DID you ever get the urge to just stay in bed all day and read a good book? Books, as King of Horror Stephen King, so eloquently put it, are a uniquely portable magic.
And just imagine, you wake up of a morn with a dose of Monday-itis or a hangover from hell and just feel like staying under the covers engrossed in a Marian Keyes, Donal Ryan, or Mills and Boon to while away the hours.
Imagine now that you could just pick up the phone and ring your local librarian and say, “C’mere to me love, would you mind dropping over an auld Harry Potter for the little fella? He’s out sick with a serious dose of the trots. I’d really appreciate it.”
I mean you can get everything from burritos to a kebab delivered right to your front door, so why not a book? In fairness, there’s eating and drinking in a good book.
Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara may be too idealistic for his own good, but give him a year or two and that will be knocked out of him. The City North representative has certainly shown himself to be very passionate about animals and libraries in his short time as a councillor. He’s already had several motions and questions on the agendas of recent Metropolitan District meetings relating to both to back that one up.
Before speaking on a motion relating to Limerick Dog Shelter at this month’s area meeting, Cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District Kieran O’Hanlon even wisecracked to the young Caherdavin man: “Are you gone to the dogs, again?”
But it was Cllr Hickey-O’Mara’s motion relating to libraries at the same meeting that supported the possibility that he had finally gone all Scooby Doo on proceedings.
A romantic notion it was for sure, proposing that the library service provide home delivery, but considering the constant shortfall in funding for more pressing works, it did come off a little pie-in-the-sky.
He took the view that the move would be a valuable asset for residents who are unable to visit their local library due to illness, reduced mobility, or disability.
A noble call, albeit a tad whimsical considering some of the items higher up on the Council wishlist.
It’s nice to dream, and I’m partial to a good fantasy novel myself, but despite all his good intentions, the proposal came across as being rather naive.
Quoting other local authorties who provide the door-to-door service, to the SocDems councillor it seemed to be a case of ‘everybody else is doing it, so why can’t we?’
“This idea is not an original one by any means. It is, like most of the motions I brought forward over the past months, inspired by conversations with Limerick residents and fuelled by the realisation that other local authorities offer services such as this all over the country,” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara explained.
Limerick people, he went onto say, deserve the same standard of quality public services as people in other parts of the country.
But there was to be no happy ever after in Merchants Quay. City and County Librarian Damien Brady, a man passionate about his work and with vast experience as a librarian, proved he would not at all be partial to a bit of Cecelia Ahern. Not at all, he gave more the impression of being a shrewd and knowledgeable Dan Brown sort.
He delivered some home truths that certainly weren’t the stuff of children’s books, and required adult supervision for Council members during the course of the meeting.
“The service includes 16 library branches and a mobile library. This level of service compares favourably with other city and county library services across the country,” Mr Brady declared.
He went on to say that feedback nationally shows that there is not a high level of demand for a home delivery service. However, he pointed out that, for residents who are unable to visit their local library, that the library service offers a “house bound service” from their nearest convenient library or mobile stop.
“When a person requests this service, we ask them to nominate a friend or family member to collect their library items on their behalf. It is a practical, simple, and cost effective solution to this demand,” he said.
“Our experience is that the current Limerick offer addresses the need for a house bound service for Limerick, within the library resources available.”
But the Winnie-the-Pooh fans in the chamber were not happy.
“Why can’t we just have this on offer so somebody can ring and go, ‘Is there a chance that you can drop over a book for me, or drop over a book for my kid or my grandmother?’” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara wanted to know.
When the exorbitant costs of such a service were outlined by the City and County Librarian, there was great frustration with the ending of this little romance novella.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara replied, clear in his wish to read everything but the room.
That’s the attitude. Keep dreaming!
