Wicklow County Library Service is already a lead player in a number of initiatives outlined in a new national five-year strategy for the country’s libraries.
The strategy is a joint initiative of the Department of Rural and Community Development, the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA).
Wicklow County Council Chief Executive, Mr Frank Curran, as a member of the LGMA Libraries Development Committee, was a leading contributor to the report which was launched by Mr Michael Ring TD, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, in the Lexicon Library, Dun Laoghaire.
Wicklow County Council Library Service is already a lead player in a number of the initiatives specifically
Mentioned in the strategy, including “Work Matters” and the extension of self-service initiatives to all fulltime libraries in the county.
Library membership has recently been made free to all nationally, whereas Wicklow County Council had the vision to provide free library membership since 1999. This has resulted in the service in Wicklow growing over the past 20 years.
In addition to the Wicklow public having 13 libraries and a mobile library throughout the county, recent national initiatives have resulted in a number of free online services. These include e-books, downloadable audio books, e-languages, e-magazines and e-comics. The national online catalogue allows the public to request a book from anywhere in Ireland and collect it at your local library. Log onto www.wicklow.ie to see the many services available.
“Our Public Libraries 2022 – Inspiring, Connecting and Empowering Communities” is a progressive strategy which aims to improve access, use and visibility of the library as a community hub, and develop the library as a focal point for community and cultural development. It lays out a vision over a number of strategic programmes + library buildings, digital development, opening hours, access, funding, staff and stock.
