Research
Since the 1990s Dublin City Public Libraries has participated in a number of European Union and, more recently, nationally funded programmes. Participation in co-operative projects increases our awareness of good practice examples and research methods. Participation in projects can also result in new service developments.
CALIMERA (Cultural Applications: Local Institutions Mediating Electronic Resource Access). This project was funded by the EU ISTE -Information Society Technologies Programme.
DERAL (Distance Education in Rural Libraries via Libraries) aimed to encourage public libraries to play an increasingly important part in transferring information, knowledge and education to users who have difficulty in following courses of study delivered through formal education institutions.
The CHILDE (Children’s Historical Literature Disseminated throughout Europe) project provided increased access to children’s historical literature dating from the 19th Century by publishing 1000 images relating to historical children’s publications. It was funded by the EU’s Culture 2000 programme.
The HERCULE (Heritage and Culture through Libraries in Europe) project developed the concept of young people as EU citizens in the Information Society. In Dublin the project team worked with students from the Ballyfermot area to create content about their area that is published here.
LISTED (Library Integrated System for Telematics-Based Education)
A project funded under the Telematics Applications – Library Sector, (Framework IV), LISTED set out to create, test, and demonstrate library based online learning services.
MUMLIB (Multimedia Methodology in Libraries) A project funded under the European Union Telematics Programme - Library Sector. (Third Framework), MUMLIB undertook an ambitious multimedia research and development project.
PubliCA (Public Libraries Concerted Action)
This initiative, funded as a Concerted Action, developed a network of public library professionals across Europe. It aimed to promote the application of research results and to encourage the use of good practice within public library services.
PULMAN (Public Libraries Mobilising Advanced Network)
The PULMAN Thematic Network was funded by the European Commission’s IST FP5 programme. Its main goals were to promote a Europe-wide exchange of knowledge, experience and good practice within and between the policy makers and professional communities responsible for public libraries.
The PDWEB (Public Data Web) project was formed to build a Public Access Information System, including employment information, based on simple easy to use touch screen technology and multimedia techniques.
TESTLAB (Tesing Sytems using Telematics for Library Access for blind and visually handicapped Readers Libraries Project). This project established a number of practical trials in public and academic libraries, where members of the blind and visually impaired communities could access library catalogues and electronic documents in a meaningful way. As a result, the project developed a number of publicly accessible resources for the blind and visually impaired.
Full title: The Value of Public Libraries in the Delivery of E-Government Services.
This project demonstrates how public libraries can provide value in the delivery of online public services to the public.
Dublin City Public Libraries announces the commencement of a research project, which aims to establish effective approaches to delivering services to Primary Schools at a national level.