Cross Border Joint Library Conference - ‘Smart Libraries’ comes to Tallaght

Press Release Issued: 15^th April 2010

Cross Border Joint Library Conference - "Smart Libraries" comes to Tallaght.

For the first time, South Dublin County Council and South Dublin Libraries are hosting the annual cross-border joint conference of the Library Association of Ireland and CILIP Ireland which takes place in the Maldron Hotel Tallaght from 21^st to 23^rd April. The Library Association of Ireland and CILIP Ireland are the Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland professional bodies representing libraries and librarians.

The theme of this year?s conference is "Smart Libraries". John Gormley, T.D,. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will deliver the opening address while Mayor Mick Duff of South Dublin County will address the delegates on Members' Day, 22^nd April. South Dublin County Architect, Eddie Conroy will deliver a paper on the architecture of a "smart" library.

Amongst the challenges facing librarians in these pressing times, are the need to operate to the optimum, to be efficient and effective and to communicate smartly with users, parent bodies and funding agencies.? Libraries and Librarians need to think smart, work smart and communicate smartly.? This year?s conference aims to provide a forum for thought-provoking papers on communications, the ways in which librarians engage with the various media and how they might use these more advantageously. Librarians will also be updated on smart collaborative, cost-effective access models which benefit the public at little cost to the exchequer.? The conference workshops will provide training in innovative thinking skills, writing for publishing, and how to engage in collaborations across sectors and organisations.? The range of workshops will focus on the ways in which a different information and library environments are harvesting and providing content to researchers.

It is particularly appropriate that this year?s conference is being hosted by South Dublin County Council which has won many awards for its progressive library service, including awards for the new County Library in Tallaght, for its e-audio and e-book Download Zone, and for its customer service. Most recently, the Council won a Chambers Ireland Outstanding Customer Service Awardfor the self-service computer service at the County Library in Tallaght which has is in excess of 100 free public-access computers.

?I am delighted to welcome this conference to Tallaght, it is a great honour to host this event. We are very proud in South Dublin County Council of the County Library in Tallaght and look forward to showing its many features to the delegates? said Georgina Byrne, County Librarian.

On 23^rd April, the delegates will have an opportunity to visit the award-winning County Library in Tallaght and the Library in ITT Dublin, Tallaght.

ENDS