Thursday 29 November 2018

Family Time at Your Library

Clare County Library wishes to extend a particular welcome to families to visit its branch network throughout the county during December 2018. Family Time at Your Library is a specially designated initiative under the Right to Read government policy to welcome readers young and old from local communities to attend events, take a library tour, engage in activities, check out the library’s online resources and take time to look at the extensive range of reading material available for all ages. New members are especially welcome and library membership is free to all.

Kilkee Public Library staff are setting aside Monday 3rd December from 5 to 7.30pm for family activities. There will be a Christmas movie showing and Christmas card crafts followed by refreshments for all visitors. And for those of you who would like a break from the Christmas theme, why not come along to a Fun Science Day on December 15th 10.30am to 1pm when families are invited to join Scientist Dipankar Biswas to try out a host of exciting and surprise experiments. This is a collaborative event with Clare Family Learning Project, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, (lcetb).

In neighbouring Kilrush library on the 15th of December from 11am to 12.30pm Clare storyteller Ruth Marshall will tell her favourite Christmas stories and invite her audience to join in Christmas crafts.

Children aged 4 to 7 and their parents are invited to a storytime event at Kilmihil Library at 5.30pm on the 11th of December. Christmas stories and healthy snacks will be on offer.

On Saturday the 8th of December at 12 noon Scariff Library showcases its services and invites you and your family to join in an environmentally-friendly craft workshop making Christmas decorations from recycled materials.

Clare Family Learning Project My Baby and Me is currently under way at Killaloe Library with get togethers for parents and their babies every Thursday from 10am to 12 noon. Parents and their babies, under three are invited to join tutor Laura Barrett to share useful ideas on supporting their children’s learning. It is an opportunity for parents to meet others and to share useful ideas on life-long learning for their children in a positive and friendly environment. These classes have been organised by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (lcetb) and will continue every Thursday up to the 13th of December. Library staff welcome children, parents and grandparents to find out more about their local library and the activities on offer throughout the month of December.

DeValera Public Library, Ennis hosts its family focused event on the 15th of December from 12 noon to 2pm. Children and parents are invited to join in family board games, creative fun with LEGO and watch a cartoon movie. There will be time to join the library and find out what becoming a member has to offer as well as lots of tips for parents on encouraging reading.

Visit Corofin Library on the 12th Of December to celebrate the festive season and the joy of reading. Families are invited to a special reading of ‘The Night Before Christmas’, there will be Christmas poems and dance activities courtesy of staff and the Corofin Library bookclub and festive treats will be provided.

Shannon, Sixmilebridge and Newmarket libraries have organized an exciting programme of Christmas events with the first one in the region taking place on the 8th of December at Sixmilebridge. All families in the area are invited to join storyteller Ruth Marshall for Christmas stories, art and crafts from 12 noon to 1.30pm.

On December 15th at 11am Seán Lemass Public Library, Shannon are running a creative Christmas origami workshop for children aged 7 to 11. Afterwards, families are invited to join in the singing when local choir Non Nobis Domine will raise the roof with seasonal favourites. This, like all the Christmas events in libraries in December is free. Booking is required for the origami craft session.

There will be special Christmas stories and crafts for children aged 3 to 7 and their parents at the William Smith O'Brien Public Library, Newmarket-on-Fergus on Wednesday, 12th December at 4pm. In keeping with Clare County Library’s Healthy Ireland programme, a selection of healthy treats will be laid on for all visitors.

Libraries in North Clare also plan to extend their activities programme for the month of December to welcome families to visit Ennistymon, Miltown Malbay and Lisdoonvarna libraries. Roisin Meaney, author and invited guest will be in Ennistymon Library on Saturday 15th December to entertain families in storytime and demonstrate to parents how to make stories come alive when reading to children. This event beginning at 11am will be followed by Christmas Crackers art and craft activities.

Christmas crafts are also the focus of Lisdoonvarna’s Family Time at your Library. From 6 to 8pm on the 13th of December you are invited to a festive evening of Christmas activities. Decorating Christmas cupcakes, making crackers and Christmas garlands are all on the list.

Christmas and Family Time at your Library will be celebrated at Miltown Malbay Library on Saturday 8th December 11.00 am to 12.30p.m. Staff invite you to choose from an extensive collection of children’s Christmas books including new additions and old favourites. Try your hand at decorating festive cupcakes and of course refreshments will be at the ready for adult helpers who will be encouraged to join in the fun along with their children.

