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School of Education authors publish new book on Universal Design for Learning in Academia

Authors pictured are Mary Quirke, Patricia McCarthy and Gaston (Trusty bi-lingual Asst.) and Conor McGuckin.

The Routledge publication of “Adopting a UDL Attitude within Academia” was celebrated with authors, Mary Quirke, Conor McGuckin and Patricia McCarthy, together with Gaston (Patricia’s guide dog), Library staff and colleagues this week (July 12th) in the foyer of the Library.  The book is an interesting project whilst also an exciting contribution to the discourse on inclusion on campus.  The authors themselves are an interesting team in that Mary is completing her PhD, with Dr McGuckin and Dr McCarthy who are colleagues in the School of Education.

Authors, Mary Quirke, Patricia McCarthy and Gaston (Trusty bi-lingual Asst.) and Conor McGuckin joined by colleagues from the  School of Education, Library and wider College community: Michael Shevlin, Siobhan Dunne, Derina Johnson, Emer Murphy, Aoife Lynam, Emily Barnes, Marita Kerin, Carmel O’Sullivan, Conn McCluskey, Sarah Coughlan, Rebecca Cullen, Barbara Ringwood and Carol-Ann O’Sioráin.

While the book bridges the gap between the theory and practice of UDL (Universal Design for Learning), a design framework for inclusion, it very clearly sets out the “thinking” needed in our increasingly diverse learning environments.

The book is not just intended for those leading classrooms and this is very evident from the variety of contributors across the publication.  Our very own subject librarian, is one of many international contributors.  Geraldine Fitzgerald shares her experience of developing inclusive practice in Chapter 8 and how in her role as subject librarian for Education, she regarded UDL as a useful personal learning concept. Geraldine has successfully applied UDL with colleagues resulting in positive inclusive change across the Library and has continued to collaborate on projects relating to improving the library’s sensory environment and improving accessibility to resources.

This book encompasses all the values of inclusion.  It pushes the boundaries and engages all on campus.  The inclusion of subject librarian, Geraldine, was integral as when we first think about information in a campus setting, our thoughts are never too far away from what we need to read.  Whilst the librarians and their expertise are important to the discussion of inclusion, these colleagues do not stand alone as the gatekeepers.  Each and every one of us has a role to play. 

That is the essence of the book − it shares the attitude necessary for inclusion, where inclusion is everyone’s business.

The book will have a broad appeal and is essential reading for anyone looking to understand and implement UDL across their learning environment.

There is a book launch planned Sept 7th 2023, so do put the date in your diary! Further details to follow.

Submitted by Author Mary Quirke

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Unlocking the Fagel Collection – Trinity’s Old Library celebrates its Dutch treasures 

Botanical catalogues, lavish celestial atlases and unique pamphlets from the early modern period are among 30,000 titles being conserved and digitally catalogued in an ambitious collaboration to register the entirety of the 18th-century Fagel Collection, which fills a mile of shelving space in the Old Library of Trinity College Dublin. 

50% of the collection has now been catalogued opening up this unique heritage library to 21st-century research. The achievements of the international Unlocking the Fagel Collection Project (2020-2023) was celebrated yesterday evening [Wed, June 21st] with the opening of an exhibition in the Library of Trinity College Dublin by Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ireland, Adriaan Palm and a conference in the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute. KB Board of Director – responsible for Sustainable Access and Heritage, Geertrui Verbraak and the Librarian & College Archivist, Helen Shenton joined the Ambassador with opening words.

The project is a collaboration between the Library of Trinity College Dublin and the KB National Library of the Netherlands. It is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was launched following the State Visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands to Ireland in 2019.

 
 
Head of Research Collections, Laura Shanahan, Dutch Ambassador, Adriaan Palm, KB Board of Director, Geertrui Verbraak, Fagel Collection Project Manager, Ann-Marie Hansen and KB Coordinator of Collection Knowledge, Maarten Heerlien.

All 30,000 books, pamphlets, and maps in the collection are being digitally recorded in the Trinity Library catalogue. It is a flagship project of the Virtual Trinity Library programme, which is opening up the unique and distinct collections of the College through conservation, cataloguing, digitisation, research and public engagement. Additionally, the Dutch titles are being recorded in the Short-Title Catalogue Netherlands (STCN), the Dutch national bibliography.

The Fagel Collection is one of the jewels in the Library’s collections and is regarded as one of the most important private libraries in early modern Europe. The collection was amassed by five generations of the Fagel family – many of whom held high public office in the Netherlands. It was purchased as a whole for Trinity College Dublin in 1802 and is officially recorded as one of the treasures of the College. 

