The shortlist for the Dublin Impac Literary Award 2012 which is run by Dublin City Public Libraries. The 2012 winner was announced as 'Even the Dogs', by Jon McGregor earlier this week. Photo: Jason Clarke Photography
In the final blog post responding to guest curators le cool Dublin on pivotdublin.com, we turn to proposals for a new city library for Dublin.
There is widespread agreement that Dublin, as UNESCO City of Literature, needs a fit for purpose 21st century City Library. The process of advocating for its delivery, led by the Dublin City Public Libraries Service, is ongoing. City Architects are assisting with appraisals of a number of potential sites at the moment. Sites are being considered in terms of technical and financial feasibility issues.
Other key criteria include: public prominence and visibility, regeneration benefits to the site location, public transport access and synergies with other cultural uses in the vicinity. Ultimately, however the overarching priority is that the chosen site must work as a City Library for the people of Dublin. It must be transparent and open, not simply a building for the housing of books, but a flexible space capable of delivering on a range of services and programmes for learning, recreation and community connection. The aim is to develop a state of the art facility which promotes Dublin as a centre of literature and continuous learning, but the Library service is also aware of the significant benefits which a thriving cultural institution can bring to a district through knock-on regeneration benefits. In this regard the Library service and the Council are committed to examining sites in the vicinity of the existing Central Library in the ILAC Centre.