By focusing on family activities in December Clare County Library wishes to invite all parents to visit the library with their children from the earliest years and make the library a familiar part of your child's life. Choose all the books you want to read to your toddler or pre-schooler, take them home and exchange for more on your next visit. Choose from our DVD selection, borrow audio books and CDs to listen to at home or in the car and remember to check out our online resources for the whole family available through our website www.clarelibrary.ie

A range of activities take place annually in all branches. Ask your librarian for programming details. Clare County Library welcomes your enquiries and staff are always pleased to assist in finding the best books to suit your children’s tastes and needs. Library staff look forward to welcoming you and your children to join us this December for Family Time at Your library. For full event details visit your local branch or check out the Library Events on our website.

Wednesday 21 November 2018

Work Matters at Clare County Library

Clare County Library is delighted to offer the Work Matters Service to the public. The Work Matters Service at your library is the perfect place to explore, research and learn new skills, especially if you are looking for a job or a career change or thinking of starting your own business. The service includes free membership, direction and help with your research, business and employment materials, eBooks, eAudio and eMagazines, PCs and Internet access, space for meetings, study and research, online learning and services with access to over 500 e-learning courses. Printing, scanning and photocopying, workshops, presentations and networking opportunities and language learning are also available.
The service gives you the opportunity to:
  • explore career information, 
  • learn about support available for jobseekers, 
  • develop new skills to boost your CV and job applications, 
  • search and apply for jobs in Ireland and abroad, 
  • research companies and potential suppliers, 
  • develop new skills to plan, start and grow your own business, 
  • research funding sources for small businesses, 
  • explore the market and identify potential customers, 
  • research your competitors and connect with like-minded people 
  • share experiences.
On Thursday, 22nd November there will be a talk on Brendan O’Regan: Irish Visionary, Innovator, Peacemaker in DeValera Public Library, Ennis at 6.30pm. Brian O’Connell and Cian O’Carroll will discuss the life and work of this Clare born innovator.

On Tuesday, 27th November at 10.30am and on Friday, 30th November at 5.30pm Seán Lemass Public Library, Shannon will host Interview Confidence Workshops. Join Jennifer of Jayarel Consulting for a free interview workshop which will focus on what to prepare for interviews, how to handle awkward questions and how to be more confident in interviews.

All events are free of charge and all are welcome. For more information contact the Library at 065-6846350 or visit the Library Events Section at www.clarelibrary.ie.

Monday 12 November 2018

Science Week 2018 at Clare County Library

Science Week 2018 is taking place nationwide from November 11th to 18th with numerous events happening across the country. Scariff, Ennis and Shannon libraries are getting involved this November and will host shows for children in primary schools.

Two shows will take place in Scariff Library on the 13th of November beginning at 10 and 11.30am. Sue McGrath otherwise known as Scientific Sue will present Ireland’s Ingenious Engineers Show exploring some of the amazing scientific discoveries and engineering feats endeavoured by Irish scientists over a period of 350 years. Children will have their curiosity stirred on Sue’s historic scientific journey and will also be encouraged to think like scientists. The show provides an opportunity to study many science concepts such as flight, the fire triangle, electricity, acid / base (alkali) reactions, neutralisation, the properties of solids, liquid and gases, periodic table, forces, pressure and energy changes whilst also providing fun ways for everyone to engage in processes such as observation, experimentation, investigation, discovery and generation of questions. Designing (probably) the best drinking chocolate in the world, creating a cloud in a bottle, colour changing vegetables, ice cream in a baggie and sending rockets sky high are just a few of the demonstrations that will be used to fire the spirit of discovery within and create lots of excitement.

Which gases are explosive and which gas helps to put out fires? Why do we call purple cabbages red? Why do we need to push the bicycle to help young ones learn to ride? Can we make marshmallows grow? Who was the first person to walk on the moon?

With the help of lots of young volunteers Scientific Sue will attempt to answer these questions and many, many more. Come and join her at Scariff Library on her latest journey of scientific discovery and find out about the amazing science and engineering which is linked to Ireland’s Ingenious Engineers. On November the 15th deValera Library Ennis will host the Science Magic Show at 10.30am with the same event taking place later in the day in Shannon Public Library at 1.15pm.

Coming to County Clare compliments of W5, the award winning Interactive Discovery Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Science Magic Show will look at the science behind a series of magic-like tricks. Expect a new approach to everyday household objects, some cooking ingredients and perhaps even a chicken (!), to help children from nearby schools decide if the tricks are scientific or just simply magic. Only you the audience can decide.

Clare County Library is delighted to be associated with Science Foundation Ireland’s work in promoting the potential that science and discovery offers in today’s world and in the future.

Clare County Library actively supports Explore, Play, Learn.

