Photo Database Wins Library Top Award

Clare People, Tuesday, 13th November 2007

An online database of over 8,000 archived images of Clare was one of the top prizewinners at this year's Chamber Ireland 'Excellence in Local Government Awards'.

'Foto', a photographic project by Clare County Library, won the Arts and Culture category, beating off competition from Local Authorities across the country. The collections date from the late 19th century and cover topics like people, events, archaeology, architecture, railways, landscape, flora, mortuary cards and gravestones.

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Patricia McCarthy, described the award as a wonderful tribute to the dedication and vision of the library staff. She said the library was grateful to the people who donated photographs and collections to the project, as it would not have been possible without their support.

Launched in August 2004, 'Foto' is made available through the Library website at http://foto.clarelibrary.ie/fotoweb/. It initially concentrated on digitising the library's own photographic collections. The library subsequently commissioned an amateur photographer with an interest in archeology to take photographs and a number of photographers also came forward and offered their collections to the project.

The naming of unidentified people and places in some of the photographs can be undertaken by members of the public through an electronic form and a large number of website users have been in touch to fill in the names of people they recognise in the photographs.

The library allows the public to download and print any images to which the library holds copyright, free of charge.

One of the 'Foto' projects most popular collections will be the subject of a special exhibition to be launched at the Courthouse Studios in Ennistymon. The month-long exhibition of photographs by local photographer, Michael John Glynne, documents the lives of the people of North Clare over four decades. Born in Ennistymon in 1919, Michael John Glynn began his photographic career in the 1950s and worked both as a commercial photographer and as a photographer for The Clare Champion newspaper.

The exhibition is presented by the County Library in association with Clare Local Studies Project (CLASP) and will run for the month of November. The Courthouse Studios are open from 12 to 5 from Tuesdays to Saturdays.

<< Library Newscuttings