Galway Libraries - Children’s Book Festival Events

The Children’s Book Festival runs for the month of October every year and sees libraries, schools and bookshops across the country hosting events with the very best Irish and international children’s writers and illustrators. This week some of the story-telling events taking place in Galway Libraries include:

Patricia Forde:

Tuam library 11^th October

Niall de Burca:

Monday 10^th Westside library

Tuesday 11^th Galway City Library

Wednesday 12^th: Dunmore, Ballygar and Tuam Libraries

Thursday 13^th: Athenry and Headford Libraries

Circus Stars Reading Challenge Awards in Ballybane Library

Ballybane Library had it's award ceremony last Thursday and Friday for the children that completed the ‘Circus Stars’ Reading challenge this Summer.

419 children signed up to the challenge 250 children and 150 parents completed it.

CoCo the clown entertained the crowds.

Positive Ageing Week Photo Exhibition in Ballybane Library

Positive Ageing Week is a festival which highlights the positive aspects of ageing and celebrates the contribution older people have made and continue to make to their communities. Age Action Ireland coordinates Positive Ageing Week.

The central aim of Positive Ageing Week is to dispel the many negative perceptions that surround ageing and to transform attitudes towards ageing and older people. We need to

An exhibition of photographs which will challenge negative public perceptions of ageing and older people is currently touring Ireland.celebrate the fact that we are living longer, that ageing is not a burden but an opportunity.

The exhibition features the winning images and some of the other images from Age Action’s Positive Ageing Week Photographic Competition that has been held over the past four years.

“If, for example, you fear ageing and believe it will be a time of poor health or isolation, then we would urge you to drop in and view these images of ordinary older people continue to enjoy their lives into their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond,” Age Action chief executive Robin Webster said.

The exhibition will be on view in Ballybane Library during Positive Ageing Week, which runs from September 23 to October 1.

Top Picture: Kevin Molloy - ESB, Hildegard Naughton, Pete Mullineaux – Journeys Creative writing

Bottom PictureKevin: Molloy - ESB, Hildegard Naughton, Anna Marie Byrne – Age Action West

September Over The Edge -Open Reading Thursday, September 29th, 6.30pm-8pm Galway City Library

Featured Readers are Aileen Armstrong, Davnet Heery and Moyra Donaldson. The evening will also see the announcement of the winners of this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of the Year. The competition judge is Elaine Feeney.

Moyra Donaldson was born and brought up in Co Down and has been described as one of the country’s most distinctive and accomplished writers: a poet whose voice is full of integrity and mystery. Her first full collection of poems Snakeskin Stilettos was published in 1998, followed by Beneath the Ice in 2001, both from Lagan Press. She has received four awards from the Arts Council NI, most recently, the Artist Career Enhancement Award. Moyra’s poems have featured on radio and television, including the Channel 4 production, Poems to Fall in Love With. Horse’s Nest, was published by Lagan Press in 2006 and described in Poetry Ireland Review as ‘one of the most enjoyable poetry books of the last few years.’ Her most recent collection, Miracle Fruit, was published by Lagan Press in November 2010.

Aileen Armstrong’s writing has appeared in the Stinging Fly, Three Times Daily, Some Blind Alleys, and Cuadrivio (in Spanish translation). In 2009, she graduated from the M.A. in Writing programme at NUIG, and in 2010, she received a literature bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland. She lives in Co. Galway, and is currently working on a collection of short stories.

A long-time resident of Cois Fharraige, Connemara, Davnet Heery enjoys solitary walks along the shore and on the bog, day-dreaming. Recently graduated from the MA in Writing at NUIG she has had a giddy summer reading at literary festivals countrywide for the launch of the class anthology Bicycles with Umbrellas. Primarily a poet (she has been grant aided by Galway Co.Co. to work towards a collection Camellia) she also enjoys writing plays. Her short story The Little Girl in Pink was short-listed for The Francis Mc Manus award, 2011.

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars.

Culture Night in Galway City Library

Arts Festival opens in Clifden Library

The opening event of the Arts Festival in Clifden Library on thursday 15th September saw poet and short story writer Susan Millar DuMars read from her first collection of short stories, Lights in the Distance.

