Ireland 

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 Formal Name:            National Library of Ireland/Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann
 Name of Librarian:    Dr. Patricia Donlon
 Address:                    Kildare Street, Dublin 2
 Phone:    (01) 661 8811, After hours: (01) 661 2523     Fax: (01) 676 6690

History

 The National Library of Ireland was established in 1877 in Leinster House (the present parliament building) which then belonged to the Royal Dublin Society.  The library of the R.D.S. formed the basis for the new National Library.  It is a deposit library under the Irish Copyright Act, and is a deposit centre for the publications of many international organizations and for many British and European government publications.  The National Library aims to acquire all printed material and manuscripts by Irish people or relating to Ireland.  It is the recognized Irish bibliographical centre.

 The Genealogical Office which originated in 1552 as the Office of Arms has been linked to the National Library since 1943.  Its main functions are the granting of coats-of-arms and the registration of pedigrees.

Organization

 The Library is administered by a Director and a Board of Trustees, four appointed by the government and eight by the Royal Dublin Society.  As well as the Director, there is a Keeper of Collections, a Keeper of the Genealogical Office a Keeper of Systems and several Assistant Keepers.  In addition to the Royal Dublin Society there is a voluntary group known as the National Library of Ireland Society which publicizes the Library's resources and highlights its needs.  It provides support for the efforts of the Director and the Trustees and at the same time is able to represent independently the views of the concerned public.

Buildings and Facilities

 The Department of Printed Books is in the main building which was designed by Sir Thomas Deane and opened in 1890.  The Department of Manuscripts, the Genealogical Office and the Heraldic Museum are nearby at 2-3 Kildare Street, the former premises of the Kildare Street Club.

Collections

 The Library holds an estimated five million items.  There are collections of printed books, manuscripts, prints and drawings, photographs, maps, newspapers, microfilms and ephemera.  The collections of the National Library represent over one thousand years of Irish history and cultural achievement at home and overseas.  Materials come from the four corners of Ireland, from Britain, continental Europe, the United States and Australia, and are now preserved for posterity in its collections.  The National Library has many collections of photographs and photographic negatives.  They include the well-known Lawrence Collection (1870-1914); the Clonbrock Collection which was generated by a County Galway titled family; the Poole Collection (1884-1954) from Waterford; and the Morgan Collection of aerial views from the 1950s.  The collection of manuscripts includes the papers of many Irish writers and political personalities; for instance the Charles Stewart Parnell collection containing documents from his public and private life, the W.B. Yeats papers, the Daniel O'Connell documents, Pádraic Mac Piarais: Pearse documents; and the James Joyce papers.  The National Library also has extensive collections of historical documents, for instance proclamations, nineteenth century newspapers, manuscript letters, deeds, maps and old photographs.  The Library is now publishing folders of reproductions of these historic materials for the benefit of schools and the general public.

Catalogs, Bibliographies, and Indexes

 The National Library has published several catalogues to its collections.  The catalogue of printed books includes an author catalogue and a subject catalogue which list works (monographs, serials, periodicals) acquired up to 1968; a one-volume catalogue indexes Irish topographical prints and original drawings while another one-volume catalogue lists Irish portraits; a nine-volume set indexes periodical sources for the history of Irish civilization; and an eleven-volume catalogue lists manuscript sources for the history of Irish civilization with a three-volume supplement.  Printed catalogues are updated by card catalogues.

 Card catalogues provide access to several collections including the maps, music, architectural drawings, stereoscopic negatives, and photographic negatives.  In addition there are specialized catalogues, bibliographies, indexes and calendars.

Reference and Reader Services

 The Library is open to all those with genuine research needs.  Readers are required to apply in person for readers' tickets.  The Library has a closed period for stock-taking each year and will close for the month of December in 1995.  If consultation of manuscripts is desired, one must apply for a Manuscripts Reader's Ticket in addition to the ordinary Reader's Ticket.  Readers are required to sign the Register at the Service Counter in the Reading Room each day as they enter.

 Library Assistants supervising Reading Rooms are available for dealing with inquiries regarding collections, catalogues and services.  Assistant Keepers are available for dealing with inquiries of a specialized nature.