Library Services
The Library Service in the Western Education Board's area operates via 16 branch libraries, 9 public and 3 housebound mobile libraries, over 106 centres, such as hospitals, community homes, prisons as well as 270 schools and colleges in the most western counties of Northern Ireland. Current Stock levels include over one million items available for loan or reference in the public lending departments. Stock includes 500,000 volumes and audio-visual items deployed in primary schools in the Board's area.
- Public Lending Services
- Mobile Libraries
- Local Studies
- Schools Library Service
- Specialist Library Services
- Reference & Information services
- Special Projects
- Support Services
- Public Lending Services
All service points offer a wide
range of book and non-book materials, to suit all tastes, and
for all ages of readers. In most branches, it is also possible
to borrow video and audio cassettes as well as compact
discs.
Mobile Services
The mobile service offers many of the same services to
be found in branch libraries. Although the amount of stock
carried on a mobile library is limited, any material not
immediately available on the vehicle can be requested and
supplied from one of our central collections.
Local Studies
Local Studies provides a genealogical service
utilising sources such as the 1901 Census and the Griffith's
Rateable Valuation of 1860. Advice is given on a wide range of
genealogical databases as well as guidance on sources available
on the internet. Census materials, employing mainly statistical
data, is available from 1841 to the present.
The first Ordnance Survey of Ireland was carried out in 1834
and copies are held in the local studies departments as well as
the 1854 , 1907 and the c.1948 series.
The most recent 1:2,500 and 1:1,250 series are available for most of the Board area. Maps are put to a variety of uses such as planning, historical and scholastic.
Local businesses are supported by the provision of a localised information service. Files are maintained on larger local industries detailing their company history and range of products:- a service utilised by potential employees and students.
The department has been gathering materials for many years, and now has a considerable collection, including, books, periodicals, leaflets photographs, and local newspapers on microfilm.
Once obtained, most material is
indexed. This process is crucial to the maintenance of the
collection as it provides the link to a vast amount of
materials of different formats, relating to the same subject of
choice.
Schools Library Service
The Schools library service provides a comprehensive library
service for all the schools and colleges throughout the Board's
area. Twice a year, the schools mobile visits all primary
schools to allow all teachers to choose a selection of books
for their pupils. Teachers can also borrow materials relevant
to their teaching plans at the various levels of the national
curriculum.
Specialist Library Services
Library services are also brought to those in the community
who, for reasons of illness or disability, cannot visit their
local library or mobile service on a regular basis. By
arrangement, the housebound mobile will call with library users
at their home to allow them to avail of the service. Book
collections are supplied to residential homes, day centres, and
social education centres. A local "Talking Newspaper" is posted
out on a weekly basis to the visually impaired by the Media
Resources Section. this department provides a range of
technical and close-support services within the library
network. Additional services are also available through the
library service from the Royal National Institute for the
Blind.
The Centre for Migration Studies, based within the Ulster
American Folk Park, at Camphill, Omagh is a major research
centre for the study of emigration comprising a Research
Library and Emigration Database. It offers a wide range of
resources and services to students, academics and historians,
encapsulating the migratory history Irish Immigrants in ages
past.
Reference & Information Services
All libraries have a reference collection varying in depth, and
depending on the available space in each branch. There is a
comprehensive stock ranging from dictionaries, encyclopaedias,
abstracts of statistics, to telephone directories for the UK
and Ireland. An information service to business and industry
and to local government is available in addition to the general
reference service. Information not immediately obtainable can
be acquired by using the services of other larger libraries via
inter-library loans. Study facilities are also available for
students and researchers. The continuous development of these
services will now include access to the internet at most branch
libraries in the Board area.
| Library Management Structure | ||
| Chief Librarian | ||
| Mrs Helen Osborn | T: 028 8225 3644 | E: Helen.Osborn@ni-libraries.net |
| Communications Officer | ||
| Mrs Angela Devine | T: 028 8241 1412 | E: angela_devine@welbni.org |
| Personal Assistant | ||
| Miss Diane McGlynn | T: 028 8225 3644 | E: diane.mcglynn@ni-libraries.net |
| SUPPORT SERVICES | |
| Assistant Chief Librarian | |
| Mrs Rosemary Adams | Tel: 028 8225 3647 |
| Principal Librarian - Service Development | |
| Ms Gail McKinley | Tel:028 8225 3640 |
| Principal Librarian - Ulster American Folk Park | |
| Ms Chris McIvor | Tel:028 8225 6316 |
| Emigration Database Manager | Tel:028 8225 6319 |
| Enterprise Ulster Project Manager | |
| Mrs Lorraine Tennant | Tel:028 9045 2250 |
| Senior Clerical Officer | |
| Mrs Christine Johnston | Tel:028 8225 6315 |
| Media Resourses Officer | |
| Ms Karen Fitzsimmons | Tel:028 8225 3693 |
| A/V Technician | |
| Mr Ian Nethery | Tel:028 8225 3696 |
| Senior Librarian - Bibliographic Services | |
| Ms Doreen Barbour | Tel:028 8225 3643 |
| Senior Library Assistant | |
| Mrs Mary O'Kane | Tel:028 8225 3691 |
| Senior Librarian - Cataloguer | |
| Vacant | |
| Senior Library Assistant | |
| Mrs Marlene Turner | Tel:028 8225 3638 |