DEDICATED OMAGH LIBRARIAN 'GOBSMACKED' TO RECEIVE MBE
Dedicated Omagh librarian 'gobsmacked' to receive MBE
AN MBE has been bestowed on an Omagh librarian in the Queen's New Year Honours List, honouring 28 years of dedicated service to the enhancement of the reading habits of the local population and the library service in the wider field.
The award also recognised the formative role she has played in getting the Omagh Bomb archive off the starting block, and it is hoped that the major piece of work will be largely completed by March this year.
Mrs Margaret Cummings, a native of Rathfriland, Co Down, came to Omagh for the first time in February, 1977, to take up her first full-time post, having returned from five or six months of temporary work in Scotland.
When not up to her eyes in work and home life, Margaret enjoys reading and is a stalwart of the local Manchester United Supporters' Club, serving as the current promotions and events secretary.
A past pupil of Banbridge Grammar School, Margaret graduated in library and information studies in 1976 from Queen's University, Belfast.
Like the other recipients of New Year 'gongs', Margaret knew back in November that she was to be honoured, but had to 'keep mum' until the official announcement was made.
"It was all news to me, and when I learned about it I was gobsmacked. I did not think that people like me would receive such an award, as there are plenty of other people who are much more deserving," she said.
Looking back over her years with the Western Education and Library Board, Margaret said that library services had changed dramatically over that time.
"We have, fairly recently, introduced a new computer system Northern Ireland-wide, which gives us one network of services. Before that if you wanted to look something up, you would have had to use a card catalogue system. The computerised system allows us to track down and request books from libraries across the network," she said.
At the request of the Western Board, it was Margaret's responsibility to ensure that the computerised system of tracking and requesting books, known as ELFN1 (Electronic Libraries for Northern Ireland) was implemented correctly and in place in the Western Board area.
Huge responsibility
"It was a huge responsibility, but it was also enjoyable. The system is of benefit to both the public and the staff," she said of her work on the high-tech project.
Another reason why Margaret was nominated for the award, was because of the leading role she has played in compiling the Omagh Bomb archive.
"I was involved from the start overseeing the work and ensuring other members of staff completed the various aspects of in-putting the data. To me the staff as a whole are the ones who have done the work.
"After the bomb people left in a lot of papers and we thought we had to do something about this as a library," she said.
"A CD Rom was launched in 2000, but that was just an interim measure. We have been working on creating an archive, which will also be electronic. The vast majority of this work will be finished by March, and eventually it will be available on the Internet," she said.
The creation of the archive has not been easy, not least because of the content of the material that staff were handling, but also because of the volume of items to be included. In addition, staff had to scan, index and list each item individually, which made it a painstaking job.
Acknowledging her award and the support she had received from others, Margaret said she wanted to thank the chief librarian, Helen Osborn, her husband, Peter, and her parents, Samuel and Josephine Ervine, as well as all of the staff at Omagh Library.
AN MBE has been bestowed on an Omagh librarian in the Queen's New Year Honours List, honouring 28 years of dedicated service to the enhancement of the reading habits of the local population and the library service in the wider field.
The award also recognised the formative role she has played in getting the Omagh Bomb archive off the starting block, and it is hoped that the major piece of work will be largely completed by March this year.
Mrs Margaret Cummings, a native of Rathfriland, Co Down, came to Omagh for the first time in February, 1977, to take up her first full-time post, having returned from five or six months of temporary work in Scotland.
When not up to her eyes in work and home life, Margaret enjoys reading and is a stalwart of the local Manchester United Supporters' Club, serving as the current promotions and events secretary.
A past pupil of Banbridge Grammar School, Margaret graduated in library and information studies in 1976 from Queen's University, Belfast.
Like the other recipients of New Year 'gongs', Margaret knew back in November that she was to be honoured, but had to 'keep mum' until the official announcement was made.
"It was all news to me, and when I learned about it I was gobsmacked. I did not think that people like me would receive such an award, as there are plenty of other people who are much more deserving," she said.
Looking back over her years with the Western Education and Library Board, Margaret said that library services had changed dramatically over that time.
"We have, fairly recently, introduced a new computer system Northern Ireland-wide, which gives us one network of services. Before that if you wanted to look something up, you would have had to use a card catalogue system. The computerised system allows us to track down and request books from libraries across the network," she said.
At the request of the Western Board, it was Margaret's responsibility to ensure that the computerised system of tracking and requesting books, known as ELFN1 (Electronic Libraries for Northern Ireland) was implemented correctly and in place in the Western Board area.
Huge responsibility
"It was a huge responsibility, but it was also enjoyable. The system is of benefit to both the public and the staff," she said of her work on the high-tech project.
Another reason why Margaret was nominated for the award, was because of the leading role she has played in compiling the Omagh Bomb archive.
"I was involved from the start overseeing the work and ensuring other members of staff completed the various aspects of in-putting the data. To me the staff as a whole are the ones who have done the work.
"After the bomb people left in a lot of papers and we thought we had to do something about this as a library," she said.
"A CD Rom was launched in 2000, but that was just an interim measure. We have been working on creating an archive, which will also be electronic. The vast majority of this work will be finished by March, and eventually it will be available on the Internet," she said.
The creation of the archive has not been easy, not least because of the content of the material that staff were handling, but also because of the volume of items to be included. In addition, staff had to scan, index and list each item individually, which made it a painstaking job.
Acknowledging her award and the support she had received from others, Margaret said she wanted to thank the chief librarian, Helen Osborn, her husband, Peter, and her parents, Samuel and Josephine Ervine, as well as all of the staff at Omagh Library.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1776
Published Date: 06-Jan-05
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