Saturday, May 27, 2006

New Kilronan Library

The main construction on the new library on Kilronan is nearing completion. It is expected that the shelving and furniture will be installed during July, and the library is expected to be officially opened in September. This library project is a cooperative effort involving Comhar Chumann Inis Mór, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Galway County Council. From a previous post, you can see the construction plans for the new library here.

Photographed at the site of the new library on Thursday May 25th are: Pat McMahon, County Librarian, Mairín Ni Fhlatharta, Nóirín Bean Ui Ghoill, Librarian at Kilronan Library, Maureen Moran, Executive Librarian and Mari Sandnes, who is a student in the Library and Information Sciences department at Oslo University College and will be completing her BA with this placement in Galway. Thanks to the Leonardo da Vinci programme grant, she will be working in the Galway library for 13 weeks this summer. She comes from a small village in Norway called Solbergelva about 50 km from Oslo. She is 22 years old.

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Oranmore Library Reading Circle

The Reading Circle is a friendly, informal discussion group for people who wish to share their enjoyment of reading. Oranmore Library hosts two Reading Circles;

The morning reading circle will be discussing “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck for their May meeting at 11.15am on Wed. 31st of May and will be joined by guests from the Oranmore Writers’ Group who will be reading from their own works. Their book choice for June is “Snow” by Orhan Pamuk.

The evening reading circle will be discussing “The Known World” by E.P. Jones for their May meeting at 6.30pm on Thurs. 24th of May. For June they have chosen to read “The English Passengers” by Matthew Kneale.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Building the European Digital Library

With two Galway Branch Libraries (Ballinasloe and Carraroe) now providing the Europe Direct service the EU has announced plans to rival Google's establishment of a digital online library.

After having spelled out the European Commission’s plans for a European Digital Library last month, Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding recently chaired the first meeting of the High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries. The group will advise the Commission on how to tackle key challenges in making Europe’s cultural heritage available online.
“Our goal is to make Europe’s cultural and scientific heritage available to all European citizens and researchers for their studies, work or leisure,” Commissioner Reding commented. “With its immense expertise and knowledge, this group can make an essential contribution to the European Digital Library”.

The group discussed the Commission's vision for the European Digital Library (see IP/06/253) and set up a framework for future discussions. The group also had a first exchange of views on copyright issues. In a recent online consultation, right-holders supported the adequacy of the present copyright rules and the need to fully respect and enforce them, while cultural institutions highlighted a number of problems in the present copyright framework that could potentially undermine efficient digitisation and digital preservation. The High Level Expert Group has 20 members, together possessing a wide range of expertise and knowledge. They are experts from libraries, archives, museums, content providers, industry (e.g. search engines, technology providers), research organisations and academia.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Celebrating Bealtaine in Dunmore Library

An art exhibition opened on 13th of May in Dunmore Library. Celebrating the Bealtaine Festival a group of local lady artists are exhibiting their work which will be in the library until May 25th. The lady captain of our local golf club Mrs Cathy Silke is doing the honours of opening the event preceded by a cheese and wine reception. Everyone welcome

Dunmore Library, Enterprise Centre, Tel : +353 (0)93 38923

Friday, May 12, 2006

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

The closing date for receipt of nominations has been extended to Thursday 25th May. Hopefully this will give you time to get some nominations in to us. I appreciate that you have many demands on your time but know how supportive you are of this award.

The novel you submitted last year, Queen Cocaine / Amat Nuria, would be eligible this year. Perhaps you would like to nominate it?


If any of the libraries in Galway want to nominate a book for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, then they might e-mail the title to kshaughn@galwaycoco.ie

To summarize, you may nominate up to 3 novels which were first published in English in 2005. If originally written in a language other than English the original must have been published between 2001 and 2005 and the translation published in 2005.

We look forward to receiving your nominations from Galway.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

“Everyone should have a library to love…………..”

Galway Public Libraries for BOOKS and IDEAS

Readers may be interested in the following books which have been added to stock at Galway City Library



Silent Day In Tangier, by Tahar Ben Jelloun. Quartet
In a run-down house in Tangier, an old man waits to die. His regrets are not for a life unlived but for happiness glimpsed, taken for granted or lost, opportunities experienced and betrayed. Jelloun combines the gifts of the traditional Arab storyteller--that ability to play fantastic variations upon the simplest of themes--with remarkable philosophical insight.


The Poetry Home Repair Manual: Practical Advice For Beginning Poets, by Ted Kooser. Bison Books
A no-nonsense book, which "advocates for poems that can be read and understood without professional interpretation." To that end, he offers plenty of examples from contemporary poets, explaining uses of rhyme, meter, imagery and other fundamentals without resorting to too much technical language. The last chapter stresses time as the greatest help in editing: "leave your poem alone until it looks as if someone else might have written it."

Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, Jeanne Birdsall. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Adults who have been longing to find books for children that remind them of their own childhood favourites need look no further. What this comforting family tale offers are four marvellously appealing sisters, and true childhood behaviour (disobeying, running away, a first crush). Problems are solved and lessons learned in this wonderful, humorous story that features characters whom readers will immediately love, as well as a superb writing style. For ages 8-12.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Europe Day in Ballinasloe Library

To-day,9th May we are celebrating EUROPE DAY here at Ballinasloe Library ,which is also a EUROPE DIRECT RELAY.

