Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency was established in 2012 to continue the functions of the now dissolved An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, The Library Council, established in 1947.The functions of Libraries Development include the following:
- the provision of advice, assistance and services to library authorities in relation to the public library service.
- the making of such recommendations to and the provision of such services for the Minister in relation to the public library service
- action to promote and facilitate library co-operation within Ireland an internationally.
Libraries Development manages the national policy for the digitisation of public libraryholdings and the national digitisation research and initiatives arising. Activities to dateinclude the national digitisation programme for public libraries, the national online resourcefor local studies material, digitisation of the archive of the national paper of record and onlineaccess provision to the most important Irish genealogical records for the nineteenth century.Libraries Development works with national education bodies to develop content to supportthe education curriculum in schools, with libraries to develop literacy and numeracy supportsand liaises with teacher training colleges to tailor content and content applications to therequirements of the teacher. The organisation has participated in a number of EU projectsincluding Activate, Cultivate, MINERVA, MinervaPlus, MinervaEC, EuropeanaLocal and Linked Heritage and is currently the national participant in the ENUMERATE andAthenaPlus projects.
Website: www.lgma.ie/en
ROLE IN THE PROJECT
Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency will act as a memory institution contributing to:
- analysis of requirements,
- provision of datasets for testing,
- dissemination and networking.
KEY PERSONNEL
Annette Kelly is the Head of Libraries Development. She is the library advisor to theMinister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and is responsible for thedevelopment of library strategy at national level. Annette manages the Changing LibrariesProgramme for the provision of electronic services in public libraries in Ireland. Annette isone of two Irish representatives on the Member States Experts Group on Digitisation andDigital Preservation. She is also a member of the policy steering group on public libraries, theEuro Focus on the Cultural Heritage Committee in Ireland and is the Chair of the publiclibraries’ Cultural Heritage Panel for the digitisation of public library material.
Joan Ward has co-ordinated the national digitisation programme for public libraries inIreland and co-ordinates the national online resource for digitised local studies material and the Changing Libraries Programme for the provision of electronic services in public librariesin Ireland. She is currently liaising with education bodies to deliver a teacher educationprogramme on cultural heritage content. Joan is currently managing the creation of an historicdigital book collection online and is co-ordinating the Irish input into the Linked Heritageproject. Joan has managed the Irish input to a number of EU projects including Activate,MINERVA, MinervaPlus, MinervaEC, EuropeanaLocal and Linked Heritage.
Eva McEneaney has worked on EU and research projects over a number of years. Eva is also manager of the Irish Public Lending Remuneration Office and co-ordinates co-operation with EU and other international countries in relation to the development of the PLR scheme. In previous employment, Eva worked as an information and research officer in the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy and worked with U.S. state department officials on programming events and as website manager and for the Public Affairs Office.