Update from Librarian and College Archivist to staff and students
21 October 2020
Dear staff and students,
The Provost and Secretary to the College wrote to us yesterday, about the universities being categorised as essential (as identified on the Department of the Taoiseach’s website see Education).
The libraries are essential to the research infrastructures during COVID Level 5, both for access to physical material for researchers and students, and as a safe, calm environment with good connectivity, especially for students.
Minister Simon Harris’ press release yesterday entitled ‘What Level 5 means for Further and Higher Education’ included ‘scheduled access to libraries and other onsite study space for those students who do not otherwise have suitable facilities or home environment to access learning remotely’.
Therefore, balancing supporting the research infrastructure and supporting undergraduates and postgraduates with ensuring our staff’s wellbeing, the libraries will remain open online and continue to be physically open to current staff and students with effect from midnight tonight as follows;
- Berkeley, Lecky, Ussher Libraries. Online booking. Open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm
- Hamilton Library. Online booking. Open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm
- Joint Research Collections Reading Room in the Old Library. By appointment. Mondays and Thursdays.
- John Stearne Medical Library. Online booking. Open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm
- 1937 Postgraduate Reading Room. Online booking. Open Monday to Sunday 8am-8pm
- Kinsella Hall. Online booking. From Tuesday 27th October 2020, open for study from 9am-8pm Monday to Friday and from 8am-8pm Saturday and Sunday.
Readers will continue to need to book in advance to gain entry to the Library. To book a visit, please use the 'book a visit' link on the Library homepage or go straight to the booking system via this direct link. Existing bookings remain valid except for those outside the new hours detailed above, namely, evenings and Saturdays (the 1937 Reading Room opening hours remain the same so all existing bookings remain valid).
There is access to reading room PCs with UK electronic Legal Deposit material, printing, book retrieval and returns. In addition, the new services of ‘scan on demand’, ‘click and collect’, ‘An Post delivery’ across Ireland continue. We will keep all services under review, and please bear with us if everything is not quite as smooth as usual.
For enquiries, please use our Live Chat facility on the Library website, email Library@tcd.ie and a library staff member will get back to you, or contact your subject librarian directly.
As the Trinity Education Project is celebrated today, a reminder to those students embarking on a capstone project now and in the future, that the Library is a goldmine of material and expertise for your research. Current projects range from the Pollard Collection of Childrens' books with the School of English to systematic reviews in Human Health and Disease with the School of Medicine. Please contact your Subject Librarian and Research Collections to discuss how the Library can support your research.
Finally, on your behalf, may I pay tribute to the Library staff and other colleagues across College from security to cleaning staff to postgraduate stewards, who are making this level of access to the libraries possible during Covid-19 Level 5.
With best wishes,
Helen Shenton, FRSA, FIIC
Librarian and College Archivist