McHugh announces €230,000 investment in Donegal libraries

Joe McHugh.

DONEGAL TD and Government Chief Whip Joe McHugh has announced €230,000 is to be invested in the county’s library services.

The funding is part of a new national Government strategy for local libraries being rolled out by Rural Affairs and Communities Minister Michael Ring.

“I am delighted to be able to announce the Donegal allocation from this €3.7M funding today,” said Minister McHugh.

“A new library strategy is being developed and will be launched early in 2018 and is aimed at increasing both the membership and the use of our public libraries.

“Minister Ring has allocated €172,000 to Donegal with Donegal County Council providing matching funds of €57,500.

“The funding will help the promotion of the library service, the development of the library workforce and continuing development of quality services that will attract an increased number of users and members over the five-year period of the strategy.

“The investment by central and local government here in Co Donegal will significantly modernise the public library service, enhancing the range and quality of services available to users and, most importantly, providing a strong base to underpin the launch of the new library strategy in 2018.

“I want to thank Minister Ring for his support in this initiative which is very welcome news for Donegal.”

Among the improvements will be –

· RFID Self-Service Technology – to support the introduction of self-service machines and other ancillary technologies in ‘non-RFID enabled’ libraries, as well as additional machines and the modernisation of existing first-generation machines in the more advanced local authorities,

· Hot Desk Facilities for the Work Matters Initiative – to supplement existing resources including book-stock relevant to business people and jobseekers, online resources and ICT facilities (e.g. PCs, printers and photocopiers, and high-quality broadband and Wi-Fi), and provide spaces for users to seek information, work, meet and collaborate, and

· Book-stock for the Right-to-Read Initiative – to support the purchase of book-stock for children, family reading and literacy development and complement the suite of activities being delivered by library services as part of their localRight-to-Read Programmes.

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