Library supports funding for three Mayo projects

THE Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development, Sean Canney, has approved €650,000 to provide library supports to communities and individuals at risk of being socially excluded, marginalised or disadvantaged.

Payments will be made from Minister Michael Ring’s Department of Rural and Community Development.

A number of projects in Mayo will benefit from the funding.

They are the Irish Wheelchair Association, the Youth Project Ballina, and the Book Therapy Pack.

Announcing the funding, Minister Canney said: “Our public library system has an important role to play in delivering additional educational services to comply with our Sustainable Development Goals. I am delighted to approve this funding which will help meet the needs of a diverse range of individuals and communities and facilitate inclusion and participation by all.”

Minister Ring commented on the announcement.

He said: “I am delighted that this funding has been allocated to libraries across the country. Everyone should feel that the library is a space for them. This funding will help reach out to communities who may not have previously engaged with the service.”

The funding will:

•Provide access to educational, lifelong learning, social inclusion, and community participation supports available through the public library service,

•Support digital literacy, digital access and digital capacity for disadvantaged and marginalised communities, and

•Provide literacy supports in tandem with the national Right-to-Read Programme.