Poet and writer Susan Lindsay who lives in Galway gave a reading. Whispering the Secrets is her first collection of poetry.

Tim Mullarkey, fiction writer, psychotherapist and teacher gave a reading of his work.

'Connections' Exhibition in Ballybane Library

‘Connections’ is an Art exhibition presently on display in Ballybane Library painted by the Service Users from St. Kevins of the John Paul Centre, Ballybane. It was launched by James Harold

Oranmore Library Knitting Club

Oranmore library had a very creative summer with the children’s knitting club which ran every Tuesday during the summer holidays. The children loved trying out new things like knitting with straw, making pom poms, knitting with beads and 7 cord braiding.

They had a wonderful collection of bags, headbands, hats and teddybears to show off at the end of the 8 weeks and were very proud of all their hard work.

Man Booker Shortlist 2011

The Man Booker Prize 2011 shortlist has been released, overlooking Alan Hollinghurst, the early favourite to scoop the prize when the longlist was announced in July.

Previous nominee Julian Barnes makes the cut, alongside debut authors AD Miller, for Snowdrops, and Stephen Kelman with Pigeon English, also longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award.

They are joined by Carol Birch (Jamrach's Menagerie), Patrick deWitt (The Sisters Brothers) and Esi Edugyan (Half Blood Blues).

Last year the Booker was won by Howard Jacobson for his comic novel The Finkler Question.

The winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on Tuesday 18 October at a dinner at London’s Guildhall and will be broadcast on the BBC.

The winner will receive £50,000 and each of the six shortlisted authors, including the winner, will receive £2,500 and a designer bound edition of their book.

Janis Ian makes interesting speech on libraries

Janis Ian the songwriter, performer, and author with 9 Grammy Nominations and who had a big international hit with "At Seventeen" in 1975 made an interesting speech on libraries to School Librarians in Nashville Public Schools August 9th 2011.

“We artists have a great affinity with you librarians, for many reasons, not the least of which is that we exist in large part to educate, and to protect. To make order out of chaos, and to teach others to do the same. To keep the dreams of a nation, of a people, safe for future generations. To make those dreams available to everyone – not just the wealthy or beautiful, not just the people of one race or one colour or one religion – but available to everyone who dares to dream of something bigger than themselves.

At school, when I looked around at my schoolmates, I didn’t see anyone remotely like me. I longed for friends, people I could talk to about things that were important to me, but I met none. A librarian, Mrs. Anna Baker, was my first true friend – someone who listened carefully, responded truthfully, and gave me every scrap of knowledge she could muster through the books she controlled.

I lived at the library. I lived there because no one judged me. I lived there because there, and only there, did I feel free to explore myself.

The library taught me that somewhere out there were others like me. The library promised that one day, when I was old enough, I would meet them at last. An artist is a citizen of the world, bound by no convention, tied by no borders. We are homeless from the start; we do not have the refuge of conformity, of predictability. Artists need a place of refuge, just as children need a place of refuge… and the world needs its artists, just as it needs its children.

Books leave their language on our souls. They remind us of ourselves at our best, and teach us what we can be. They carry our longing for the stars, and point us toward them when we are too earthbound to do it ourselves.

I hope that every librarian is as kind as Mrs. Baker, who corresponded with me regularly until her death, and whose last letter to me recommended several books she’d recently read.”

The full text of what Janis Ian had to say is at:

http://www.mnps.org/Page84016.aspx.

www.janisian.com,

Tuam Arts Festival Exhibitions in the Library

Stephen Quinn is an artist working in metal for over a decade in the West of Ireland. He views iron as a functional bridge between natural and functional forms, drawing from influences in European Nouveau style and the contemporary landscape around him.

"In Arthur Danto's book Nietzsche as Philosopher he discusses the idea of idem potency, the idea that every cell in the body, not just the brain, retains memories, both individual and collective."

The artist creates cell like structures and incorporates found objects in these organic felted vessels. Texture, colour and detail play an important part in these pieces.

Jim Kavanagh is a London born, Galway based artist. He has had numerous successful shows both in the U.K. and Ireland.

Jim's paintings are formed using techniques (scumbling and glazing)of the old masters Rembrandt and Turner. He creates his own responses to landscapes and skyscapes, creating timeless images invoking a sense of place both real and imaginary.

