Rural readers will not be left out in the cold next year as Kilkenny is to get a new mobile library vehicle, which will serve rural communities in the county of Kilkenny.
The recent news from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government that Kilkenny Library Service has been successful in its application for a new mobile library vehicle (€162,000 ) has been warmly greeted by staff, elected members, and the public.
Kilkenny Library Service has had a mobile library service in operation since 1972 and it serves 796sq miles and a population of 87,553.
The mobile operates on a three-weekly cycle and has a membership of 1,073 users comprising 895 children and 178 adults. It operates over four days, servicing 65 stops.
The rural nature of the county presents many challenges to service providers and the library service recognises that ways must be found to provide library services to these communities so that all citizens of Kilkenny have access to an equitable library service.
Public libraries have always been a valuable resource for the public and this is even more the case as people rely on their library services when the economy slows down.
A review of current routes will be taken to ensure that as many people as possible will benefit from the mobile library service. The library service hopes to have the new vehicle ready for operation by
