Dublin City Public Libraries, Plans 2007

Dublin City public Libraries and Archive. Plans 2007. Additional Funding. Additional funding of 1,000,000 euro for 2007 will be ringfenced to, Extend Library Opening Hours. Upgrade facilities to accommodate homework and after school clubs. Provide dedicated Family Reeding, and Learning collections, and programmes with priority focus on disadvantaged groups. Renew the network of branch libraries with the latest internet ready personal computers, and provide Broadband and Wireless facilities. Deliver Residency programme for History and Education. Digitise library collection materials, to produce educational packs. Expenditure includes provision for the public lecture, promotion, publication, digitisation, residency, and exhibition programmes, together with services supporting life long learning, the information society, and social inclusion objectives. Access for All. The Library Business Plan continues to address areas of service provision, removing barriers to service uptake and creating welcoming, accessible, and affirming environments supported by appropriate services and formats. Funding is provided to extend 6 day opening as follows: On a phased basis, 7 branches covering the five electoral areas of the city council will increase their operating timetable from five to six days: Central Area: Charleville Mall Library, Phibsboro Library. North Central Area: Marino Library. South Central Area: Inchicore Library. South East Area: Kevin St Library, Ringsend Library. North West Area: Drumcondra Library. In 2006, Dublin City Libraries won two of the inaugural, NDA, National Disability Authority, "Excellence through Accessibility" Awards, for services at Pearse Street and Cabra libraries. Maintaining and improving on this quality mark recognition will direct future developments. In compliance with the Disability Act 2005, and Dublin City Council's Access programme, audits of all library buildings have commenced. The required local and client consultation phase commenced in 2006 with Pembroke library, and will progress in 2007 in tandem with action to address a prioritised capital access improvement programme. Capital funding has been sought for this programme. Grant aided funding received in 2006 provided assistive technology, including video magnifiers, touch monitors, trackballs and large keyboards, to selected libraries. This provision will be extended in 2007. The theme of "Equal Opportunity for All" will inform all programmes during 2007, in line with its designation by the European Commission as 'European Year of Equal Opportunities for All'.

Online Services. Provision is made for the further development and expansion of Virtual library services. In 2007, the library management system, Galaxy, will be upgraded with new functionality adding value to the library catalogue. Online reservation and registration services will be delivered, with work continuing on improvements to web content, database creation, and digitisation. Client engagement will be offered via feedback mechanisms such as Blogs and other web 2 developments. Broadband and Wireless. Provision is made for the installation of free Broadband and Wireless Internet access at all libraries. This will greatly enhance scale, scope, and speed of Internet access possible, particularly to diverse and qualitative heritage and educational content such as historical Ordnance Survey Maps. A personal computer upgrade programme is also provided for, necessary to improve and update free public Internet service first installed in 2001. Information Society. A citywide Internet information tuition, residency programme, Web smart, has been in place since 2002. In 2007, library staff will delivery this programme together with other learning modules. Research will continue to develop a diverse range of learning modules. Provision is made in 2007 for dedicated E-Gov access at libraries citywide to augment current internet provision, building on learning gained from E-Gov project completed in 2006. Readers and Learners. 2007 will see the expansion of collections, to include access to downloadable talking books and electronic databases. Services of the Open Learning Centre, Central library, secured recognition as the Learghas "Language Ambassador" for 2006. Improvements to computer-based Learning facilities at the Central library, commenced during 2006, will continue during 2007. Particular budgetary provision has been made for the purchase of support materials for homework clubs, pre-school literacy, family reeding groups, and the development of multi-cultural collections, to provide for the diverse needs of clients and communities. An Education support residency will further animate this service. Reader development programmes, including Readers Days and other interactive opportunities, will be scheduled during 2007. These support general library users and the network of readers groups based in Libraries throughout the city, 76 by the end of 2006, an increase of 50% since 2004. Readers groups for children have also been established at 12 branch libraries. Readers Day for Children will form part of a pro-active and dynamic focus on children, with a special Reading Tree programme for summer 2007. The success of the inaugural "One City, One Book" project in 2006, has secured a

commitment to repeat this project for 2007 and 2008. In parallel, Dublin City Libraries will work with relevant stakeholders to finalise a submission to U NESCO for the inclusion of Dublin in the Creative Cities Network, as a designated "City of Literature". History and Heritage. Provision is made for "Memory Dublin" programmes such as the Theatre Royal oral history project (commenced in 2006). 2007 will also see work continuing on the production of a database of elected representatives. A programme of digitisation, lectures, publications, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and readings is in place for 2007. This programme will be supported by the addition of a historian in residence. Content prioritised for digitisation includes material from the library collections in support of the primary and secondary level school curricula. Provision is included for the City Archive conservation and listing programme to focus on First World War collections. Publication Programme 2007. Publication of Alderman Tom Kelly and Dublin City Council, 1868 to 1942. Publication of third edition, Directory of Graveyards in the Dublin Area. Production of "For Church, City and Country: Dublin City Council, the Church of Ireland and the 1916 Rising", based on lecture series to mark 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising at City Hall and Christ Church Cathedral. Publication date: Easter 2008. Recoupable agency services are carried out for the Department of Justice and for the Department of Education and Science.