Live Portrait Painting in Oranmore Library

As part of the Celtic Shore Festival and National Heritage Week a live portrait painting took place in Oranmore Library on Saturday the 27^th of August.
Local artist John O’Regan painted the portrait of a local Oranmore resident over the course of the day.
This was a unique and fascinating opportunity to see an artist at work and watch the portrait as it developed from

a simple sketch to a finished work of art.

Galway's Cycling Heritage - Galway City Library

Circus Stars in Tuam Library

Over 650 children are currently registered for the Summer Reading Challenge ‘Circus Stars’ Children have also been enjoying story times and art and craft.

Upcoming events:

Teddy Bear’s Picnic on Friday 12^th August at 11.30.

Around the World for a Story: Monday 15^th August at 11.00.

Creative Radiant Child Yoga: Monday 15^th August at 1.00.

Creative Writing Workshop: Wednesday 17^th August at 11.00.

Galway Libraries Summer Reading Challenge continues in all libraries

‘Summer Completion Programme Camp’ in Ballybane Library

Well known story teller Niall de Búrca came to Ballybane Library on Wednesday 13^th July to tell stories to the children from the ‘Summer Completion Programme Camp’

Ten Top Craft books for The 2011 Year of Craft in Oranmore Library

2011 is the Year of Craft and to celebrate Oranmore Library has added lots of new craft books to their collection. If you think you’d like to learn something new, renew your interest in an old hobby or even sell your wares online we have lots of titles to suit. 

The following titles are some of the new craft books available to borrow now at Oranmore Library:

Cherished by Kim Hargreaves – A collection of patterns from her latest knitwear designs.

Modern Top-Down Knitting by Kristina McGowan- A book full of great instructions for getting the perfect fit from you knitwear.

The Ultimate Book of Baby Knits by Debbie Bliss – A collection of 50 of the most popular designs from the Queen of baby knitwear design.

Amigirumi! Super Happy Cute Crochet by Elisabeth A. Doherty – Lots of cute crochet animals following the Japanese crochet craze.

Crochet Unravelled by Claire Bojczuk- perfect for anyone learning to crochet.

The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin – A great guide for the enterprising crafters looking to sell their work.

Felt Furnishings by Anne Kyyro Quinn – A beautiful book of contemporary designs with great instructions on how to make things from cushion covers to placemats all from felt.

Stupid Sock Creatures by John Murphy – Ever wondered what to do with those odd socks lurking in the bottom of the drawer? This book has the answers.

Gifts for Kids to Make by Cheryl Owen

The Crafty Kid by Kelly Doust – Two great books full of rainy day activities.

 For information on the 2011 year of craft visit www.craftinireland.com

Circus Stars in Ballybane Library Launch

 

The recent Launch of Ballybane Library Summer reading Challenge

Human Library in Westside Library

Launch of Westside Library Writers’ first book

The Westside Library Writers are launching their first book, Monday Miscellany, on Tuesday 19^th July at 5.30 pm in Westside Library as part of the Westside Arts Festival events. The book will be launched by James Harrold, Galway City Arts officer. The Westside Arts Festival Open Mic night will follow at 6.30 pm, hosted by Kevin Higgins. The event is free and all are welcome.

Monday Miscellany is the group’s first published collection. It is a collection of memories, poems and prose pieces. The book will be available for purchase on the night. The writers have previously showcased their work at Open Mic nights during the Westside Arts Festival.

The Westside Library Writers were formed in 2008 as part of the Bealtaine Festival, a festival that celebrates creativity in seniors. The group has expanded and includes all age groups from the local community. The group attend creative writing classes, three times a year, facilitated by Galway poet Kevin Higgins, in Westside Library.

This event is taking place as part of Westside Arts Festival and for more information please contact Cora or Liz in Westside Library on (091) 520616.

Mystery in Oranmore Library

Oranmore library recently held a day of mystery for its members. Borrowers were encouraged to borrow a book specially selected by the Library staff. There was a twist however- all the books were wrapped in brown paper so that library members had no idea what they were bringing home with them.

Adults and children alike willingly took the plunge and were pleasantly surprised to find books they may never have chosen by themselves. Many borrowers reported back that they found authors they had never heard of, or tried new genres such as poetry or biographies.

