Annual Report 2011 - Roscommon County Council

Libraries, Arts,
Culture and Heritage
Library Services
Roscommon County Council Library Services provides for the cultural,
education, recreation, information and learning needs of people of all ages
throughout the county and strives to provide and develop a comprehensive,
quality, modern and accessible service to people of all ages in the County.
The Library Services is an important supporting strategy under the economic, cultural and
social development of the county and in 2011 was aligned as Libraries, Arts, Culture and
Heritage under directorate changes.
Service Provision
The service is operated through six infrastructure branch locations at Roscommon, Castlerea,
Ballaghaderreen, Boyle, Elphin and Strokestown and the Mobile Library Service. The Library
Service also continues to deliver and develop a substantial Archives and Local Studies
reference and research facilities at the County Library. Full time libraries were open on
average 31.3 hours per week with part-time branches open 21.93 hours per week.
During 2011, the Library Service prepared, researched, consulted, presented and adopted a
new period Library Development Plan 2011 – 2014. All of the strategies, objectives and actions
are designed and targeted to facilitate and provide greater opportunities and flexibility for
public engagement with the service in a changing environment.
Roscommon County Library Refurbishment Project
In 2011 as part of the Libraries Capital Programme Roscommon County Council Library
Services undertook a refurbishment of the County Library Building, Abbey Street,
Roscommon. The project cost of over €400,000 was supported by grant aid of €260,000
from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and funding of
€175,000 from Roscommon County Council.
Collection Development
The Library Service continued during 2011 to satisfy user requests for a range and variety
of stock material on an extensive range of subjects for all service points. Collections and
circulation of stock is supported by the national borrow books system. Further grant aid in
the amount of €32,514 was provided from the Department to support the bookfund.
54 Roscommon County Council