Explore, Play, Learn, an interactive play based showcase for parents and their children, guided by Aistear, the National Curriculum Framework for children 0-6 years old ran over 2 Saturdays in September and October 2018. The event coordinated by the Clare Children and Young People’s Services Committee CYPSC in partnership with the Clare County Childcare Committee and Clare County Library Service as part of Tusla Public Awareness Week 2018 and was designed to promote parent participation in their children’s learning and development.

Parents and their children from across the county were invited to attend a play date with a difference. Four interactive play spaces were available, each resourced with play materials linked to an Aistear theme: communication, exploring and thinking, identity, belonging and well-being.

Clare County Library was delighted to be associated with this event. Staff members Tara Considine and Samantha Morrissey promoted the Toys and Sensory Resources Collection housed at Shannon Library and available to borrowers anywhere in the county at both events. A collection of carefully chosen picture books to support the Aistear programme was also available for parents to explore and both Tara and Samantha demonstrated how best parents can engage with very young children through stories.

Clare County Library’s collaboration with the other participating agencies involved in Explore, Play, Learn is in keeping with the Right to Read Campaign, one of the many aims of which is to invigorate existing relationships and strengthen the partnership approach in delivering literacy support. Over 200 parents and children participated in Explore, Play, Learn. To get a flavour of this memorable event click on the video link
https://www.cypsc.ie/clare/resources.357.html

Tuesday 6 November 2018

Decade of Centenaries Lecture Series

Clare County Library are holding a series of historical lectures during November to commemorate the Decade of Centenaries. The lecture themes cover the end of World War One and Women in 1918. Talks will take place throughout the county, are free of charge and all are welcome to attend. As we approach the centenary of the World War One Armistice on 11 November, three eminent local historians will speak about the Great War. The series begins with Joe Ó Muircheartaigh who will speak in DeValera Public Library in Ennis on Tuesday, 6 November in a talk entitled 'We Here Who Are About to Die: a lecture on the Great War'. Dr Joe Power will speak in Kilrush Public Library on Wednesday, 7 November on 'The Great War and Clare', Dr Power will also repeat this talk in Ennistymon Library on Friday, 16 November. Ger Browne will speak in Sixmilebridge Library on 'Sixmilebridge in the Great War' on Thursday, 8 November. Talks on Women in 1918 will take place in Killaloe Library on Friday, 8 November when Lucille Ellis, author of 'Women of Clare' will speak on 'Some Clare Women in 1918 Ireland' while our series of lectures ends on Tuesday, 20 November with a talk in Shannon Library with Mary Clancy of NUIG speaking on 'Women and the Vote in 1918'. All talks begin at 6.30pm. Contact the library for further information on 065 6899082 or mailbox@clarelibrary.ie.

Monday 5 November 2018

An Post’s Unveils National Campaign #ReadersWanted

To support its sponsorship of the Irish Book Awards, An Post has unveiled #ReadersWanted, a national campaign which celebrates the value and joy of reading and encourages everyone to pick up more books, more often. An Post wants to remind people of the power of reading to challenge and alter people’s thinking, to bring parents and children together, to break down social barriers and to entertain. As part of its three-year sponsorship of the awards, An Post also wants to encourage more people of all ages to buy more books at their local book shop and post them as gifts. The campaign runs across a breadth of channels including 48-sheet and 6-sheet outdoor sites, bus shelters, online, video and social media.

#ReadersWanted campaign is now live across Ireland. You can follow it on
Facebook: facebook.com/AnPost/
Twitter: @Postvox
Instagram: @anpostofficial

Irish Book Awards 2018

The shortlist for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2018 features a diverse mix of exceptional writing from new and established writers across sixteen categories, including Novel of the Year, Children’s, Cookery, Crime Fiction, Popular Fiction, Nonfiction, Sports, Short Story, Poetry, Teen and Young Adult and the new ‘Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book Of The Year’ category.

The An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible. Each year it brings together a huge community passionate about books – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise the very best of Irish writing talent.

2018 marks the first year of An Post’s sponsorship of the Irish Book Awards. To support their sponsorship, An Post has unveiled #ReadersWanted, a national campaign that celebrates the value and joy of reading and encourages everyone to pick up more books, more often.

The public are now being asked to cast their votes online for the best books of the year on the An Post Irish Book Awards website https://www.irishbookawards.irish/vote2018/. Votes may be cast until Friday 23 November, and the winners will be announced at the gala ceremony in on Tuesday, 27th November. This year, the An Post Irish Book Awards will be presented by Keelin Shanley and a one hour highlight television programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One on Thursday 29 November at 10.45pm.