The Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre in Cavan won The Judges Award, the ‘Mary Finch Accessibility Award,’ as the library which best incorporated access for all patrons, at The Public Library Buildings Awards UK and Republic of Ireland 2007, in Glasgow.

The Judges Award, the ‘Mary Finch Accessibility Award’ generously sponsored by the BBC, goes to the library which, in the judges opinion, most addressed inclusivity – the accessibility elements in this library have been carefully integrated to ensure that it meets and possibly exceeds the regulations but does so in an understated way. This means that any visitor to the building is likely to have the same visitor experience moving through this building.

The Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre was also highly commended in the ‘Architecture Meets Practicaliy’Award. Thurles Library was highly commended in the ‘Partnership’ award. For a full list of results, as well as an oppotunity to view video clips of the winning libraries, visit the CILIP website.

The Public Libraries Group (PLG) of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and An Chomhairle Leabharlanna (The Library Council) announced the winners of The Public Library Buildings Awards UK and Republic of Ireland 2007 at their annual conference in Glasgow.
The awards recognise the best libraries open to the public in the last 2 years throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Starting in 1995, this competition continues to attract large and small authorities to vie for the only awards to recognise the functionality of library buildings on both sides of the Irish Sea. The sponsors are the BBC, Demco Interiors and 3m.

The awards focus on building design, practice, management and use of the buildings by the library customers and staff.

Architecture Meets Practicality
This award is for new or refurbished libraries of architectural interest which are practical and user friendly, where the building reflects the brief/specification, vision of the architect and delivers the needs of a 21st Century service.

Winner – Prestonpans Library, East Lothian

Highly Commended (1) – Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre, Cavan, Co Cavan

Highly Commended (2) – The Mitchell Library, Glasgow

Heart of the Community
This award is for new or refurbished libraries which have been designed to enhance and/or regenerate the library space to facilitate the delivery of new, inclusive, innovative services to the whole community.

Winner – The Hook Library and the Hook Centre, Kingston upon Thames

Highly Commended – Lewes Library and Information Centre, Lewes, East Sussex

Interior Design
This award is for new or refurbished libraries which have been designed to enhance and/or regenerate the library space to facilitate the delivery of new, inclusive, innovative services to the whole community.

Winner – Handsworth Library, Birmingham

Partnership

This award is for new or refurbished libraries built and/or managed in partnership with other agencies including dual or multi purpose libraries and Private Finance Initiatives/Public Private Partnership libraries.

Winner – Library at the Bridge, Glasgow

Highly Commended – Thurles Library, Thurles, County Tipperary

The Mary Finch Accessibility Award

The Judges Award, the ‘Mary Finch Accessibility Award’ generously sponsored by the BBC, goes to the library which, in the opinion of the judges, most addressed inclusivity – the accessibility elements in this library have been carefully integrated to ensure that it meets and possibly exceeds the regulations but does so in an understated way. This means that any visitor to the building is likely to have the same visitor experience moving through this building.

The Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre in Cavan won this coveted prize as the library which best incorporated access for all patrons. This award honours the late Mary Finch who was the public face of the BBC Audio Books supply service to librarians throughout the two islands.
 

The Delegates’ Choice Award

The Delegates’ Choice award affords an opportunity to those attending the PLA Glasgow conference and  through the Public Library Group’s website   to choose from  the 16 longlisted libraries for their favourite. A total of 33 libraries were nominated from services throughout Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. The winner, Felixstowe library, Suffolk, won the hearts and minds of the librarians with its exciting DVD  pitch.
The judging panel was led by Norma McDermott Director of the Library Council (Ireland) and Adrienne Adair (Northern Ireland’s SEELB) with a range of expertise provided on the panel by:

Angie Weatherhead (Torbay Library Services),
Julie Griffiths (Halton Library Service),
Stephen Hetherington, Design and Culture consultant,
Peter Maxwell (CABE),
Jo McCausland (MLA, UK) and
Sean Phillips (UCD, Dublin).

Further information is available from
Norma McDermot – email nmcdermott@librarycouncil.ie
Adrienne Adair – email adrienne.adair@ni-libraries.net

The O2 Ability Awards are the first Irish business awards for best practice in the employment and inclusion of people with disabilities. They were created and designed by The Aisling Foundation, in association with strategic partners Access Ability, who manage the assessment process.
http://www.theabilityawards.com/index.htm

Public libraries feature in the list of winners for the 2007 Awards:

Mayo County Council was the Overall Winner in the Non-Private Sector
A Local authority with responsibility for the third largest county in the country, Mayo County Council has 1,400 employees and an annual budget of €250 million. Mayo County Council provides public services to local communities in an inclusive manner throughout the county, and operates out of 10 local offices and 17 public libraries. The County Council is responsible for providing a number of services to the county, including protecting the environment, fire protection, agricultural services, planning, road maintenance, enhancing the cultural and artistic life of the community, tax collection and licensing and maintaining refuse infrastructure.
http://www.mayococo.ie/en/

Cavan County Council received an O2 Ability Award for 2007 for best practice in the areas of Environmental Accessibility and Leadership.
The Environmental Accessibility award relates to Johnston Central Library, this is the second award that the Council have received for this building for accessibility. It has already received the National Disability Authority Excellence through Accessibility award in 2006. Cavan Library Services have been to the forefront nationally in ensuring accessibility is central in the design of library buildings and services.
http://www.cavancoco.ie/cccws/templates/general/tge_index.aspx?str_ID=87&new_ID=448

Dublin City Public Libraries received the award for the following areas of best practice:

Leadership
Environmental Accessibility
Customer Service

http://www.dublincity.ie/living_in_the_city/libraries/press_news/news/o2_award.asp