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Youth Libraries Group Committee 2006

Chairperson: Ciara Cunnane and Frances Crampsie (Donegal County libraries) (Joint).

Secretary:     Deirdriu McQuaid and Karen McKenna (Monaghan County Libraries) (Joint).

Treasurer:     Helen O'Donnell (Dublin City Public Libraries).

Committee:
Mary Bohan (Leitrim), Lynda Beasley (Fingal), Eileen O'Sullivan (Cork City), Sinéad Cummins (Waterford City), Mary McLaughlin (Dublin City), Eleanor O'Toole (Mayo), Aileen Ivory (Alexandra College), Caroline Hughes (South Dublin), Maedhbh Rogan (Meath), Carolyn Tunney (Roscommon)

E-mail: ylg@libraryassociation.ie

The Youth Libraries Group, generally known as the YLG, is a very active Group of the Association. It aims to promote children's books and reading activities through various programmes. The Group organises seminars, workshops, and lectures on themes relating to children's books and children's libraries. Some members of the YLG serve on committees concerned with policy for school libraries and general library services to children.

Group members are also involved in the national Children's Book Festival Organising Committee in association with Children's Books Ireland (CBI) and take an active role in helping to co-ordinate the annual Children's Book Festival which takes place in various venues, including libraries throughout the Republic of Ireland. The festival is a nationwide celebration of children's books and is held for the month of October. This means a lot of organising on the part of library staff throughout the country as 98% of events to celebrate the festival are held in libraries. This is a huge achievement, particularly as most of the events are free, thus promoting not only literacy but the libraries' policy of social inclusion.

The Children's Book Festival is expanding and becoming ever more ambitious in it's vision each year and 2005 was no exception with a number of "Author Tours" involving authors from home and the UK taking place throughout the country.  The YLG would like to thank James Curtain, Festival Coordinator, Children's Book Ireland, for all his hard work. The nationwide "Design a Bookmark Competition" is fast becoming one of the most eagerly anticipated parts of the festival and this year there were two age categories with the YLG and John Treacy of I.E.S sponsoring the prizes. The YLG would like to thank all its members and contacts throughout the country for their involvement within the group and looking forward to an inspirational 2006!  

Click on the below links to download this year's 'Book Fest' list of children's books published during 2005
Bookfest List 2005 [ PDF - 203Kb]
Bookfest List 2005 [MS Word - 82kb]

The YLG Committee holds meetings throughout the year and new members are always welcome.