COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

MOTION NO. 12

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

That the Manager provide an update on proposals for a library facility in Palmerston and outline what options are being considered (e.g. Digital Hub, New Age Library Service etc.) as part of this project.

REPORT:

At the December meeting of the Lucan Area Committee it was suggested that the new Age Friendly County initiative currently being explored by the Council might provide an innovative mechanism for delivering library services in the Palmerston area and would be explored in consultation with the members during 2012.

Brigid Butler from the Ageing Well Network and Programme Manager for the Eastern Region is leading the Age Friendly County Initiative in South Dublin. She is currently meeting with people across key Council departments and staff from other relevant agencies. The County Librarian has met with Ms. Butler and outlined the programmes and initiatives currently being delivered for older people and many new initiatives which are at the very early planning stage.  As part of the process, Brigid will be consulting with older people across the County in our branch libraries and will feed back findings to the Library Department.  A briefing document for all staff will be produced by Ms. Butler and it is expected that the Age Friendly initiative will be launched in South Dublin towards the end of February 2012 with Age Friendly County designation taking place in October 2012.

Some of the initiatives under examination for the Lucan/Palmerston area by the Library Service include:

• Working with Tallaght Hospital’s ‘National Centre for Arts and Health’ and ‘Age Related Health Care Unit’ to ascertain how to best develop specific services
• Looking at developing a ‘New Reading’ project with online book clubs and eBooks (lending eBook readers etc)
• Building capacity for Digital Inclusion training – as there is huge demand from people over 60 years for this service
• Intergenerational Family Learning (currently liaising with local schools in areas where we do not have libraries – to develop a geographic spread)
• Health information for older people (this area identified strongly by health professionals)
• Re-thinking Volunteerism - Volunteer skill trading/Develop a ‘menu’ of volunteer options for work with older citizens
• Books on Prescription – expanding libraries Bibliotherapy programme
• Home Delivery Service expanded

Library staff are examining how best to deliver these services in a coordinated way in the Palmerston area through the branch library at Stewart's Hospital and using the mobile libraries as satellite services.  Ideally a Digital Hub with a strong focus on services to older people would provide a model for service development in this field. 

However the provision of a Library/Digital Hub in the Palmerston area is dependant upon the identification of a suitable site for the Library/Digital Hub and secondly, a source of funding to deliver the project to completion.  

Members' attention is drawn to Standing Order No 13 (5) in relation to motions recommending or involving expenditure.