August NUI Galway President welcomes €15m Library Funding Announcement

NUI Galway has secured €15 million in funding under the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructural Fund (HESIF) - Project Ireland 2040, announced by Minister for Education Joe McHugh T.D. for the redevelopment of the James Hardiman Library.

The project - the new Library and Learning Commons - will redevelop, reconceptualise and fundamentally transform the James Hardiman Library building at NUI Galway in order to embrace, promote and support evolving approaches to teaching and learning.

Welcoming the announcement, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of NUI Galway said: "I am delighted to welcome this very substantial support for NUI Galway’s library redevelopment which is a strong endorsement for teaching and learning at this University. This development will have a distinctively transformative impact on the learning experience of our students at NUI Galway.

“Renewing higher education for the needs of our time and our place demands new types of space that allow deeper forms of engagement and new forms of connection between teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. This investment provides an opportunity to reconceive the library as an inclusive, accessible centre for active learning, a place of shared curiosity and for the co-development of knowledge and understanding in the world and for the world. I would like to thank the Department and the HEA for acknowledging our vision for HE in Ireland and in particular here in the west.

“This is great news for NUI Galway, as well as for our broader University community. Today's announcement is a clear signal of our ambition for a new chapter in our University’s proud history.”

John Cox, University Librarian, commented: “The transformed Library will be an inspirational, welcoming, space for learning and creativity, facilitating collaborative discovery and interdisciplinary engagement, with access to the world’s knowledge via a comprehensive digital library.”

ENDS

Cuireann Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh fáilte roimh Fhógra maidir le Maoiniú €15m don Leabharlann

D'fhógair an tAire Oideachais, Joe McHugh, TD inniu (Déardaoin, 29 Lúnasa) go bhfuil maoiniú €15 mhilliún faighte ag OÉ Gaillimh faoin gCiste Bonneagair Straitéisigh Ardoideachais (HESIF) - Tionscadal Éire 2040 - chun Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin a athfhorbairt.

Déanfaidh an tionscadal - Ionad nua na Leabharlainne agus na Foghlama - athfhorbairt, athchoincheapú agus athrú bunúsach ar fhoirgneamh Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin in OÉ Gaillimh chun cuir chuigí atá ag teacht chun cinn i leith an teagaisc agus na foghlama a ghlacadh chugainn féin, a chur chun cinn agus a thacú.

Agus é ag cur fáilte roimh an bhfógra, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Tá an-áthas orm fáilte a chur roimh an tacaíocht ollmhór seo d’athfhorbairt na leabharlainne in OÉ Gaillimh, rud atá ina thacaíocht láidir don teagasc agus don fhoghlaim san Ollscoil seo. Beidh tionchar ó bhonn ag an bhforbairt seo ar thaithí foghlama ár mac léinn in OÉ Gaillimh.

“D’fhonn an t-ardoideachas a athrú chun freastal ar riachtanais na linne seo teastaíonn cineálacha nua spáis a chothaíonn cineálacha éagsúla rannpháirtíochta agus cineálacha nua ceangail idir teagasc, foghlaim, taighde, agus léann. Tugann an infheistíocht seo deis dúinn an leabharlann a athmhúnlú mar lárionad cuimsitheach, inrochtana don fhoghlaim ghníomhach, mar áit don fhiosracht chomhroinnte agus tugann sí deis freisin dúinn eolas agus tuiscint a chomhfhorbairt sa domhan. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Roinn agus leis an ÚAO as a dtuiscint ar ár bhfís don ardoideachas in Éirinn agus go háirithe anseo san iarthar.  

“Is dea-scéala amach is amach é seo do OÉ Gaillimh, agus do phobal na hOllscoile i gcoitinne. Is comhartha soiléir é fógra an lae inniu ar a uaillmhianaí is atáimid maidir le caibidil nua i stair bhródúil na hOllscoile.”

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag John Cox, Leabharlannaí na hOllscoile: “Fágfaidh an t-athrú ó bhonn seo ar an Leabharlann gur spás fáilteach inspioráideach a bheidh ann don fhoghlaim agus don chruthaitheacht, áit ina ndéanfar éascaíocht don fhionnachtain chomhoibríoch agus don rannpháirtíocht idirdhisciplíneach, agus ina mbeidh rochtain ar shaíocht an domhain trí leabharlann dhigiteach chuimsitheach.”

CRÍOCH