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Annual Report 1997

Full text of the 1997 Annual Report [HTML 100kb] [RTF 97kb 23pages] [PDF 97kb]

FOREWORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

Librarians have, to a large degree, become inured to cutbacks and increasing workloads - one wonders if stoicism should not be written into our job qualifications. Dealing with the lack of forward movement is hard enough in times of constraint, but when times improve and other sectors move dramatically ahead, while we seem stuck on the hard shoulder of the information superhighway, our feelings of unease give way to ones of anger, even despair. We welcome the massive investment in the arts, and in technology in education, but it makes the refusal to invest in any meaningful way in public library infrastructure and services all the more unacceptable. Does the government not recognise that there is something unbalanced about putting £250 million into computers and internet connections in schools and colleges when most of our primary and post-primary schools have such poor or non-existent library facilities, when the Department of Education grant allows us to buy the grand total of 1 book for every 3 or 4 pupils?

For decades we have soldiered on, accepting the kind words of successive ministers, while the money went elsewhere. We have reacted with wry amusement when report after report has called for 'information one-stop shops' or 'knowledge resource centres' or 'lifelong learning centres', when these wonderful things are already under everyone's noses, but trading under the original name of 'public library'.

During 1997 the Library Association of Ireland began to focus more urgently on how we can make the case for libraries of all kinds. In the body of this Report you will read about the very useful Briefing Day for TDs, Senators and MEPs in February, and Election 97: Irish libraries towards 2000 the briefing we produced for candidates.

In last year's Annual Report I welcomed the indication from the Department of the Environment that they were shortly to proceed with a review of public library policy. It is thus encouraging to report that this review process is in progress with substantial input from the Association. One of the issues the review will have to address is the need for a radical increase in the level of investment in library infrastructure. Much of the year was taken up in making the case for an increased grant allocation, with the two Ministers involved, before and after the Election. As members will know we were not successful according to the one measure that matters - the 1998 grant allocation - but at least we received an undertaking that the level of investment will receive attention by the review team, and by the Minister when he receives the finished report.

We were also unhappy that the Association did not receive places on the Information Society Commission or on its working groups, although library and information professionals are contributing to its work.

You will be pleased to read in this Annual Report of the progress being made in the consumer health information project. The Information for health report, on which this project builds, was one of the Association's most useful initiative's in recent years, and the consumer health information project promises to be equally beneficial. Young readers; young citizens the policy on services to children and young people, also discussed in the Report, is of special importance.

I am also glad to report that we have begun to build relationships with cognate professional bodies in the areas of archives and museums, and I hope that these links will be strengthened and bear fruit in the years ahead.

If the Association is to be successful in dealing with issues at a national level we must ensure that our structures and the way we do business is as effective as possible, and must ensure that we energise and involve members in Association activities. Plans for new policy making structures at Executive Board level are designed to achieve just these objectives.

Tá súil agam go mbeidh rath ar ár gcuid oibre sna blianta atá romhainn: maidir le athbhreithniú na leabharlainne phoiblí, polasaí náisiúnta ó thaobh seirbhísí leabharlainne agus eolais de, an tionscadal eolais sláinte, agus na tionscadail eile. Tá achan ball den Cumann thar a bheith buíoch don Rúnaí agus don Cisteoir agus do baill an Bhoird Fheidhmiúcháin thar cheann an saothar íontach a dhearnadar i rith na mbliana.

Liam Ronayne
President

Full text of the 1997 Annual Report [HTML 100kb] [RTF 97kb 23pages] [PDF 97kb]