Minister Roche Launches Ireland's First Europe
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Issued by An Chomhairle Leabharlanna (The Library Council) No. 256 December 2005 ISSN 0332-0049 MINISTER ROCHE LAUNCHES IRELAND’S FIRST EUROPE DIRECT CENTRE IN BLANCHARDSTOWN LIBRARY Anyone looking for information about the European Union can now go to a new EUROPE DIRECT centre in their own area. The initiative is aimed at keeping the general public and the business community better informed about EU policies and increasing public interest in EU affairs. The first centre, in Blanchardstown library was launched on 24th October by Dick Roche, TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The other flagship libraries for the European Direct Information Service are Ballinasloe, Carraroe, Dooradoyle, Longford, Letterkenny, Macroom, and Lismore Enterprise Park. These new centres will offer a range of services including guides to EU law, programmes and policies, treaty texts, public feedback to Brussels and a freephone to the EUROPE DIRECT centre. There will also be PC access to the EU website and many will also provide a TV showing the "Europe by L Left to Right: Mr. Paul Harris - County Librarian, Fingal Satellite" news channel. County Libraries Ms.Joan Maher - Fingal County Council Speaking at the launch, Minister Roche said:" This initiative Cathaoirleach Mr.Dick Roche - TD, Minister for Environment and should help stimulate public debate about EU policies and enable Local Government Mr. Martin Territt - Director of European the work of the European Union to become more relevant and Commission Office in Dublin Mr. John Tierney - County Manager, responsive to the needs of its citizens." Fingal County Council THE POLLARD COLLECTION OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS A new exhibition of children’s literature has opened in Trinity College’s Long Room. ‘Tales of Wonder – A Peep into the Pollard Collection’ marks the bequest of about 10,000 books by the late Paul (Mary) Pollard to Trinity’s Library. The exhibition was opened by children’s author, Siobhán Parkinson, and will run until mid- January 2006. Mary Pollard (1922 – 2005), known as Paul, was a leading figure in Irish bibliography, with an international reputation for her work on the eighteenth-century Dublin book trade. She worked for many years in the Early Printed Books Department of Trinity College Dublin’s Library, and was its first Keeper. Paul also worked part-time in Marsh’s Library in the early part of her career. This collection is one of international significance, comprising some 10,000 books spanning the period from the late 17th century to the early 20th century, with a particular focus on books for girls. It contains literature written for children by significant Irish authors, particularly Maria Edgeworth, and many books of Irish interest. A The Pollard collection presents enormous opportunities for full assessment of its strengths in particular categories has yet to research and scholarship on a wide range of themes relating to be carried out, but they include moral tales and tracts, learner children’s literature and childhood, and associated disciplines readers, chapbooks, nineteenth-century annuals and magazines. such as education, English, history, sociology, gender studies, and Many items were awarded as prizes or have inscribed popular culture. Paul Pollard’s notebooks recording her presentation statements, giving valuable information on their acquisitions and her card index of the books, which came with the provenance. The exhibition, prepared by Dr Lydia Ferguson of the collection, will also be invaluable tools for research. The Library’s Library’s Department of Early Printed Books, illustrates the immediate priority will be to catalogue the books in full so as to be collection’s range and the development of writing for children over able to make them available to researchers. three hundred years. The bequest also includes the establishment of Ireland’s first scholarship dedicated to research in bibliography. news & events Cork Bound, an exhibition of some of the treasures of Cork City Applications are invited for the Elsevier/LIRG Research Award Libraries, was launched on 17 November 2005 at the Central for 2005. The purpose of the award is to encourage research and Library on the Grand Parade and runs until late December. It is innovation in library and information science. It is intended that the last of a series of exhibitions organised by Cork City Libraries particular attention will be paid to proposals intended to improve during 2005 to mark Cork’s year as the European Capital of the accessibility, retrievability and usefulness of information. The Culture. maximum value of the award is £1000(one thousand pounds). The exhibition concentrates on historically important or visually The closing date for applications is 31 January 2006. attractive samples of Cork-related material from the Local Studies The award may be used to defray research expenses (e.g. travel, department, highlighting some of the lesser-known resources of postage costs) to fund attendance at