From April 2012 Universal Membership applies across the island of Ireland. This is a major development as previously library authorities, in most cases, have heretofore restricted membership to those who ‘lived, worked or studied in the authority’s area’ and required official proof of identity to establish this.
UNIVERSAL MEMBERSHIP was launched at a reception in Stormont, Northern Ireland, within the CILIP / LAI Joint Conference in Belfast on 19th April 2012.
Membership of one library service now is a gateway to joining other libraries. This scheme may be of value particularly in the holiday season in some areas. However it will also help the increasing numbers of people who bi-locate for work or study and those who commute long distances regularly for similar purposes.
Now a library member anywhere on the island can use his/her local library card as ID to join another library service. Use may be limited to full book borrowing rights, or may be extended to full service use e.g. free use of computers, borrowing of AV materials. This is up to the local library service. Any local arrangements continue to apply. Books and other materials must be returned to the library from which they were borrowed.
Furthermore, library members in Republic of Ireland may also use their local library card as ID to join public libraries in England and Wales. This is an extension of a 2009 scheme involving Library Authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland which has proved successful.
