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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE: CELEBRATING IRELAND'S PUBLC LIBRARIES

Ireland's public libraries were celebrated in the 2002 Thomas Davis Lectures on RTÉ Radio. Those lectures have now been published in The University of the People, a new book from the Library Council and RTÉ.

The University of the People was officially launched on Wednesday 29 October, by Martin Cullen, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who funded the publication. Adrian Moynes, RTÉ Head of Radio, also spoke at the launch which took place in the newly restored Dublin City Library and Archive in Pearse Street.

The Thomas Davis Lecture Series 2002 on RTÉ Radio 1 marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first Carnegie Libraries in Ireland (Dalkey and Banbridge). The contributors to the series included librarians, historians, educationalists and writers. The series was produced by Bernadette Comerford and the consulting editor was Norma McDermott, Director of An Chomhairle Leabharlanna.

The 14 lectures in the book look back to the beginnings of the library movement, and forward to the modern public library of the 21st Century.

Copies of The University of the People (ISBN 1-873512-10-4) are available for loan at local libraries or may be purchased from An Chomhairle.

Contents

Preface
Norma McDermott, Consulting Editor, Director, An Chomhairle Leabharlanna

Archbishop Marsh and the first public library in Ireland.
Dr. Muriel McCarthy, Keeper of Marsh's Library.

"The Haunt of the Idler or the Centre of Learning": Public Libraries 1849 - 1949.
Nodlaig Hardiman, former Divisional Librarian with Dublin City Public Libraries.

Carnegie libraries in Ireland.
Brendan Grimes, architect and lecturer.

Decades of aspiration: Public Libraries 1947 to 1987.
Deirdre Ellis-King, Dublin City Librarian.

The Public Library: a National Imperative.
Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for the Environment and Local Government.

The Post-war Public Library Service: bringing books to "the remotest hamlets and the hills."
Dr. Diarmaid Ferriter, lecturer in history, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra.

The library and imaginative freedom.
Prof. Declan Kiberd, UCD.

The young reader and the Public Library.
Robert Dunbar, lecturer and broadcaster.

Something stirring: the extraordinary in the ordinary day of the public library.
Fionnuala Hanrahan, Wexford County Librarian.

Information and empowerment through the Public Library.
Liam Ronayne, Donegal County Librarian.

A rich and diverse treasure: special collections in Irish Public Libraries.
Dr. Máire Kennedy, Divisional Librarian, Dublin City Public Libraries.

Unrealised Potential: the relationship of schools with the library service.
Prof. John Coolahan, Professor of Education,NUI, Maynooth.

Local access, global reach.
Sean Phillips, Librarian UCD.

Reading, Writing and Rebelling: Growing up with the public libraries.
Fintan O'Toole, writer and journalist.

Download the press release in RTF.