New funding to improve Westmeath library facilities

Kilbeggan Library is set to join Mullingar, Castlepollard, Moate and Athlone as part of the My Open Library initiative and will open 7 days a week, 8am-10pm

Welcoming the news, that new government funding has been announced to improve library facilities in Westmeath, Minister of State Peter Burke said:

“A total of €208,575 is being granted to Westmeath County Council to open a new branch in Kilbeggan. This is great news for the expansion of the Westmeath library network and for the wider Kilbeggan community.

“In addition to this, My Open Library initiative is rolling out in Westmeath allowing people to access their local library outside of normal opening hours. The branches to benefit from this are Moate and Castlepollard. Library users will be able to avail of self-service library services between the hours of 8am and 10pm, seven days per week.

“This initiative has already been running successfully in some locations and we want to expand it. And a further €35,640 will be invested in enhancing the equipment in some branches that already have ‘My Open Library’ service in place. These include Mullingar and Athlone.

Minister Humphreys made the announcement as the World Library Congress opens in Dublin. The event is hosting approximately 1700 delegates from 100 countries.

Announcing the €3.1 million investment, Minister Humphreys said: “I’m delighted to make this announcement as the World Library Congress opens in Dublin, and runs over three days.

“Supporting our libraries is a key priority of mine as Minister for Rural and Community Development.

“They provide such essential services to people, both young and old, and this funding will give so many more people greater access to their local branch.

“It reflects the fact too that some people like to visit their library early in the morning or late in the evening due to work commitments.

“I’m delighted that are in a position to roll the initiative out in these additional branches.”

The Minister concluded: “’My Open Library’ is the flagship initiative under the current Public Libraries Strategy ‘Our Public Libraries 2022 – Inspiring, Connecting and Empowering Communities’.

“It will also form an important part of the successor to the current public library which my Department is currently working on. I would like to thank all those that took the time to respond to the recent public consultation on the development of the new strategy. I look forward to considering these responses and to the opening of further My Open Library facilities into the future.”