Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Library is a society interested in increasing knowledge and enjoyment of the Library’s collections. The Friends publicise the activities of the Library and contribute towards the purchase of books and equipment over and above what can be purchased from normal sources.
The minimum annual membership fee is €30. Further information is available from the Treasurer, Friends of the Library.
The Friends have over 500 members in Ireland, Britain, Europe and North America. The Book of Kells, housed in the Library, is one of the leading attractions in Dublin and many visitors to the Library join the society. Hence the Friends has a worldwide membership united by a common interest in books and book collecting, scholarship, Irish studies, and in the collections of Trinity College Library Dublin. Membership confers many practical benefits:
Free Admission to the Book of Kells
Members of the Friends enjoy free admission for themselves and a guest to see the Book of Kells and Colonnades exhibitions throughout the year.
Exhibitions
Friends are invited to the official opening and reception at the launch of many of the Library’s major exhibitions in the Old Library.
Lectures and Meals
Evening lectures are given during each term on a variety of topics by guest speakers. Lectures are preceded by Commons, the traditional evening meal in College.
Outings and Trips Abroad
Visits are arranged each summer to other libraries and collections. These may be day trips or long weekends, and in recent years enjoyable visits have been made to the libraries of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and York.
Journal and Newsletter
The Friends publish an annual journal entitled Long Room and an informal thrice yearly newsletter. The society has also published a series of pamphlets and facsimilies, including Jonathan Swift’s Will, and Charles Brooking’s Map of Dublin, 1128.
Named after the Library’s splendid Long Room in the Old Library, designed by Thomas Burgh in the early 18th century, Long Room contains articles on the Library’s collections and on Irish bibliography. It is the only journal devoted to the history of books and publishing in Ireland. Both the newsletter and Long Room are issued free to members of the Friends.
