Requests from Storage

The size and range of the Library of Trinity College Dublin means that only a small proportion of its stock is on the open shelves to be browsed. The bulk of the collection is held in storage areas either on campus, at the Santry Book Depository near Dublin Airport, or in other external locations.

In order to view the items a request must be made.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, material from storage locations can be delivered to the Eavan Boland Library, Hamilton, or John Stearne Medical Library Service Counters by using the Click and Collect procedure and selecting the appropriate location during the process. However, some books - mainly older material - cannot be delivered via Click and Collect and must be requested using a call slip - the catalogue will indicate this - or by staff on behalf of readers. Journals must also be requested by call slip.

Whether the material can be borrowed depends on the category of material. For example, no-one may borrow material from the Early Printed Books or Manuscripts and Archives storage locations.

The catalogue will tell the user if the item is in storage by listing one of the following locations:

Early Printed Books Stacks
Manuscripts Stacks
Ussher Stacks
Santry Stacks
External Storage

Click and Collect

Click and Collect allows registered users to order certain types of items from storage. It does not apply to materials on the open shelves in reading rooms; these items can be consulted directly without ordering them.

In Stella Search click "Click and Collect". The system will then ask the user to log in and choose the Service Counter to which the material will be delivered. Storage requests cannot be placed using the Classic Catalogue.

Up to a total of 10 requests for items from storage and recalls may be "live" at any one time. When the requested item is available in the Library an e-mail is sent to the registered address of the requester. The e-mail may list several items if multiple items were ordered.

Readers have four days from receiving the e-mail to collect an item before it is made available to either the next reader to request it, or sent back to storage.

If the item is still needed, the reader should place a new request after returning the item.

Delivery Times using Click and Collect

Delivery times for storage material depends on the location the request was made, the location of the material, the time of year, traffic, and the availability of staff.

When using Click and Collect, an e-mail is sent when the item is ready for collection.

Campus-based Items
Campus-based material is generally delivered to the Eavan Boland Library Service Counter within 24 hours of a request (and often much sooner). Deliveries to the Hamilton or John Stearne Medical Libraries may take longer.
Santry and "External Storage" Items
Santry and "external storage" material requested by Click and Collect will be delivered the next weekday, generally by mid-afternoon.

Call Slips

Since the introduction of Click and Collect, call slips may only be used in certain circumstances, generally when detailed in Stella Search. Call slips for material that can be requested using Click and Collect will be returned unfulfilled.

Up to five requests may be made per reader per day via call slips.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, material from storage locations can be delivered to any Service Counter by using the appropriate call slip. Call slips are available from the Service Counters of all Library buildings.

Delivery Counters by Colour

BLUE = The Eavan Boland Library

PINK = Hamilton Library

ORANGE = John Stearne Medical Library

GREEN = Early Printed Books and Special Collections

The four different-coloured call slips

Delivery Times Using Call Slips

Delivery times for storage material depends on the reading room requested for delivery, the location of the material, the time of year, traffic, and the availability of staff.

Campus-based Items
Campus-based material is generally delivered within 24 hours of a request (and often much sooner). Deliveries to the Hamilton or John Stearne Medical Library may take longer.
Santry Items
Santry material requested by call slips will be delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays (generally by mid-afternoon) with requests to be made by noon on the preceding Monday or Wednesday.
"External Storage" Items
Items marked as "external storage" in Stella Search and stated as call slip only will be delivered on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. In general, deliveries arrive by mid-afternoon for requests placed by noon the preceding day.