Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made on the commitment in the programme for Government to ensure that the library service responds to changing public demand for services as a result of the revolution in communications technology. [20329/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I intend shortly to launch Branching Out — Future Directions, a policy document which will drive the development of the public library service in Ireland over the next five years. A number of ICT initiatives which have been implemented throughout the library service in recent years will continue to be developed, to enhance the quality of access to a rich diversity of information which is now freely available through the Internet at public libraries. Further development of the Student Zone of www.askaboutireland.ie is ongoing. This is designed to support school curricula by providing National Council for Curriculum and Assessment approved, age-appropriate structured modules for teachers and students and for independent learning.

Under the Changing Libraries programme a number of nationally significant historic datasets have been developed into a collection of electronic services for the public. The Irish Times Archive was digitised in a joint partnership with my Department and is freely accessible from the www.askaboutireland.ie website in public library branches and schools. The Ordnance Survey historic map viewer provides on-line access to a national map set originally mapped by the Ordnance Survey between 1829 and 1913.

An on-line version of Griffith's Valuation, the most important surviving genealogical source from the nineteenth century is in the final test stages, and is due to go live and freely available on the www.askaboutireland.ie website shortly. A core collection of seminal local studies texts is in the process of being digitised and will be made available on-line this year. Future Public Library Capital Programmes will also build on previous investment in ICT developments and promote its continuing spread throughout the public library service.