Access and Copying Facilities
Access
Historic Ordnance Survey Maps
Original maps are either in still in bound volumes in which case they can be consulted in the Library’s Main Reading Room, or they have been withdrawn for conservation and can be viewed by appointment. Readers should consult the following list to check availability prior to making a visit:
Conserved OSI Maps List Conserved_OSI_Maps_List_April06.pdf (0.01 MB, Adobe PDF)
Modern Ordnance Survey Maps
Maps and Atlases published in book and spiral bound format are catalogued and stored with the Irish book collection and can be consulted in the Main Reading Room. Folded and rolled maps (ie. those on a single sheet) are conserved and stored with the Ordnance Survey Map Collection and can be consulted by appointment. This includes those OSI maps in the Discovery, Holiday and City & Town Series.
To make an appointment please contact:
Honora Faul, Curator,
Email: hfaul@nli.ie Tel: +353 1 6030225.
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even if there are no surrogates eg in the case of items which are particularly fragile or vulnerable (and are therefore withdrawn for conservation purposes).
Map Surrogates
Ireland, 6 Inch 1st edition maps (1833-46)
Microfiche copies of the 6 Inch Ordnance Survey maps (1833-46) for the whole of Ireland are available from the Reference Desk in the main Reading Room. These maps are also available in digital format on the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website (www.osi.ie) which is freely available to readers in the National Library's Online Services Room.
Dublin, 5 Foot maps (1840-47)
These maps have been digitised and are included on the Irish Origins website (www.irishorigins.com) which is freely available to readers in the National Library's Online Services Room.
Historic OSI Maps online
The National Library is participating in a major digitisation project by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. This offers online access to maps produced by the Ordnance Survey between 1829 and 1913 and also includes genealogical (location of schools, graveyards, churches, workhouses etc.) and environmental data. Readers can view these maps together with this additional data on the OSI website (www.osi.ie) which is freely available to readers in the National Library's Online Services Room.
Copying of OSI Maps
OS Maps in original format
It is possible to place an order for photographic copies of items from the map collection provided the material is in good condition and subject to the constraints and limitations of copyright law.
See Copying Services for information on pricing and ordering.
Maps (Microfiche)
A printout service from Microfiche is available on request from the Reprographics Department (copy-orders@nli.ie ) The cost is €1.00 per page. Please refer to Copying Services for further information.
Maps (Online)
Self-Service printing of individual pages from online sources is available in the National Library's Online Services Room. A printer is linked to all public access machines in the Online Services room and the new microfilm reading room. The fee is €0.10 per page.
Copy cards to the value of €1 and €2 may be purchased in the Reprographics Department, from the card machine in the Microfilm Room or from the shop. These cards can be used with all the Self-Service printers.
Please refer to Copying Services for further information.