IMPAC Literary Award Longlist

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is the largest and most international prize of its kind. It involves libraries from all corners of the globe, and is open to books written in any language.
Novels by two Irish writers; The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, winner of the 2009 Costa Prize and Netherland by Joseph O’Neill, longlisted for the 2009 Man Booker prize have been nominated for the prestigious 2010 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. The nominations come from 163 libraries in 123 cities and 43 countries worldwide. See the 2010 longlist here.

The Award is open to works of fiction written in, or translated into, English and published within a specified period of time.The nomination process for the Award is unique as nominations are made by selected libraries in capital and major cities throughout the world.

Participating libraries can nominate up to three books each year for the Award: the books must meet the criteria for eligibility which are distributed to libraries each year.

Science Week event in Tuam Library

NUIG held a workshop in Tuam Library on Tuesday 17^th November as part of Science Week.

Students from Transition year in the Presentation College attended the workshop and debated the issue of adult stem cell research. This workshop was in preparation for Debating Science Issues, a debating competition which invites students to engage in debate on biomedical science.

Ballinasloe Library, 20 Years since the Fall of the Berlin Wall:Wir waren so frei:Momentaufnahmen 1989/1990

An exhibition of film and photographs,currently at ED Ballinasloe/Ballinasloe Library, until early December, commemorates the Fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago. This event is one of the European Commission’s priorities for this year.

The exhibition, from Deutsche Kinemathek Museum Fur Film und Fernsehen in Berlin, conveys a wide range of very personal impressions and atmospheres, affording the observer a unique glimpse of these historical events and their effects on daily life in both the East and the West....the atmosphere preceding the fall of the wall and daily life during changing times.

A DVD supplied with the exhibition runs continually at the centre and class visits may be booked in advance .

Special thanks to Judith Lehinger in Berlin and to Isabel, a German student, working with Galway County Libraries in Ballybane Library for their help with this exhibition.

'Sources' launched by National Library

Sources is a National Library of Ireland database for Irish research, contains over 180,000 catalogue records for Irish manuscripts, and for articles in Irish periodicals.

You can search across:
All of the National Library's manuscripts catalogued up to the 1980s.

Irish manuscripts held in other libraries and archives in Ireland and worldwide, listed between the 1940s and the 1970s.
Articles, reviews and other content that appeared in over 150 Irish periodicals (download a full list of the journals) up to 1969.
Article records give details of the author, the title, and the citation, as well as information about how to access the periodicals in the National Library of Ireland or elsewhere. Manuscript records provide key details about the manuscript including the title, in addition to where it is held and its manuscript number. All records have subject headings, which can themselves be used as searches.
Copies of any periodical articles that the National Library of Ireland holds can be ordered through our Reprographics department, using the citation details (including page numbers) and the call number given in the records. Copies of the Library's manuscript material need to be requested through our Manuscripts department. Full details on ordering material, including pricing, are available on the Copying Services section of the National Library's main website.

Ballybane Library Knitting Circle

This new group meets on the first Tuesday of each month in Ballybane Library from 2.30p.m. – 4p.m.

Contact the Library on 380590 if you are interested

Art and Creative Writing Exhibition in Ballybane Library

The launch of an Art and Creative Writing Exhibition by the Brothers of Charity service users from the Aisling Centre took place in Ballybane Library on Thursday 22^ndOctober.
Local Councillor Hildegarde Naughton did the honours with help from the pupils of local school, Coláiste na Coirbe.

Age Action volunteer tutors in Ballybane Library

On Monday 9^th November a presentation of certificates to Age Action volunteer tutors took place in Ballybane Library.

All the tutors are involved in the “Getting Started” computer classes which are held in Ballybane Library.
The tutors were nominated in the category of “IT Volunteer of the Year” as part of the “Getting Started” initiative.

The Mayor of Galway city, Cllr. Declan McDonnell, presented the certificates.

Gombeens bring their show to 10 Galway Libraries.

The Gombeens, Jonathan Gunning and Miquel Barcelo are two self confessed social clowns who spread the word of a more just society, through laughter. Their show Stories of a Yellow Town was created from interviews with both Brazilian and Irish residents of Gort. The show gives a voice to the migrants in the area while helping people to understand and empathise with their struggle.
The show is being brought to schoolchildren across Galway over the next two weeks as the Gombeens visit 10 Branch Libraries in Galway. The shows are funded by The Arts office, Galway Co. Council.

Gort, Nov 4^th

Westside, Galway City, Nov 5^th

Oranmore, Ballybane, Nov 6^th

Loughrea, Ballinasloe, Nov 11^th

Athenry, Tuam, Nov 12^th

Dunmore, Glenamaddy, Nov 13^th

EU Direct Essay Competition in Ballinasloe Library

Comórtas Aiste ar “Thitim an Chuirtín Iarainn”.

I mbliana, tá ceiliúradh dha dhéanamh ar an 20ú cuimhneachán de Thitim an Chuirtín Iarainn. Chun Aird a thabhairt ar seo, tá comórtas aiste eagraithe ag Ionad Eolais Choimisiún na h-Eorpa, atá ionnaithe i ED Ballinasloe/Leabharlann Phoiblí Bhéal Atha na Sluaighe, do scoileanna dara leibhéal faoin teideal:

“Ag maireachtáil taobh thiar don Chuirtín Iarainn...lá i mo shaol”.

Ta an comórtas oscailte do gach rang dara leibhéal agus siad na duaiseanna :
1ad duais : 200 Euro. 2 adh duais: 100 Euro. 3 adh duais : 75 euro. 6 dhuais de 40 euro an ceann. Sé Dé Mairt an 8ú lá de mhí na Nollag an dáta deireannach a nglacfar le h-iarratais.

Is féidir iad a phostáil chuig M.Dillon, Ionad Eolais Choimisiún na h-Eorpa, Leabharlann Phoiblí Bhéal Atha na Sluaighe, Co. na Gaillimhe nó ar riomhphost:

Europe Direct “Fall of the Iron Curtain”Essay Competition

The 20^th anniversary of the Fall of the Iron Curtain is being celebrated this year. In order to highlight this ,the Europe Direct Centre at ED Ballinasloe/Ballinasloe Library has organized an essay competition for second level schools entitled

“Living behind the Iron Curtain...a day in the life”.

The Competition is open to all second level classes and the prizes, sponsored by the ED Centre are:
1^st prize:200 euro. 2^nd prize:100 euro. 3^rd prize:75 euro. 6 runner-up prizes:40 euro each

Closing date for entries is:Tuesday,8^th December 2009.

Entries may be posted to: M.Dillon, ED Centre, Ballinasloe Library, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway or email.