COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, October 10, 2011
QUESTION NO.8
QUESTION: Councillor J. Lahart
To ask that the Manager outline how many users availed of the County Library in 2010 and in 2011 and how many have availed of Ballyroan Library in the same period?
REPLY:
The tables below outline the numbers of items loaned, the number of internet sessions booked and used and the number of visitors counted in the County Library and in Ballyroan Library from January to December 2010 and from January to August 2011. Analysis of the figures reflects the differing uses across each library. Ballyroan Library, traditionally, has been a book-centred library with more books being borrowed from this branch than from any other branch across the South Dublin Library network. Over the past few years as demand for services outstripped the physical footprint of the building, the number of non book services had to be curtailed. The redevelopment of the building will allow for a very wide range of life long learning activities and literacy facilities to be developed and will also facilitate extensive work with local schools and community groups.
The County Library on the other hand is a large regional library where people gather for a myriad of different reasons – to do research, attend language and computer classes, study, search for business information and locate heritage and genealogical information. For example in 2010 over 3000 Wi-Fi sessions were used, 1608 computer classes were delivered and 54 exhibitions were held. Visitor figures therefore are always higher than figures for the number of items loaned in the County Library.
Usage of Ballyroan Library began to reduce slightly in 2011 as news of the impending redevelopment spread. The library closed on the 3rd September and library services to the local community are now being offered from the adjacent Parish Centre and from Whitechurch Library.
County Library Usage 2010
| Total Loans | Internet Sessions | Visitors |
| 329,295 | 179,449 | 390,233 |
Ballyroan Library Usage 2010
| Total Loans | Internet Sessions | Visitors |
| 295,356 | 12,565 | 177,754 |
County Library Usage January – August 2011
| Total Loans | Internet Sessions | Visitors |
| 223,826 | 121,163 | 272,393 |
Ballyroan Library Usage January- August 2011
| Total Issues | Internet Sessions | Visitors |
| 193,408 | 10,607 | 119,720 |