Library Services

Kilkenny County Library continues to provide a library service through 8 libraries / branch libraries.

2011 initiatives included;

• The New Mobile Library was launched through outside broadcasts on KCLR96fm at Piltown, Dunnamagin, Mooncoin and Ferrybank. This service visits over 60 stops countywide. Mobile library members, community, cultural, and sport organisations, individuals and local children were interviewed at these Mobile library stops.

• New State-Of-The Art Library for Ferrybank and South Kilkenny. A grant of €780,000 was received from the Department of the Environment during the year towards the cost of this facility. Opening in 2012 this new branch library is on the ground floor of Ferrybank Shopping Centre. Accommodation of 312sq metres will include: Children's Services, Teen Zone and Adult Services; IT/Study Area with 8 Public Access Pc’s and 8 Study spaces; a multi-purpose Community Space; use of RFID, Self-service and WiFI technology; and a disability friendly environment with hearing induction loop system.

• Numerous events were held through the Reader Development programme:

 

Library Usage 2011

The role of the library as a community resource is demonstrated by the range of ongoing events/services across branches including archive, visiting authors, storytelling, book clubs, community outreach & inclusion events, book launches & poetry readings, parent & toddler groups, local studies & workshops and computer courses and by the large number of visits from the public.

• 241,135 visits to Library Branches
• 262,233 books borrowed and 29,885 non-book items, CD's, DVD's, language courses, talking books and magazines etc.
• 29,552 Internet Sessions were undertaken

 

262,233 books issued in 2011 with 241, 135 visits to the library services.

 

Arts

The Arts Office works to develop, co-ordinate, motivate, inspire and empower artistic activity throughout the city and county. It promotes the arts as a worthwhile activity for all, providing advice and support for groups and for individuals.

Both Authorities work to further strengthen Kilkenny's position as a centre of excellence for the arts and ensure a successful and prosperous arts environment within the region by focussing on the development of the practitioner and their work; engaging and employing artists and support staff in projects, by offering professional and practice development initiatives across all art forms, through audience development, community and education and by building capacity.

The Arts Office continues to collaborate and partner with a number of other agencies in order to deliver our initiatives as we recognise this as key to maintaining and developing activity.

 

A total of 10,000 people engaged or participated in Arts office supported programmes in 2011.

 

Projects Undertaken In 2011 ;

• 5 To 6 Womens Project - provides space for women to participate in life-long learning and increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the arts. The Project has worked with over 100 women since its inception with 39 involved in the 2011 programme.

• National Drawing Day - took place at the Parade Tower and the grounds of Kilkenny Castle on Saturday 28th May. A total of 389 people across all age groups participated on the day.

• Community Project 'Three Bags Full' created opportunities for 13 women to engage in creative and cultural activities that involved them in an exhibition at the International Sheep Shearing Championships held in Kilkenny. A total of 83 engaged as audience and participants.

• Siamsa - This fun child centred programme supports the children in developing a variety of skills including drawing, painting and making in a diverse range of media.

• Culture Night saw a number of cultural organisations in Kilkenny City and County present numerous free events and activities to suit all age groups and interests. A total of 1,640 engaged as audience and participants.

• Music - The Arts Office supports bodies including the Duiske Concert Series and the Kilkenny Arts Festival New Band Initiative in bringing the arts to new audiences and into local communities. A total of 1,200 engaged as audiences in these two music events.

• Literature - 8 writers participated on the Arts Office and Libraries Writers Mentoring Scheme. The 11th issue of the Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet was published. Kilkenny County Council Arts Office & Library Service continued to host their 2011 Free Writers' Workshops programme with a total of 77 writers engaged overall.

• Moot - MOOT VII 'Inno-vision' Art, Creativity, Education and Innovation was the first event dealing with how the arts, creativity and education link to innovation and the business sector. A total of 74 engaged as audience and speakers.

• Blackstack Studio - The New Fine Art Print Studio was launched. 151 people participated in workshops and exhibition.

• Financial assistance was provided towards the development of the Arts. These included Arts Office Bursaries, Tyrone Guthrie Bursary, Irish Youth Choir Summer Programme Bursary and School Subsidies with a total of 32 individuals and schools funded.

• Artists Residency Programme under a new model Shared studios and workshop space at no.76 John Street. It consisted of four artists working on site part-time. A total of 390 engaged as audience and participants.

• Devious Theatre undertook a successful 6 month residency. A total of 1,980 engaged as audience and participants in a 6 month period.

• Exhibition Programme at no.76 and the Upstairs Gallery, Watergate Theatre, present a diverse range of contemporary exhibitions which have drawn in an audience of 3,718.

• Artlinks offers a quality and accessible Arts Professional Development programme for practitioners across disciplines. Through ArtLinks, 5 bursaries to Kilkenny practitioners of €1,000 each were awarded to 4 musicians and 1 visual artist.

• The Kilkenny's Writers' Weekend as an initiative was developed to support the area of literature with a total of 151 participating in arranged workshops and readings.

 

Three Bags Full Arts Participation Programme-INTERREG-Ireland Wales Age Friendly Communities Project

that engaged 83 people as audience and participants.

 

Heritage

The role of the Kilkenny County Council Heritage Office is to provide advice and information on heritage issues; collect and collate data; and to develop policies and priorities for the identification, protection, conservation and enhancement of Kilkenny's heritage. A key objective is to work with the Kilkenny Heritage Forum in the preparation and implementation of the County Heritage Plan and the County Biodiversity Plan. In addition, the office promotes heritage awareness & education throughout the county.
 

Heritage Plan & Heritage Forum

• Commenced Phase 2 of the River Nore Heritage audit (Kilkenny City to Inistioge).
• Printed and distributed posters of Phase 1 of the River Nore Heritage Audit (Ballynaslee to Kilkenny City) to schools and the public.
• Design & installation of signage at the Ice House, Woodstock, Inistioge to highlight the importance of the site as a bat roost, and also its architectural significance.
• Co-ordinated Kilkenny Heritage Forum meetings.

 

Raising Awareness

• Co-ordinated and publicised all heritage week events in the county including the production of newspaper and radio adverts, and production of 5000 copies of a colour brochure listing all events, and distribution of this brochure around the county.
• Organised and funded free workshops for the public on the following, as part of heritage week: "How to get started on an oral history projects", kids archaeology workshop, kids biodiversity workshops.
• Funded biodiversity & archaeology workshops, in partnership with Kilkenny County Childcare Committee, for early school practitioners.

 

Collection of Heritage Data

• Compiled database of all known oral history projects undertaken in Kilkenny and submitted to the Oral History Network of Ireland.
• Provided training for 3 community groups (Gathabawn, Lisdowney & Ennisnag) in graveyard recording, in partnership with CKLP, as part of www.historicgraves.ie project.

 

Heritage Advice

• Provided heritage advice on planning applications, to Kilkenny County & Borough Councils.
• Responded to heritage queries from the general public, elected representatives, local authority staff.
• Compiled and distributed a booklet on all grants available to community groups and individuals in the county for heritage, environmental and community grants.
• Represented Kilkenny County on Rothe House Trust, in the implementation of the Rothe House Conservation Plan.
• Provided heritage support to the Kilkenny City Walls Steering Committee.

 

City Walls (Talbot Tower)

The recent unveiling of the current phase of conservation and restoration works to Talbot Tower,

by Minister Deenihan in 2011 was the result of successful collaboration between

Kilkenny Borough Council and the various State agencies.