Headford News and Community Spotlight - Between the Covers

May 17th will be IDAHOT Day, so wave a rainbow flag. That's the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. It's recognised in over sixty countries around the world. The reason it takes place on May 17th is because that's the day (in 1990) when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

The main purpose of the May 17 mobilisations is to raise awareness of violence, discrimination and repression of LGBT communities worldwide, which in turn provides an opportunity to take action and engage in dialogue with the media, policymakers, public opinion, and wider civil society. This event does not require any specific type of action, just global awareness. This decentralized approach is suitable due to the diversity of social, religious, cultural and political contexts in which rights violations occur.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT 

Between the Covers

It’s a beautiful, sunny day, and Edel Talbot is spending it inside the Headford Library. That’s because it’s her job. As Headford’s librarian, she drives all the way from Oranmore to keep us in books. And she’s proud of her small literary dominion.

“We have a new scanner and copier,” she says, showing me the countless options on the machine. Recently, this library became computerized, so now Edel can access memberships and book due dates as quickly and efficiently as they can in the bigger libraries in the city.

On this Tuesday afternoon, the Headford Library is surprisingly busy. In the span of ten minutes, the patrons include an overprotective mom with three children, a Presentation student who uses one of the computers to research a project, an elderly gentleman, three more people with two children, and a desperate-looking woman asking for the loo key.

Edel tells me the library loans, on average, 300 books a week. Even at the limit of four books per adult and six for children, that represents a lot of visitors. Clearly, Headford area residents like their books.

Edel Talbot, Headford's Librarian

‘We have two book clubs,’ Edel says. One is a group of ten to twelve year olds who meet one Saturday a month. The other is a book club for adults that meets the first Wednesday of each month. Everyone in the group reads the same book and then discusses whether or not they liked it, what they thought of the characters, what personal experiences they may have had in their own lives that are like the story, and other points of interest.

Every summer, there’s a ‘Reading Challenge’ programme to encourage young people aged five to thirteen to continue reading while they’re on holiday from school. ‘We usually have good participation,’ Edel says.

In this tiny library, ‘children are seldom quiet,’ Edel says. One borrower describes that fact as ‘frustrating.’ Another person tells me the behaviour of ‘bold’ children in this confined space is ‘maddening.’ But Edel points out, ‘The library belongs to the people of Headford.’ Though she admits, it ‘needs to be in a larger space.’ She says many libraries are venues for craft lessons, language lessons, local meetings, but the Headford space is too small to accommodate such things. Although, in the past, there have been readings and lectures inside the library after hours.

Edel says she likes working with books. ‘I’ve always been a reader and encouraged my own children to read and to use the library as they were growing up. I always felt at home in libraries.’ And this one does feel ‘homey.’ That might be due, in part, to the fact that it’s about the size of most people’s sitting rooms. The shelves are completely full, with more books stacked in boxes, on a cart, and leaning precariously at the edge of Edel’s desk. This prompts me to ask her if the library will go digital soon, as many have in other countries, or if e-book licensing is being considered. But she’s not heard of any such plans.

One of the great things about the Headford Library is that it’s part of the Galway system, so the card catalogue is accessible online at: http://www.galway.ie/en/services/library/ Books can be found and reserved from home.

Edel would also like to make sure that everyone knows about the excellent resources available for genealogy research through the Galway library site. ‘So many people come in asking about tracing their roots.’ They come into the library when they’re on holiday, looking to find out about ancestors who might have lived in the Headford area. ‘But there used to be mostly businesses in Headford,’ Edel says. Most families lived outside the village. ‘People need to do some research before they come,’ she says.

If you’re interested in doing genealogy research, the site to visit is:

http://www.galway.ie/en/Services/Library/LibrariesForms/FilesTable/TheFile,10260,en.pdf

Alternatively, you can visit the Galway library site: http://www.galway.ie/en/services/library/, click on ‘Local History,’ then ‘Research Guide’ and follow the link. There you will find nine pages of information on ‘Family History and Genealogy.’ Specific resources are listed including the census returns, primary valuation, land records, newspapers, etc.

This year, the Headford Library turns ten years old, which means Edel has assisted and encouraged a whole generation of readers. And if the traffic in and out of the place is any indication, Edel and the library will be around for a long time to come.

Headford Library Opening Hours:

Tuesday 2:30-5 & 6-8

Wednesday 11:30-1:30

Thursday 2:30-7:00

Friday 11:30-1:30 & 2:30-5:00

Saturday 11:30-3:00 (closed on Saturdays that precede Bank Holiday Mondays)