The relocation of collections in the Old Library started in April, 2022. By early 2024 all material was removed to secure offsite storage.
Yes. Over the lifetime of the project there was continuity of access to Research Collections material, of all Library services, and to the expertise of Research Collections staff. Materials remained requestable in the usual ways (see next section). Disruption was kept at a minimum. There was brief periods where certain collections were temporarily inaccessible during the relocation process, and readers were alerted where directly relevant to their need.
Much of our holdings can be requested online using the Library Catalogue: https://www.tcd.ie/library/
You will be prompted to request material using our ‘click and collect’ service or by using a call slip. Reference material on open access in the Interim Research Collections Study Centre can be consulted without ordering in advance.
If the catalogue does not display a shelfmark please visit the Interim Research Collections Study Centre or contact Research Collections (epbooks@tcd.ie for printed material, mscripts@tcd.ie for manuscript holdings) with the relevant information (author, title, date of publication etc.). We can then advise you on when the work will be available to consult.
Printed material held offsite is delivered to the Interim Research Study Centre daily (Monday - Friday). For the small amount of material that remains onsite, delivery times may be more frequent. You will only receive a notification email for material requested using our online ‘click and collect’ service.
New Interim Research Collections Study Centre:
The Departments of Early Printed Books and Manuscripts & Archives operate an interim Research Collections Study Centre in the basement of the Ussher Library and offer access to current TCD staff and students as well as external researchers. The centre includes the interim Research Collections Reading Room for Early Printed Books, Special Collections, and Manuscripts & Archives collections.The joint Reading Room in the East Pavilion of the Old Library is now closed.
There will be no change to access to any of the contemporary Library buildings except in the Ussher Library basement, where construction works will take place throughout 2023 to prepare the interim Research Collections Study Centre. Disruption will be kept to a minimum.
The Glucksman Map Library reading room is now open alongside the interim Research Collections Study Centre. The Map Library is open 10am - 4pm (Monday - Thursday) and by appointment on Friday. It is not open on Saturdays.
Contact: email: map.library@tcd.ie or telephone +353 1 8962087 or 8961544.
For queries related to our printed collection please email epbooks@tcd.ie; for manuscript and archive holdings please use mscripts@tcd.ie
Be sure to check out our ‘planning your visit’ page which may provide some helpful information.
