6th East Galway Library Art Trail launches in Ballinasloe Library

The 6th East Galway Library Art Trail commences on Thursday, March 1st at 7.30pm with the launch of  an exhibition by Eve Woods at Ballinasloe Library.
 The art trail is a joint project between the staff in the 5 libraries in East Galway area and Joyce Little, a Ballinasloe based professional artist.The aim of the Art Trail is to bring professional art, in its various mediums, to people of all ages and in all areas,both urban and rural, of East Galway.....and in doing so, to expose them to art in their own locality in an intergenerational and socially inclusive way.
 Art exhibitions will open in the libraries on Thursdays during the month of March.....the exception being Portumna,whose exhibition opens on Wednesday, 7th March at 7.30pm. Libraries taking part are Ballinasloe,Portumna,Eyrecourt,Killimor and Woodford. All members of the general public are welcome and details are available from local libraries.....available on www.galwaylibrary.ie.

Book of the Week - Galway City Library

‘Environmental Information Pack' launch in Loughrea Library

The launch of Galway County Council’s ‘Environmental Information Pack’ and ‘Greening Your Workplace’ Leaflet Series will take place in the Loughrea Library on Thursday 23rd February 2012 at 11.00am.   

This Leaflet Series was developed as an environmental education and awareness tool and contains bi-lingual leaflets, bookmarks and display stands.  The series covers topics such as Waste Prevention, Energy Conservation, Water Conservation, Home Composting and Food Waste Prevention.  

The leaflets contain information on how each of us as individuals can improve our environmental performance either in the home or in the workplace and will assist in  further enhancing the creation of environmental awareness throughout the County.

Individuals, schools, businesses and organisations can benefit from this information.

Martin Reilly Lecture Series in Galway City Library

Loughrea Music Club in Loughrea Library

Loughrea Music Club celebrated their 3^rd Birthday last Sunday night- 5^th February 2012. A melodic night was enjoyed by the huge turn out of patrons, for the first meeting of 2012. Instrumental pieces were performed by Philip Short on Piano, Tom Murphy and Yvette Gorham on Violins, David Clarke on Viola and Denise Moorcroft on Cello.
Padraig and Madeline Connaughton sang tunes including ‘I left My Heart in San Francisco’ and ‘The Last Rose of Summer’. 

The next concert will take place on Saturday March 3^rd at 8pm in the Carmelite Church, in aid of Trocaire. Tickets are €10. It will feature the eighty strong ‘Firhouse Singers’ from Dublin, the Loughrea Abby Adult Choir, and Japanese violinist Yuki Nishioka. 

'Start Reading Initiative' in Ballybane Library

On Wednesday 1^st February, the Mayor of the city of Galway, Councillor Hildegarde Naughton, visited Ballybane library for the launch of the “Start Reading initiative”

The aims of the initiative are as follows;

   To introduce children to the library service and all it offers

·         To encourage children to become readers

·         To encourage children to join the library

·         To instill a culture of reading at a young age

  

85 Junior Infants,  their parents and teachers from Holy Trinity National School, Mervue attended the event. The pupils were presented with library membership cards and a library bag with two books.

The event was a great success and is the first in a series of visits to Ballybane library by local Junior Infants and their parents.

 The Start Reading Initiative is a pilot project in Tuam and Ballybane Libraries by Galway County Libraries. 

Loughrea Library Blind Date 1st February to 13th March

Borrowers in Loughrea Library are in for a treat this month as they can participate on a Library Blind Date, tying in with Valentines’ day. Library staff have selected, and covered in newspaper, over 50 books for borrowers to try. The selection includes some classics, staff favourites, borrower recommendations, literary gems and some pot luck. However, the catch is that borrowers have no idea what book they are taking home.

Loughrea staff has imposed a few Dating Rules: 

1. Choose a covered book from the selection.

2. Decide if size matters to you.

3. Bring it to the counter to check out.

4. If you have had previous relations with the book and do not want to give it a second change, bring it back and try another date!

5. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not try three or four blind bates?

6.  Join us on Tuesday March 13th from 6 to 7pm to ‘rate my date’ (optional).

The aim of the blind date is to introduce borrowers to a new author, genre, style or theme that they may usually overlook, especially through the haze of bestsellers and new fiction. 

Newbery & Caldecott Medal Winners 2012

The Newbery and Caldecott prizes, the most prestigious in children's literature, were announced recently by the American Library Association.  No cash prizes are given, but the awards are watched closely by booksellers and librarians. Previous winners include such favorites as Louis Sachar's "Holes" and Brian Selznick's "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," the basis for Martin Scorsese's film "Hugo."

The 2012 Caldecott Medal winner is 'A Ball for Daisy', written and illustrated by Chris Raschka, published by Schwartz & Wade Books.In a wordless book with huge children’s appeal, Chris Raschka gives us the story of an irrepressible little dog whose most prized possession is accidently destroyed.  With brilliant economy of line and color, Raschka captures Daisy’s total (yet temporary) devastation. A buoyant tale of loss, recovery and friendship.
“Chris Raschka’s deceptively simple paintings of watercolor, gouache and ink explore universal themes of love and loss that permit thousands of possible variants,” said Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Steven L. Herb. ‘A Ball for Daisy’ holds as many unique stories as there will be young readers and re-readers.
Runners-UpBlackout, written and illustrated by John Rocco, published by Disney · Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.
Grandpa Green, written and illustrated by Lane Smith, published by Roaring Brook Press.
Me … Jane, written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell and published by Little, Brown and Company.

The 2012 Newbery Medal winner is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, published by Farrar Straus Giroux

The importance of history and reading (so you don’t do the same “stupid stuff” again) is at the heart of this achingly funny romp through a dying New Deal town. While mopping up epic nose bleeds, Jack narrates this screw-ball mystery in an endearing and believable voice.

“Who knew obituaries and old lady death could be this funny and this tender?” said Newbery Medal Committee Chair Viki Ash.

Runners-UpInside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, published by HarperCollins Children's Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin, published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.