Louth County Council announces new County Librarian and Head of Cultural Services

Louth County Council has said that it was delighted to announce on Monday, the appointment of Amanda Branigan as County Librarian and Head of Cultural Services.

A native of Dundalk, Amanda has worked in the Louth Library Service for over 25 years, spending the last three as Acting County Librarian. A past pupil of St Vincent’s Secondary School in Dundalk, she completed her undergraduate degree and postgraduate diploma in Library and Information Studies at UCD.

Commenting on her new position, Amanda said: “I am delighted, honoured and proud to be the new County Librarian. “Most of my professional career has been spent in Louth, and it’s a wonderful place to work. We have a thriving Library Service with five branches across the county, including our newly opened branch in Dunleer.”

Along with the county’s libraries, Amanda will also lead the development, management, and effective delivery of Louth County Council’s cultural services, which include the Archives Service, Arts Service, and the County Museum. “No two days are the same in this role,” she smiled.

“I have a wonderful team of 55 staff members who go above and beyond in promoting cultural services, and thanks to significant investment by Louth County Council, we have been able to achieve all the strategic objectives of our current library plan, which finishes this year.

“These include increased opening hours up to six days a week with four late nights in our full-time branches; two My Open Library Services in our Ardee and Drogheda branches; development of our stock collections, physical books and eResources, and a far-reaching programme of events.

“Looking ahead, it’s an exciting time. The Library Service will continue to focus on its role in literacy support, supporting lifelong learning opportunities, and ensuring our libraries are innovative, inclusive, safe, and inspiring spaces.”

The Louth County Council Arts Service continues to provide programming, support, and structure to the artistic community, allowing them to deliver their work to benefit the health and cultural wellbeing of the county. Fundamental to the Archives Service and County Museum is memory and legacy. Louth County Archives will continue to manage the identification, preservation and availability of the public and private archive collections held in its repository.

Furthermore, the investment in the County Museum highlights the importance of recognising the achievements of previous generations and how these feats continue to impact our lives on a daily basis.

“Collectively, through our Libraries, Arts, Archives and Museum services, I want to showcase the cultural, creative, historical, literary, and artistic heritage of the county, and I look forward to collaborating with our communities to celebrate and expand the cultural richness of County Louth,” added Amanda.

Ger Murphy, Director of Services of Housing and Culture Delivery at Louth County Council, said: “I am delighted that Amanda has been appointed as County Librarian and Head of Cultural Services. She brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and vision to the role, and her leadership will be instrumental in continuing to grow and enhance our Library Services, Arts programmes, Archives Service, and County Museum.

“These services are central to our community’s cultural life, and under Amanda’s guidance, they will continue to inspire, educate, and connect people across the county.”