 2006 edition of the related Technical Guidance Document B.

As part of the review there will be an initial public consultation process and as part of that process the Minister now invites submissions:

1. identifying those elements in Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations and Technical Guidance Document (TGD) B which require amendment/revision; and;
2. specific proposals for changes in the elements identified at (1) above.

Relevant submissions will form an important input to the drafting of proposals for amendment of Part B of the Building Regulations and revision of TGD B to be published, for public / industry comment, in 2012.

In order to assist the Department in the compilation of submissions and comments, respondents to this consultation are kindly requested to use the comment form provided below.

• Part B 2011 Review – Template for submission of comments (xls,15kb)
• Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (doc, 49kb)
• Current Technical Guidance Document B (Fire Safety) (pdf, 1,340kb)
  

Comments should be forwarded, not later than 12 noon on Friday 24th February, 2012 in writing or by e-mail to:

Claire Darragh,
Architecture / Building Standards Section,
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Tel: +353 (0)1 888 2893
Fax: +353 (0)1 888 2693
E-mail: buildingstandards@environ.ie
Please note that all submissions and comments submitted to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for this purpose are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003.

In this issue:

• Minister announces additional €2.5 million in grant aid for libraries;
• Science Week 2011;
• Children’s Book Festival 2011;
• Girls’ Night Out at De Valera Public Library to celebrate Ennis Fashion Week;
• 2012 Book Club of the Year Award Launched in Ennis;
• Launch of Online Poetry Journal;
• “Your Good Self “, the North Cork Positive Self Help Programme;
• Walkinstown Library: 50 years serving the community;
• Fingal County Libraries get back to nature!;
• Historic Graiguenamanagh;
• Roscommon opens a new chapter;
• Books Mean Business in South Dublin Libraries;
• Teens Dive in to South Dublin Libraries;
• A new book by 3 and 4 year olds in Waterford;
• Dungarvan Library supports literacy project for primary school children;
• NUI Maynooth Library Receives Death Row Correspondence;
• EU migrant survey on the use of ICT;
• An insight into Spanish libraries;
• Fellowship 2012, Old Library and Historical Archives of the Irish College, Paris;
• First Libraries Participating at NAPLE Sister Libraries Programme announced;
• LAI Academic & Special Libraries Section Annual Seminar 2012;
• National University of Ireland Irish History Awards 2011.

An Chomhairle has just published a report on the statistics of public library annual actual expenditure for 2010.  A PDF of the report can be downloaded here.

In addition to the €5.8 million funding for the new Library Capital Programme announced in July earlier this year, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr Phil Hogan T.D, has recently announced further funding for 6 library projects in 6 library authorities. €6.8 million will be spent by the six Local Authorities on improvements to the library services for which the Minister is providing €2.5 million in grant aid.

Below is the list of projects to be funded:

An Chomhairle has published a report on the Frontline online reader development programme which has been offered to all public library staff since 2008.

Frontline, developed by Opening the Book and tailored for the Irish context, has been a great success with 591 public library staff taking part in the three years up to June 2011.

24 library authorities have renewed their subscriptions to Frontline and it is expected that 150 more staff will complete the course in the coming year.

The report can be downloaded from our publications page.

Recently uploaded to our publications section is An Chomhairle Leabharlanna’s Submission to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs Statement of Strategy 2011 -2014.

You can read it here.

An Chomhairle Leabharlanna has announced the launch of www.library.ie/sayitwrite, guidelines for public library staff in communicating effectively with the public.

The need for guidance in communications was identified by public library staff during the reasonable accommodation and Mind Your Customer training courses provided to library services from 2005 to 2010.

Accordingly, An Chomhairle commissioned the drafting of guidance which is now published on www.library.ie/sayitwrite.

This month brings an extra-special edition of Irish Library News as we say goodbye to Alun Bevan, the longtime editor.

Also included in this issue…

• The Search is on for Ireland’s Bookshop of the Year;
• Clare County Library gets back to nature during National Heritage Week;
• Bulgarian Ambassador to Ireland visits Clare County Library;
• A new library for Mitchelstown;
• Around cork City Libraries in 35 days!
• Modern record of Kerry Antiquities;
• Circus Stars shine brightly in Kilkenny Library Service;
• Michael D. Higgins visits Graiguenamanagh Library;
• “Noisy Hours for Special Needs” at Monaghan Library;
• Exhibition on the Forgotten Voices of the Great Irish Famine;
• LAI Cataloguing and Metadata Group visit NUI Maynooth;
• Derek Landy and Ally Carter wow teenage audiences at South Dublin Libraries;
• Once Upon a Time in Tallaght – Tinker Tales and Traveller Stories;
• Senior Cycle Exam Support at County Library Tallaght;
• Commemorative bust in honour of Canon Patrick Power;
• Call for participation in sister libraries programme.

Read this month’s issue now….