About TCB

It is the first research centre devoted to writing, reading and book use on the island of Ireland. It is hosted by Long Room Hub, Trinity’s Arts and Humanities Research Institute. It collaborates closely with Trinity’s Library, including in the digitisation work underpinning Trinity Virtual Library and the Old Library Redevelopment, which will include a new state-of-the-art research collections study centre.

The Centre brings together people with interests in historical questions around the origins and development of writing systems, literatures and visual cultures of the book, with research on issues related to textuality in society like literacy, reading and wellbeing, and policy issues around maximising access to Ireland’s written cultural heritage. Its activities are organised into four strands: History of Writing, Text and Image, Writing in Society, and Sharing the Book.

The Centre has four main aims:

• To consolidate and focus existing, outstanding research strengths in text, writing and the book, which span numerous schools in Trinity
• To foster and facilitate closer collaboration between researchers, students, the public and the Library’s world-leading collections of manuscripts, early printed books and modern papers, and expert Preservation and Conservation and Digital Collections departments.
• Through its annual programme of events and web presence, to spotlight Trinity’s collections and research expertise to a global audience of students, academics and the public.
• To develop Trinity’s capacity and connections to facilitate applications for collaborative research grants in the field of book history and cultural heritage.