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Employment to the National Library
[edit]In 1878, shortly after graduating university, Thomas Lyster officially joined the National Library of Ireland, and would be appointed assistant librarian at only twenty-three years of age.[1][2] In 1895 Lyster would succeed William Archer as head librarian in 1895, until his retirement in 1920.[3][4]
Career in the National Library of Ireland
[edit]During his time within the National Library, Lyster would become a strong advocate for the Dewey Classification System, increasing accessibility of the libraries inventory to the public.[5] Lyster would permit students to access the classified collection within the library, as well as making periodicals available at the library counter, increasing readership numbers dramatically.[2] Lyster would later endorse reading materials for young children, providing them with designated spaces in the library, with books on topics such as poetry, geography, and science.[6] Furthermore, Lyster’s pragmatic and positive attitude would draw the attention of various readers from the library, many of which would seek his advice and assistance. Renowned Irish author W.B. Yeats would remark that Thomas Lyster had initially encouraged him to write, and would describe him as the most zealous man he’d known.[7]
Library Association of Ireland
[edit]Thomas Lyster would go on to play a pivotal role in the establishment of the Cumann na Leabharlann (The Library Association of Ireland) and the Irish Rural Libraries Association.[8][9] Lyster would later be elected as the organisation's vice-president in 1899, and begin a series of public lectures advocating for the expansion of the public library system.[2] The Library Association would be established in 1904, with the aim to promote the establishment of public libraries. In 1904, Lyster would object that it was not a pertinent time for an organisation such as this to be created, however did voice his support for the eventual creation of an organisation in the future.[10] Later that year, Lyster would become vice president of the organisation. Thomas Lyster would continue to serve as director of the National Library of Ireland until his retirement from the organisation in 1920.[11]
- ^ Thom's Irish who's who. Dalcassian Publishing Company. 1923-01-01. p. 143.
- ^ a b c "Lyster, Thomas William | Dictionary of Irish Biography". www.dib.ie. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ Association, Library (1891). Library Association Year Book. The Association. p. 21.
- ^ Bloom, Harold; Hobby, Blake (2009). The Labyrinth. Infobase Publishing. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7910-9804-2.
- ^ "Lyster, Thomas William (1855–1922), librarian and literary scholar". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/59736. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ Boylan, Ciara; Gallagher, Ciara (2018-09-21). Constructions of the Irish Child in the Independence Period, 1910-1940. Springer. pp. 68–69. ISBN 978-3-319-92822-7.
- ^ Yeats, W. B. (William Butler) (1986). The collected letters of W. B. Yeats. Internet Archive. Oxford : Clarendon Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-19-812682-9.
- ^ Hutton, Clare; Walsh, Patrick (2011-06-23). The Oxford History of the Irish Book, Volume V: The Irish Book in English, 1891-2000. OUP Oxford. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-19-924911-4.
- ^ granitewordpress (2016-07-14). "Behind the scenes in the National Library's Genealogy Room: Maura Flood". Irish Family History Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Kevin Street Library Collection (1899-1995) | Dublin City Council". www.dublincity.ie. 2016-09-05. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ nli. "Directors". www.nli.ie. Retrieved 2023-11-08.