high level meetings or to the library. The displayed items include manuscripts, books, fund a study tour. A clear overall aim for the research must be maps, photographs, illustrations, journals and theatre stated. Visits for general professional development will not be programmes. considered. Among the interesting items on display are early photographs There is no application form, and proposals may be made in any showing, e.g., the laying of the foundation stone of St Fin Barre’s suitable form. As guidance, it is suggested that the following Cathedral in 1865, schooners delivering cargo to Ballinacurra should be included: harbour in the 1890s, a city lane around 1900, and a hand- • A description of the proposed research, including a title, the coloured map of part of Cork city in 1845. objective(s), the methodology, the expected timescale, and Writing in her arts column in the Irish Times on 28 November, any other related work (by proposer or others) Mary Leland described the exhibition as ‘a fascinating display of • A financial projection, including all anticipated expenditure, publications old and new’. which will be used as the basis on which any award is assessed. Where it is proposed to use funding from other sources to supplement the award this should be clearly stated. Proposers should note that Elsevier/LIRG award should be the principal source of funding for the research • Curriculum vitae of proposer Prize winners will be required to present an interim account of the research to the Annual General Meeting of the Library and Information Research Group. In addition, a final report on the research will be required in the form of a paper suitable for publication in Library and Information Research (LIR). The closing date for applications is 31st January 2006 Applications (by 31st January 2006) and further enquiries should be sent (preferably by email) to: Dr. Angela Conyers, Library Services, 84 Aldridge Road, UCE Birmingham, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2SU. The full longlist of eligible titles for the 2006 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, along with details of the members of the judging panel, was announced in Dublin on Tuesday 22nd November by Councillor Catherine Byrne, Lord Mayor L Cork Butter Market from the Illustrated London News of of Dublin and Patron of the Award [see 2 April 1859 as featured in Cork Bound http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/2006/longlist.htm]. The shortlist will be announced on 5th April 2006 and the winner on 14th June The Regional Library at Dr. Steevens’ Hospital is embarking on 2006. a digital media storage project. The aim of this project is to P.S. The longlist includes 132 novels: 31 in translation - covering implement a customised digital media archive to facilitate 15 languages - nominated by 180 library systems from 124 cities electronic access to full-text health related reports, documents & in 43 countries. Six of the novels are by Irish authors - Cecilia information regardless of original format. The pilot phase of this Ahern, PS, I Love You; Ronan Bennett, Havoc in its Third Year; project began in 2005 and involved identifying a core collection of Frank Delaney, Ireland; Roddy Doyle, Oh, Play That Thing; Tina publications and converting them using scanning equipment and Reilly, Something Borrowed; Colm Tóibín, The Master. OCR software to digital format. The access point for the archive is web-based. The benefits of the system include: improved Laois County Library: in Portlaoise library on the 17th access to electronic documents, preservation of older material, November, Michael Moylan of Dùchas presented a series of live full-text search facility, expand awareness of material held interactive history shows to three national schools. These schools electronically, preservation of knowledge for future generations. were Portarlington Convent N.S., St Paul's Boys School, The pilot contains an archive of all documents in the public domain Portlaoise and Scoil Muire Portlaoise. The history periods chosen produced by the following agencies from 2000 – 2004: Eastern by the schools in respective order were, "The Celts", "1798 to Regional Health Authority, East Coast Area Health Board, South 1803" and "1916 Rising". Children took part in an interactive West Area Health Board, Northern Area Health Board. In addition lecture with weaponry and dress of the period being tried out. The all documents produced by the former Eastern Health Board from day was enjoyed by all and it is hoped to provide lectures for more 1979-2000 are included. A key collection of health documents schools in the near future. from 1970 to today are included as part of a subject based Michael talked to the students about the various periods, with browseable collection. The intention is to expand the archive to many interesting asides and anecdotes along the way. He held the become a National repository of Irish health information. children's attention very well and indeed any adults who were This is an abstract of a paper given by Aoife Lawton entitled present were impressed and learnt some.