Don’t you love the feeling that you get when a parcel arrives in the post or somebody gives you a specially wrapped p

resent? Everybody was very excited to bring home their unique gift of a book specially selected and wrapped by our librarians in Oranmore.

Along with our mystery check out we also had a Good Reads

Wall. Library members were asked to add a post-it the wall of authors the loved and hated. We had three categories:

Treat; What would you read as a treat?

Challenge: What was your most challenging read?

Bargepole: What wouldn’t you touch with a bargepole?

Everyone loved taking part and our Bargepole Wall in particular generated lots of discussion and controversy.

Watch out for our next mystery day in the library coming soon!

Clifden Library - Write a Book Competition

Seven students of St. Caillin's National School in Aillebrack, took part in the "Write a Book" Competition 2011 Students range from 3rd to 6th Class. All seven books were presented to Clifden Library on Tuesday the 28th June.
The books will be on display in Clifden Library for the summer.

Outside Clifden Library with their Books;
Tadgh O'Neill - Ryans Story, Francesca Mc Donagh - Sweet Pea Valley, Grainne King - The True Story of Goldilocks, Amy Roberts - Amy's Favourite Foods, Eimear Roche - Animal Pourquoi Tales, Oscar Coneys- Max is Lost and Alone, Celia O'Neill - A Long Book of Poems & Short Stories

Eurochild Anthology launch in Galway City Library

24 Hours in Galway...City Library, Augustine Street

“Summer Reading Challenge”

Galway County Libraries are inviting all children to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge and discover the joy and pleasure of reading. This year’s theme is “Circus Stars”. Join the “Circus Stars” and get “Reading Stars”.

The Summer Reading Challenge takes place during July and August in all Branch Libraries and Mobile Library. It is free; all children have to do is go along to their local library and get their reading log card. It is not a race or competition, all you have to do is read and enjoy at least six books. There are selected books to help you make your choice. Reading Certificates and medals will be awarded to all children who reach the target of six books.

The Summer Reading Challenge focuses on the joy and pleasure of reading. Studies by the OECD show that children who read for pleasure are more likely to do better than does who don’t.

Last year over two thousand children were presented with Reading Certificates. The feedback from parents and teachers was very positive. Reading during the summer helps children retain and improve their reading skills. We are asking all parents and families to read with their children supporting and encouraging them.

For further information contact your Local Library or Library Headquarters 091- 562471 or email info@galwaylibrary.ie.

Ballinasloe Library and Europe Direct Centre Summer Reading and Arts Project

The Summer Reading and Arts project runs parallel with Ballinasloe Library and Europe Direct Centre's normal Summer Reading Club. The AIMS of this project are;

• To encourage an awareness and appreciation of Europe and European issues through exploring stories from different countries and cultures.
• To encourage an appreciation and interest in books and reading.
• To encourage tolerance and acceptance of difference.
• To have FUN!!
• To learn new creative skills
• To encourage personal and group development.

Participants/Numbers :Young people aged 7-11 yrs

Book Reading - Open Attendance
Wednesday Workshops - Max 15 per group.Booking is recommended

• Book Reading -Tuesday,12th July-11.30am-12.30pm
• Workshop 1 - Wednesday 3rd August-11.30-1pm
• Workshop 2 - Wednesday 10th August-11.30-1pm
• Workshop 3 - Wednesday,17th August-11.30-1pm

Programme Synopsis;

The Book Read session will introduce the theme of Tales of Europe and will include songs, movement, stories and folk tales from different European traditions/cultures.Wednesday workshops will introduce 2 stories in greater depth.The group will explore where the story comes from, the writer,original written language and relevant cultural traditions.Participants will be given the opportunity to design and create their own book cover relating to the stories using assorted papers,pens,collage materials etc. The designs will be exhibited in the library with information about the original text.

Writers will include Astrid Lindgren- Sweden, The Brothers Grimm- Germany,Hans Christian Anderson-Denmark, Tove Jansson- Finland, Alf Proysen-Norway as well as more traditional folk tales from Europe.

