Access and Copying Facilities

NEW READER SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS

With effect from January 4th 2011 new arrangements for the delivery of Manuscripts, including an advance ordering facility, have been introduced in the Manuscript Reading Room. We would ask readers to note these delivery times and to take them into account when planning their research timetable.

Advance ordering of manuscripts – by email or by telephone

Subject to temporary restrictions on access to selected material, an advance ordering facility for catalogued manuscript material is now available.

To place an advance order for delivery of material on a given day, your request must be logged by Library staff by 9.00am on the day in question (or by 4.45pm on Friday, if collecting material on Saturday). Advance orders for the delivery of manuscript material will be accepted by email (to manuscriptsrr@nli.ie or by telephone to (01) 6030 386(Archivist on Duty).  When in the Manuscripts Reading Room, you can place advance orders for further delivery of materials throughout the day (5 items per order). 

• When filling out the form above, please provide the exact Manuscript Number by checking the Online catalogue, the Sources database, the Manuscripts Collection database. Examples of Manuscript Numbers are MS 33,907, MS L 131, MS Map 366, D. 15,409, 21 F 115
• To place an advance order for delivery of material on a given day, your request must be logged by Library staff by 9.00am on the day in question (or by 4.45pm on Friday, if collecting material on Saturday).

• Please provide a specific date for your visit (e.g. “Friday 17th December”).
• You can fill in the form above and send by post or email. You can also leave the form at the Manuscripts Reading Room Counter.
• If you are ordering by telephone, please give your telephone number (in case there is a problem with your order).
• If you are unable to keep your appointment, please ensure that you contact us.
• Please note that we do not send automatic responses to confirm your order.

Access

Access to the manuscript collections is open to all holders of a Reader's Ticket  (see Readers' Tickets).

The Reading Room of the Department of Manuscripts is situated on the second floor of 2-3 Kildare Street (see Opening Hours).

Note: In cases where a surrogate copy of an item in the collections exists the original item will not be issued. There are also situations where original material will not be issued even if there are no surrogates eg in the case of items which are particularly fragile or vulnerable (and are therefore withdrawn for conservation purposes). Information on access to GO Manuscripts is available here.

Copying Facilities

Readers may use the self-service photocopier or their own digital cameras in the Manuscripts Reading Room to copy certain manuscripts from the holdings of the NLI for the purpose of research or private study.

For details of the terms and conditions of use, exemptions and copyright guidelines which apply in the case of the manuscripts collection please consult the following documents:

• Self-Service Copying - Manuscripts Request/Copyright Waiver Form  SelfServiceCopying_RequestForm.doc (0.04 MB, MS Word)

It  is also possible to place an order for copies of items from the Manuscript collections for personal use, provided the material is in good condition and will not be damaged by copying and subject to the constraints and limitations of copyright law. Please complete the following order form and forward to James Harte, Department of Manuscripts, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

For further information on pricing and reprographic  services in other Departments of the National Library,  please see the Copying Services section of this website.

Reproduction/Publication

For general information on reproduction and publication rights relating to National Library of Ireland material, see the Rights and Reproductions section of this website.