Greg DalyThe chairperson of the Central Catholic Library has insisted there is no crisis after almost a third of the library’s board members dramatically resigned after a recent meeting.
The Irish Catholic understands that six long-standing board members – including the keeper of the collection and the treasurer – resigned last week having lost confidence in other members of the board against the backdrop of a conflict about the library’s future.
Chairperson Edel Purcell, however, told The Irish Catholic the current board has “a mandate from the membership”, which had made a “very clear” decision in September’s AGM.
Controversy has been brewing in the Dublin-based library for some time over a proposal to gift the library’s prestigious building in the heart of Georgian Dublin to Dublin City University (DCU).
Several board members saw this as the only way to ensure the library’s extensive collection of books and journals would be properly maintained in the future. However, other board members vehemently opposed the move, fearing it would jeopardise the library’s identity.
“We believe that the library is not a museum,” Mrs Purcell explained, adding, “it’s a living thing.”
Although the library’s membership has long been shrinking it has increased by about half since the beginning of the year, and last month members elected several new board members and voted to discontinue negotiations for the handover of the building to DCU.
Decision
“The decision was made at the AGM, and we’re working from the enthusiasm and the energy and the expertise that were demonstrated there that the library should go forward as an independent institution,” Mrs Purcell said, adding that she believes the library will be able to secure further funding. “We are confident that we will be able to do this, with the help of God,” she said.
According to a well-placed source, the incoming board has a lot of ideas to secure the long-term future of the institution. He denied claims that the library’s financial situation is precarious, and maintained that numerous fresh revenue streams are available.
Last year, the library made an operating loss of €11,240, following a loss the previous year of €12,461 that was reduced to €2,498 following a bequest.