Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, launched a public consultation on the development of a new strategy which will shape the development of public library for the next 5 years. The aim of the consultation is to seek the views of the public and understand attitudes towards the library service.
The new strategy is being developed in partnership with Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and will be published in early 2023. It will be a 5-year plan for the period 2023-27 and will set the strategic context for further investment in library infrastructure, technology, programmes and services.
“Our public libraries play a vital role in the community – providing a safe and welcome educational space for people of all ages. They are also a place for us to visit, to relax, to take a breath and to delve into the wonderful world of story-telling. This particular strategy builds on the significant progess that has been made under previous strategies and will bring our libraries onto the next stage of their development. The public library service belongs to you, our citizens. And so, we want to hear from you.”
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys
The consultation is open to everyone in Ireland and internationally via a survey questionnaire and a programme of workshops, focus groups and individual interviews will be held with key stakeholders.
The overarching purpose of the consultation programme is 3-fold:
- to communicate and reflect on what has been achieved over the last 5 years and how things look now as libraries look forward to the next 5 years
- to consult on the proposed vision, mission, values and priorities to underpin the strategic context for the next 5 years
- to engage with stakeholders, staff and library users on identified themes and lines of enquiry to initially reflect on the current position, and then to identify potential areas for prioritisation and development
The consultation will remain open until the July 9. People are invited to complete the survey online at Libraries Ireland or alternatively, visit their local library to complete it in person.