The forgotten community services: Praising Clare Library

Carry

These days there is not a lot to gush about public services, but for once I want to praise one public institution which did and still does the most amazing, efficient, friendly and useful service I've ever encountered since I live in Ireland.

I'm an avid reader, don't even have a TV, and I've not quite happily but still reluctantly paid my household charge, just having in mind this communal service. (We all pay for other communal services anyway)

But as things go, apparently the money goes to, well, we can only guess ... councilors getting a nice income? Traveling around the world? Cashing in expenses? Giving overpaid jobs to cronies? Who knows.

Meanwhile the Clare Library, especially my experience with the Scarriff Library, does a brilliant job. They care for children reads, they publish teens' essays, they organise themed readers' groups, they have a good website where you can order books and they call you when the ordered book is ready to collect.

In my opinion promoting books, as in making knowledge available, encouraging to dive into a world beyond the local parish and letting everyone, from kids to adults, think for themselves, is one of the most useful community services.

Now I've heard that the funds are cut and that changes are due.
I'm outraged looking at the odd illiterate or/and ignorant councilor who probably just ever read papers how to milk funds.

Sorry for the rant, or actually not.
I just want to highlight a community service which so far has no supporters.

Yes, I know, health service is badly hit as well. And don't I know it. But that is mostly due to to other circumstances we all know about and which is not my topic.

Lady Chatterton

I agree Carry, Clare Library Service do a wonderful job! I'd stopped using the public library for ages but I returned a couple of years ago when I had my daughter. We usually use Killaloe Library and occasionally the De Valera library in Ennis.

There is nothing as good as taking some time out of a hectic day to relax in the library for a little while, there are very few quiet places left these days, outside of churches. My daughter (6) is an avid reader and I enjoy watching her excitement as she browses though lots of books before carefully selecting the ones she wants to take home. I feel that her love of books has helped her at school, her reading skills and her vocabulary are pretty good for her age. I usually pick up some audio books for myself, I find them great to listen to when I'm in the car, gardening or doing boring work around the house.

Clare Library have a brilliant website too, it's well worth checking out for those that aren't familiar with it. There are lots of old photographic collections on the site, that give a brilliant insight into life in Clare through the years, you could easily pass away a few hours just looking through them.

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/

pilate 1

wonderful to see people being able to find time free from the stresses of life.good luck to ye girls!

Lady Chatterton

pilate 1 wrote: »

wonderful to see people being able to find time free from the stresses of life.good luck to ye girls!

The library is open on Saturday mornings and it has late opening on a number of evenings so it is easy to fit it in really.

colm_mcm

Do you think a lot of the costs go on staff? I'm told some librarians earn 6 figure salaries.

Lady Chatterton

colm_mcm wrote: »

Do you think a lot of the costs go on staff? I'm told some librarians earn 6 figure salaries.

The only librarians earning a six figure sum would be the county or city librarian. Their salaries start at €84,036 and the top rate is €106,900. The average salary for a librarian is about €40,000.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/local-authority-salaries--no-sign-that-gravy-train-is-stopping-189864.html

colm_mcm

That's fair enough. I must say I was a huge library fan as a child, and I'm certain ill be using them again when I have kids.

Do they still loan out CDs? I remember they started that years ago.

Lady Chatterton

colm_mcm wrote: »

That's fair enough. I must say I was a huge library fan as a child, and I'm certain ill be using them again when I have kids.

Do they still loan out CDs? I remember they started that years ago.

Colm, you can borrow CDs, DVDs and Audiobooks. You can also download books from Clipper Audio via the Library Website (using your membership number).

Shapey Fiend

*puts on backseat modding hat*

Obvious library shill. Probably eating caviar and cackling at their monitor when they should be doing some work.

Nah we do have pretty good library facilities in Clare. Maybe letting people rent e-books might be a good idea? I can't see the same demand for CD's, DVD's and PC's being there after another couple of years so they probably won't need as much front line staff.

I never knew about the audio book downloads! Must set up an account.

Lady Chatterton

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

*puts on backseat modding hat*

Obvious library shill.

Probably eating caviar and cackling at their monitor when they should be doing some work.........

I never knew about the audio book downloads! Must set up an account.

No more backseat modding - Thank you very much!

If you have an issue with any post - use the report function - don't go accusing people on the thread.


There are some free audio books available on the library website but if you're a member of the library you get access to more books from Clipper Audio.

It's only €5 per year for an adult so it's great value when you consider most audio books cost over €20.

Here are the library memberships fees for anyone who may be interested.

Family - 10.00
Adults - 5.00
Third Level Students - Free
Secondary School Students - Free
Primary School Students & Younger - Free

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/membership.htm

Carry

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

*puts on backseat modding hat*

Obvious library shill. Probably eating caviar and cackling at their monitor when they should be doing some work.

Moi? No shill. I just happen to love books. And I just happen to appreciate a good service.
If I'd like caviar I would munch it right now and would cackle at my monitor about your mildly funny comment. But unfortunately I still have work to do (yes, at this time of night, deadline looming), before I can retire to read my book.

I do see a future for the services of a library btw. Have you ever been in one? Or are you just eating pizza in front of your monitor and downloading stuff?

Actually never mind. If you think I'm a library shill so be it. If my post encourages anyone to use the services they offer the better.
Whenever I'm in my local library branch, it's always busy - people looking for books or sitting in chairs and reading the papers or magazines, others being glued in front of the PCs, kids listening to a librarian reading a story for them, and they organise readings and talks with authors, exhibitions and other stuff.

Maybe you should try to visit one some day. You might even get some caviar and a friendly cackle or might even discover a world beyond cloudmusic, itunes and earplugs, who knows...:D

Carazy

Is there printing facilities at the library yet?

Went in before and the staff looked at me like I had ten heads, replied ''No'' and looked down at her computer and started tapping away again.

Shapey Fiend

Lads relax it was a joke. Two of my friends work in there.

Lady Chatterton

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Lads relax it was a joke. Two of my friends work in there.

I'm not very keen on caviar but if your friends are sipping Champagne at their computers, I definitely want a job with them

Carry

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Lads relax it was a joke. Two of my friends work in there.

Try again :rolleyes:

I'll have the champagne, too...

...and the salary

Lady Chatterton

A bottle of Krug would be very nice :pac::pac::pac: