Galway County Libraries Collection: Minute Book, Library Committee, 1941-1998 (incorporating some Annual Reports)

Volume of minutes of proceedings of Committee meetings. The frequency of the meetings changed over time, initially they were held monthly, from 1943 to about 1976 they were held quarterly, then held half yearly until the mid 1990s when they were re-introduced on a quarterly basis.  The minutes record attendance, together with proceedings of Committee business relating to the establishment, management and administration of a county library service, dealing with matters such as the procurement of sites for and opening of branch libraries and centres throughout the county, building maintenance, the selection and purchase of book stock, staffing matters, opening hours, payment of accounts, together with the introduction and development of a mobile and schools library service.  The minutes, for a time during the 1940s and 1950s, include a transcript and thereafter details of the County Librarian’s report on the working of and developments in the library over the previous quarter.  The report generally deals with major initiatives and requirements to develop the service, such as the need to provide an appropriate building for headquarters, additional branch libraries, funding and staff, the continual development of the schools service, the launching of Galway Reader (March 1949) and so on.  The minutes also record resolutions proposed and resolved by the Committee together with details of correspondence received.  Also generally includes a copy of the agenda, and includes (during the 1940s) many lists of books submitted by the County Librarian to the Committee for purchase.

Includes transcript or printed copies of several Annual Reports, such as transcripts of 18^th annual report for year end March 1943 (p55), 1944 (p76), 1945 (p93), and printed copies for 1948-1949 (p164), 1950-1952 (p185) and 1953-1955 (p193).

The minutes are generally signed by the Committee Chairman and dated.

Includes:

• 18^th Annual Report stating that ‘Owing to the limited floor space, shelving and staff, the carrying out of the many functions of the expanding service is an acute problem, resulting in much inconvenience and delay in dealing with essential work at headquarters.  The County Manager has proposed to appoint an additional assistant but up to the present the views of the Department of Local Government and Public Health on the subject have not been received’  (p55, see also p57).
• Twenty-first Annual Report of the Libraries Department (1944-45) stated that ‘The past year, which saw the second world war nearing its close, was in a sense the end of a literary epoch.  It can be regarded, with its spate of journalists’ war experiences, ex-statesmen’s panacea for world turmoil and chaos, war propaganda and sex novels, by the feeling on all sides that we are moving out of one mood into another.  There is a growing dissatisfaction on the part of those who are mainly observers with the literature of dissent, unrest, protest, harshness and bitterness, and the increasing inclination to analyses and to probe below the surface stirring up all that is vile in mankind - a literary licence called the demand for liberty of thought and action.  It has been a movement aptly termed “The Abdication of Intelligence”’ (p93).
• The County Librarian’s (Maguire, S.J.), observations on the forming, as suggested by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, of the National Register of Archives in England stated ‘For many years I have endeavoured to locate public records of all kinds, charters, deeds, etc., in the various counties in which I organised county libraries.  I have circularised solicitors, estate agents and land-owners, interviewed them personally and pointed out the importance of preserving material…I have found by experience that without an organisation nothing can be done.  I would also point out that I have succeeded, thanks to the co-operation of the County Manager, in saving the bulk of the Minute Books and other material of the various Boards of Guardians and Rural District Councils in Galway.  Also, on his instructions, the Minute Books of the old Galway Corporation have been lodged in the care of the University College here…..
  The question of suitable repositories in Ireland is and will be for quite a long time a problem.  County buildings, municipal halls, county library headquarters, and so on, are practically everywhere cramped and lack space for suitable storage.  I know that a number of county courthouses could be equipped at a small cost, but generally suitable repositories are scarce…..
  So far as I am aware, no County Council possesses an Archivist - any such work where carried out devolves on the County Librarian….’ (p134).
• County Librarian’s (Maguire), report stated that ‘The staff of the County Libraries service the community of the City and County of Galway at all levels, and in all spheres of interest.  They deal with the collection, recording and active exploitation of all types of written and recorded materials.  Their work requires special skills and technique in the classification, organisation and exploitation of books and data.  They endeavour to promote the habit of reading and the wider distribution of books, and it is to be recorded that readers are now keeping them busier than before.   Readers are of all ages with an infinite variety of tastes and interests, …’ ( ).
• County Librarian (Maguire) reported that ‘That problems that arise through the use of the County Library Headquarters as a city library continue.  Adequate headquarters space is badly needed, and the staff while labouring under the handicap of an overcrowded headquarters are doing great things to produce results’ (p167).
• County Librarian (Maguire) reported ‘As far as a Branch Library, Art Gallery and Museum for the City of Galway is concerned, the outlook seems bleak, but it is to be recorded with pleasure that the County Manager has not lost sight of the matter.  New Branch Libraries are being organized, but difficulties are being experienced in finding premises at Gort, Carraroe, and Mountbellew-Moylough districts….’ (p169).
• Report on a draft scheme of improvement for the County Library Service stated that it ‘envisaged improvements in Headquarters and City Branch premises higher book fund, extra staff, better Branch Library premises, the provision of a School Library Service, and Mobile Service for Connemara.  The Assistant Co. Manager referred to the proposed reconstruction of Courthouse and the improvement which this would mean in Library accommodation.  He also spoke on the necessity of providing a Museum and Art Gallery for Galway City and the problems which this would involve and two principal ones being premises and a guarantee of continuity….’ (p233)
• '…It was pointed out by the Librarian that the premises were now inadequate as a Branch Library for the City and a Headquarters.  The assistant Co. Manager reported on proposals for the reconstruction of the Courthouse which would give greater accommodation to the Library but explained that the proposed improvements would not provide for future expansion of the Library service.  A long discussion followed on the subject of providing a suitable Library Hq. and City Branch, during which members referred to the need of providing a Municipal Centre for Galway'  (p238).
• Reference to offer made by Murphy, D.J. (N.T.), Tuam to donate his collection of antiquarian objects and other items of ancient folk culture to the Galway County Libraries on condition that they be preserved and form the nucleus of a folk museum to be located in Tuam town, ‘..agreed in principle that the Folk Museum based on Mr Murphy’s Collection should be provided in Tuam, and the meeting recommended to the County Council that the matter be further investigated with a view to acquiring suitable accommodation for the housing and presentation of Mr Murphy’s Collection…’ (p257).
• ‘Mr Sharkey (County Librarian) said that photocopies of the books in the Clonbrock Collection, which were donated to the National Library had been ordered and when received would be bound.  Mr Townley remarked that it was important to have such material available in Galway' (p323).
• 'Mr Sharkey  (County Librarian) informed the members that valuable record books, some dating back from before the famine, which included workhouse ledgers and Minute Books of the Board of Guardians had been found recently in Tuam.  He had these books rebound by Kenny's Bindery.
  Mr C. Townley (Christopher, Librarian University College Galway) said that these old records were extremely important as source material for social historians and appealed to people who come across any kind of old business or household records to preserve them carefully and inform libraries of their existence'  (p323).
• ‘Mr C Townley (Christopher, Librarian University College Galway) ‘…said that libraries were going beyond the book stage and were installing microfilm readers and other modern equipment and that Public Libraries should keep abreast of the times’ (p325).
• The County Manager (Keating, S.) informed the Committee ‘…that the next important project was the provision of a new library headquarters and branch libraries in the city.   He said that the present city branch was on a good site but it was on a second floor, was totally inadequate as a Headquarters and that by any standards the premises was bad…’,  he went on to say that ‘at least three branch libraries were needed in Galway City, one in the city centre, the second in the Renmore/Ballybane area where the local services were expanding to cater for a population of about 7,000 and that this growing population would be entitled to a Branch Library.  The third area, Mr Keating said, was in the Knockncarra/Salthill/ Newcastle/Shantalla region…’ (p327).
• ‘….steps should be taken to counter the slippage in membership. He urged the idea of a Family Membership.  The County Librarian told the members that he was not in favour of fees but said that the bookfund was now partially dependent on them. Mr Sharkey also said that the size of the premises and the ability of the Branch Librarian also had a bearing on the use of the service.  He said that the Library service must have proper finance to run effectively’ (p371).
• ‘Mr Leo Hallissey (Library Committee member) told the meeting that he feared that the Library service was on a downslide.  The lack of resources meant that fewer new books were purchased and the Libraries needed a frequent turnover of new material.  Mr Hallissey said that there was tremendous good will in the community and in the press for the library and that this committee must be tapped into it’ (p381).
• Suggestion from the Committee that ‘an approach be made to the University Authorities, requesting that each student submitting a thesis dealing with any aspect of County Galway, should be requested to submit a synopsis of four to six pages, on the subject of the thesis, which would be donated to the County Library and thus be available to the public’ (p383).
• Remarks of the outgoing Committee Chairman included ‘…that because of the financial stringency that exists in all public expenditure, the Committee seemed to be getting nowhere. He hoped that if money could be obtained from E.C. funds, we could have a more efficient Library service in the future…’ (p391).
• ‘The County Librarian (McMahon, Pat) advised the meeting that the ‘…aim was to have a quality book collection in each Branch Library, but the new technology also had role to play. P.C.s, CD ROMs, the Internet are very much part of life today.  Many people have P.C.s with access to the Internet in their own homes.  Libraries should be catering for people who cannot afford the technology by having P.C.s available in the library and access to the Internet for public use…’ (p409).