Social Inclusion Awareness Week 2011 - Deadline 15th July

Click on the image above to enlarge

Creativity and the Library

The Galway Ensemble in Residence, The Con Tempo String Quartet, performed this week in Portumna, Ballinasloe and Gort Libraries.

They provided the kind of experience for the public which Thomas Rehak, the Chief Librarian of the Municipal Library in Prague, referred to when he spoke at the MetLib Conference in New York last week.

Tomas Rehak said:

"The Public Library must be a place where people want to be. They must be beautiful places...living spaces...places where people can meet"

• We should support creativity
• We should inspire creativity
• We should promote creativity
• We should facilitate creativity

Libraries supporting those who want to understand the World and themselves

Contempo Quartet in Gort Library

Come hear the Galway Ensemble in Residence, ConTempo Quartet on June 15th in Gort Library @ 8:00 p.m.
Free Admission to all Concerts, and early arrival is advised.

The Galway Ensemble-in-Residence selected ConTempo Quartet to be the heart of a music development programme for Galway City and County. Based in NUI Galway, ConTempo began their residency in January 2003.

The residency is designed to bring a love of music to new people and new venues, and to enhance the experience of those already involved in music.

The Secret of Kells: Tuam Library

The Secret of Kells:

As part of the ‘One Book, One Tuam’ project, Midie Corcoran from Earwig Arts Festival, worked with Tuam schools to create a Giant Book of Kells, filled with stories of Finn McCoole and Irish legends.
The giant book is 6 foot in height and 4 foot in width and is on display in the children’s area.

3 Rivers Storytelling Festival

• Suzanne Hogan is a native Australian now settled in Athlone.She trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and has worked in theatres internationally. She investigates via performance how people understand their culture and society through stories, play and dance.She has enjoyed a year long residency in Athlone’s Dean Crowe Theatre as well as several Director- in-Schools programmes as part of Westmeath County Councils Arts initiative. She has done several community projects for the Percent for Arts Scheme working with international choreographers Jeannine Maguire-Lowry and Rionach Ni Neill.

• Liz Weir has worked with all age groups for over thirty years promoting the traditional art for which Ireland is world famous. A children’s librarian by training, she now travels the world telling stories to adults and children, organising workshops on storytelling, and speaking at courses for parents, teachers and librarians. She was the first winner of the International Storybridge Award for “exemplary work in promoting storytelling between Ireland and other countries”. She is the director of the Ulster Storytelling Festival and has been a featured teller at major festivals in Ireland, England, Scotland and in the U.S.

• Danielle Allison comes from an educational background. She has worked with children in schools, libraries and festivals all over Ireland. Danielle tells a wide range of stories, which often involve audience participation. She is a founder member of The Dublin Yarnspinners .Now settled in Athlone, she is committed to bringing the t

raditional Artform of storytelling to the Midlands and is Director of the Three Rivers Storytelling Festival.

• Simone Schummelfeder grew up in the small German town of Beverungen Weserbergland. Her father inspired in her a love of stories early on. At university she learned the power of storytelling as a teaching tool. In 2006 she spent the summer studying with renowned Irish teller Liz Weir. She and her

sister are the authors of a book for children titled Ruprecht Storchschnabel -die Abenteuer des zu vorletzt Geborenen der Elfen (Rupert Stork-beak – The Adventures of the Last of the Last-born of the elves).

• Liz Warren, a fourth-generation Arizonan, is the direcotor of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. She has performed nationally and in Ireland and England. Representing SMCC, she is the producer of the annual Mesa Storytelling Festival in Mesa, Arizona. Her new textbook, The Oral Tradition Today: An Introduction to the Art of Storytelling was published in 2008. Every summer she comes to Ireland to teach “The Irish Storytelling Tradition” as part of Mesa Community College’s Study Abroad Ireland Program.

• Aideen McBride often used storytelling in her at Primary School in Ballymun, Dublin,Now a full time storyteller She has told her stories at the National Museum in Dublin, Cultra Folk Museum in Belfast and at many, many

summer festivals. Her stories, sad and funny by turns, include yarns and folktales handed down to her by her father in Carlow. She loves to include her audience in the stories, many of which have a participatory element. Audiences of all ages will enjoy the spell Aideen weaves with her imaginative and warm delivery of these stories from the Irish tradition.