Covid-19: Visiting the National Library

We are delighted to be reopening our services on a phased basis.

Apart from our café, where you can drop in, services are on an appointments basis from 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday. We will return to our normal service hours including Saturdays and evenings on Monday 31st August, subject to Government public health advice.

We want to make your visit as enjoyable, productive and safe as possible. To do that, we’ll need to work together, with changes to how you access and use our services. We ask you to follow all the public health advice, and not to come in to the Library if you’re feeling unwell. If you do feel unwell when you visit, ask a member of staff to assist you.

Keeping everyone in our buildings safe is our first priority, so there will be some changes to how you access and use our services. We trust you will understand.

On a ticketed / appointments basis, the following services are now available
• Reading Services for registered Readers in the Main Reading Room and Microfilm Room
• Reading Services for registered Readers in the Manuscripts Reading Room
• Family History research spaces for registered Readers in the Family History Room
• Visits to the Seamus Heaney Exhibition: Listen Now Again Exhibition
• Visits to Yeats: The Life and Work of William Butler Yeats

Our spacious Café Joly is also open on a drop-in basis from 9.30am - 4pm, Monday to Friday, with socially distanced internal and outside seating.  

The Museum of Literature Ireland, our partnership project with UCD, has also opened its café, gardens and shop.

Other services and exhibitions will open later, with planning for all these phases ongoing. Since restrictions began, we have expanded our range of online services and this will continue

More information and booking details