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Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

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About the Library

The Library of Trinity College Dublin dates back to the establishment of Trinity College Dublin in 1592. It is the largest library in Ireland.

Today the Library has over 6 million items with extensive collections of journals, manuscripts, maps and music reflecting over 400 years of academic development.

The unique and distinct collections that appear in these blog posts are drawn from the Research Collections departments of the Library – the Manuscripts & Archives Research Library (M&ARL), the Department of Early Printed Books and Special Collections, the Glucksman Map Library and the Music Library.

The Manuscripts & Archives Research Library (M&ARL)

M&ARL is home to more than 20,000 collections of manuscripts and archives, dating from the 13th century BC to the present day.
Find out more about M&ARL here.

The Department of Early Printed Books and Special Collections

The Department of Early Printed Books and Special Collections (EPB) is responsible for some of the oldest and rarest printed works in Ireland. In our collections you will also discover private press items, limited editions, signed books, Irish literature and more.
Find out more about Early Printed Books here.

The Glucksman Map Library

The Glucksman Map Library, the centre for cartographic materials in Trinity College Library, holds over half a million maps and atlases, making it the largest collection of printed maps in Ireland.
Find out more about the Map Library here.

The Music Collections

The Library holds the most substantial music collections in Ireland, comprising printed music, books, periodicals, manuscripts, audio and electronic resources, which in their range and diversity reflect a thousand years of musical history.
Find out more about the Music Collections here.

Digital Resources and Imaging Services (DRIS)

The Digital Resources and Imaging Services department is developing Trinity College Library’s online Digital Collections, making accessible online over 100,000 images of treasures including maps, paintings, manuscripts, designs, illustrations, children’s books, ephemera, caricatures and photographs.
Find out more about Digital Collections here.