by Philip Kehoe.
I started a degree in Library studies in UCD in 2012, and at some point I started thinking about the kind of job I’d like to do after I finished. “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an Irish Library of Fantasy and Science Fiction?”
Well, the idea hasn’t gone away and I think it’s a good idea so why not try to make it real? So what would this be? I imagine a welcoming space, appropriately decorated with murals and the like. Reading spaces among the shelves. My degree was in Library Studies and Archaeology and the other area of my interest is museums so I see the Library as having aspects of a museum to it. Apart from our collection of books for borrowing we would also be a place to visit to see exhibitions on the history of the genre and its pivotal figures, special events, author visits… (Insert your ideas here).
As this would be an Irish Library it will of course be particularly important to include Irish authors and the history that we have in the genre. I know we have both a great past and a great present to represent and celebrate.
I know that this is going to be a big project and I’m going to need a lot of help. We can think about stepping stones towards a full realisation of this idea. Hopefully, given the energy and enthusiasm behind the Dublin 2019 bid this is something you’ll want to get behind as we move towards and beyond that goal!
Contact Philip at phil.kehoe@outlook.ie or via Twitter on @Phil_Z42