In order to celebrate this anniversary, we are focusing on a celebration of European authors and we are doing this by having an Exhibiton of Books in translation by these authors in three different areas of the library. By doing this,we hope to tie in the information that we provide on Europe on a daily basis with European arts{literature and all other forms of the arts} in such a way that it will educate,inform and bring the people who come in here closer to Europe as it is to-day. Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the European Commission, wants the ordinary person to learn about Europe through simple language...she realizes that the EU, which was a mystery and something very far away for most of us is now being brought closer to everyone, with information available literally, on demand.
We appreciate the co-operation and help received from Pat McMahon, County Librarian and the staff at both Galway City and Headquarters with this project to-day.


"That libraries are unique....windows into other cultures and ways of life,and that libraries provide services to those people who...seek new content for their lives,and who are thereby actively helping to build a new citizens Europe."
From:The Rynnen report on the "Role of libraries in the Modern World",adopted almost unanimously on 23rd October 1998 by the European Parliament.

Friday, May 05, 2006

Anne Frank Exhibition at Westside Library

An Anne Frank Exhibition takes place at Westside Library from Tuesday 16th May to Friday 9th June. The Official opening is by Deputy Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Colette Connolly on Thursday evening 18th May at 6.30 p.m.

What is it?

Anne Frank: A history for today. A travelling exhibition designed by the curators of the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam. The exhibition challenges us to think of tolerance, human rights and democracy.

How?

By telling Anne Frank’s story and that of her family and by showing the history of the Holocaust through the testimony of other contemporary witnesses. The exhibition encourages the visitor to think about then and now - to see parallels and differences in events. This exhibition is visiting Ireland from January to June 2006. It has already been hosted by Pearse Street Library and Ballyfermot Branch Library in Dublin. It then travelled to Waterford and from there to Limerick and finally on to Galway.
The exhibition will be open during normal library opening hours and also on Mondays and groups wishing to book should contact Westside Library at 091-520616. Booking is essential for groups.
Volunteer guides are required to help with showing groups around the exhibition and all necessary training will be given on Monday 15th May in Westside Library. So if you wish to volunteer a couple of hours per week please contact Cora Gunter at Westside Library 091-520616.

Format

The exhibition consists of a number of panels all arranged chronologically. The life history of Anne Frank is the thread that runs through the entire exhibition. The family’s story reflects world events during and after the Nazi regime. The exhibition juxtaposes photographs of the Frank family with those of historical events of the time and shows how persecuted people such as the Franks were affected by political decisions and by the actions of individuals. This history is shown in sections. In each of these sections a theme which still has relevance for us today is discussed in depth.
An essential component of the exhibition is the short film about Anne Frank and her family called “The short life of Anne Frank”. It is informative and moving. It takes 25 minutes to watch this film. Groups should aim to spend about one and a half hours viewing the exhibition and film.

The exhibition is brought to Ireland by The Holocaust Educational Trust of Ireland in association with the National Action Plan against Racism and co-sponsored by Cognotec.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

An Leabhar Mór/Great Book of Gaelic Exhibition


An Leabhar Mór/Great Book of Gaelic brings together the work of more than two hundred poets, visual artists and calligraphers from Scotland and Ireland to create a major contemporary artwork in the form of a visual anthology.

The exhibition - part of the Cúirt International Festival of Literature - was launched in the Galway City Branch on Friday 21st April at 6.30 p.m. The exhibition is open until the 5th May.

The Exhibition is sponsored by Colmcille, the organisation charged with promoting the use of Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages and raising awareness of the shared Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage of Ireland - north and south - and Scotland.

[Graphic file Christy Ring, by Robert Ballagh, illustration to Seán Ó Tuama’s poem “Christy Ring”].

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Headford Library Opening

Councillor Pat Hynes, Mayor of the County of Galway, with Ms. Edel Talbot, Librarian, Headford Library and Mrs. Nora Fitzgerald, former Librarian, Headford Library at the opening of the new branch library in Headford.


A section of the attendance at the opening of the new branch library in Headford.






Councillor Pat Hynes, Mayor of the County of Galway, cutting the tape for the opening of the new branch library in Headford.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

“Everyone should have a library to love…………..”

Galway Public Libraries for BOOKS and IDEAS.

Readers may be interested in the following books which have been added to stock at Galway City Library


The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch, by Kenneth Koch, Alfred A. Knopf, 2005
Includes "The Art of Poetry," in which Koch provides a list of questions for the poet to pose before deciding if a poem is ready to be "released," beginning with "Is it astonishing?" Keeping this in mind as one reads Koch's works, and sensing all the hard work, soul searching, and playfulness involved in creating his nimble, uplifting, and wise poems, one decides that they are, indeed, astonishing.
Wise Men and Their Tales, by Elie Wiesel, Schocken Books, 2003
A master teacher gives us his fascinating insights into a wide range of biblical events, then asks questions about the personalities that people them. Why did Lot's wife look back? His explorations, drawing on the collective wisdom of prophets, rabbis, and scholars from the earliest days to the present, are endlessly illuminating. Wiesel is a fine storyteller, and the general reader will be captivated.


Questions of Life: An Invitation to Philosophy, by Fernando Savater, Polity, 2002
The awareness of death is what turns life into a very serious business for each of us, into something mysterious and awesome. How am I going to answer the questions that life suggests to me. In his discussion of concepts such as beauty, time and language, Savater frequently refers to earlier philosophers in a way that brings their ideas to life and shows their enduring relevance. An elegant and straightforward book.