Information Age Town Project & Internet Access Launch
The Library Comes Home
The plans of Clare County Library
and the eircom 
Ennis Information Age Town project
to allow you to bring your library home with you when you surf the net
have now come to fruition. In the comfort of your own home, you will
be able to search the Library Catalogue, check to see what books you
have on loan, renew them etc. Plans to allow clients to place reservations
on books via the Internet are well advanced, and this facility will
be available early in the New Year. The library also plans to communicate
with its customers directly via email.
People can now also search a wide ranging Community Information database featuring clubs, societies & organisations in Clare; local facilities; education & training etc. etc…. This service greatly enhances the information contained on the library's first award-winning website, which contains a host of information on Clare, its people, places and history.
The Department of the Environment and Local Government are looking keenly at this project with a view to shaping the future of technology in public libraries in Ireland. The Department, in fact, has contributed substantial funding towards the project.
Over the last four years, Clare County Library has been re-inventing itself and the services it offers to the public. At present, all branch libraries are on-line, using high-speed ISDN links. The library is a member of Talis Information Ltd (formerly BLCMP), a co-operative of over 80 public, special and academic libraries, giving the library immediate access to the largest bibliographic database in Europe of over 15 million records. This new venture, in partnership with the Information Age Town, is a huge step forward, with full and free access to our Catalogue and Community Information database being available from anywhere in the world. This is be a first for Irish public libraries and establishes Clare County Library at the forefront of library development world-wide.
Internet Access in Branch Libraries
As part of the Information Society Commission's
drive to increase the use of modern technology in Ireland, Clare County
Library have received funding from the Department of Environment and
Local Government to make available 54 Internet Access Points, throughout
its branch library structure. This allows everyone in Clare to have
free Internet Access, courtesy of Clare County Council's Library Service.
In the case of de Valera Branch Library, Ennis, eircom Ennis Information Age Town has made available the most modern, high-speed communications facility - ADSL - which will ensure that the 12 access points in the branch will have instant acces to the Web. This community-access facility will also allow the public full access to a wide range of PC Application Software.
The library's new Web address is
http://www.clarelibrary.ie.
The former library website (www.iol.ie/~clarelib) has been hailed by
other library services as a model of its kind.
'Hello Clare County Library! I work in a library
in Ontario, Canada. We are just starting to design our website, so I
am searching public library sites all around the world for "do's"
and "don'ts". Your site provided lots of positive concepts!
Wonderful colours and graphics. Simple to use and I enjoyed your interesting
library history. Definitely one of the better library websites I have
visited…'
Sandi Hall, Waterloo Public Library, Canada.
'Hello, I was on the web trying to learn a little about
my Irish heritage, when I found the Clare County Library. My ancestors
came from Co. Clare and I'm pleased that you have such a wonderful library
and a great Web site. No wonder my father was such an avid reader and
had children who read a great deal…it must be in the blood…'
Lisa (Clancy) Murphy, Florida, USA.
'First, my hats off to your Web site! I'm digging through
my family's roots, and I've enjoyed exploring the wide variety of information
on your site. It's very helpful and informative to those of us who,
for now, are limited to visiting your lovely country through the miracle
of technology…'
Jim Anderson, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA.
If you are a pupil or student researching any topic, if you are a teacher planning project work or outings to places of interest; if you are a newcomer to Clare and are wondering how to join a Badminton Club; if you are from Paris, Texas and are planning a visit to Clare; if you are researching your ancestors; if you are looking for a good read and help to find it; if you are a parent whose child wants to know the inventor of the submarine; all this and much more can be satisfied now that Clare County Library's eircom Information Age Town Project has become a reality.