In an era when printed material was the foremost basis of power and information, the Fagel collection, assembled contemporaneously by five generations of bibliophiles, is a treasure trove of material detailing global politics, trade, law, exploration and knowledge management in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The exhibition, entitled “Unlocking the Fagel Collection”, forms part of the Book of Kells visitor experience, and comprises 20 items chosen to give a flavour of the wonderful range and diversity of printed material contained within the vast collection. Highlights of the exhibition include a beautifully illustrated and hand-coloured botanical reference book; poetry and song publications wrapped in decorated papers; and unique volumes of rare pamphlets and ephemeral publications. 

Librarian & College Archivist, Helen Shenton, noted that:

“This project is a flagship and exemplar in the ambitious Virtual Trinity Library programme. With the support of the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands, we are well on the way to virtually reconstructing and reuniting this pan-European Library with sister collections in the Netherlands and in the wider region. Now over two centuries since arriving in Dublin, this historically significant collection is being made available for 21st-century research.”

Head of Research Collections, Laura Shanahan, commented:

“On its arrival to Trinity the Fagel Collection increased the Library’s holdings by 40%, and vastly expanded its subject content beyond largely theological material to all areas of scholarly interest. The Fagel collection also touches on every corner of the globe, opening up the realm of understanding beyond Ireland and Western Europe to the whole world. The collection’s importance for research now, and for understanding the political and social movements of Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, simply cannot be overstated. We are so proud that finally this collection is beginning to realise its full potential.”

A three-day conference  organised by the Library will hear research updates from some of the 30 scholars who are currently working on the Fagel Collection. The event which is free and open to the public is hosted by the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Institute, the research partner of the Fagel project. Topics include how astronomy and the astral sciences are represented in the collection; document illuminated publications in the Fagel library, and present research on the Fagel family as international propaganda masters.

Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, Eve Patten said:

“Trinity’s Fagel Collection opens up lines of enquiry into everything from the cultures of empire to climate change. We are delighted to host a conference that will bring so many international experts closer to this unique resource.”

Unlocking the Fagel Collection Project Manager, Ann-Marie Hansen, added:

“With half of this unique collection now digitally catalogued and fully discoverable ­the monumental efforts to ‘unlock’ the Fagel Collection are already delivering rich research impact. We have recorded over two-thousand editions that had never before been described. Additionally, we now know that 15% of the titles in the collection are the only known surviving copies of those publications.

“The Fagel Collection is attracting the attention of researchers locally and internationally and new scholarship is changing what we know, not only about the Fagel Collection, but also about what was printed in the 18th century. And we haven’t finished yet! The next stage is to complete the cataloguing, engage with digitisation and continuing to explore the full potential of the Fagel Collection for further research.”

Librarian & College Archivist, Helen Shenton
Ambassador Adriaan Palm
KB Board of Director, Geertrui Verbraak

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ireland, Adriaan Palm, who will launch the exhibition this evening, said:

“The partnership between Trinity, the National Library of the Netherlands, and the Dutch and Irish governments signals a Europe-wide dedication to the preservation of and access to our shared cultural heritage. The ‘Unlocking the Fagel Collection project’ is one of the finest examples of research and public engagement projects today, and we are very glad to be able to celebrate this major milestone in providing complete access to the pan-European collection.”

Note to editors:

Video content detailing the history, scope and research potential of the Fagel Collection can be viewed and embedded from the Trinity Website: https://www.tcd.ie/library/fagel/fagel-videos/

More about the Fagel Project:

The Library of Trinity is collaborating with the KB National Library of the Netherlands, to register all publications in the Fagel Collection in the catalogue of the Library of Trinity College and in the Short-Title Catalogue, Netherlands, the Dutch pre-1800 national bibliography. The project is also working in conjunction with the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute to facilitate researchers to engage in the collection. The project ‘Unlocking the Fagel Collection’ is made possible by the support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Fagel Collection will form a key component of the Library’s Virtual Trinity Library, which allows digital access to the unique and distinct collections of the Library. The Library has long term aims to digitally reunite the Fagel collection with related library, archive, museum and private collections around the world, using the latest enhanced technologies.

More about the Fagel Collection:

The Fagel collection at the Library of Trinity College Dublin is one of the most important and largest still extant Dutch private libraries from the eighteenth century. The library was assembled as a working library by several generations of the Fagel family, of whom successive members held high offices in the Dutch Republic throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth century. The collection of books, pamphlets and maps was purchased as a whole for Trinity College Dublin in 1802. The material ranges in date from 1478 to 1799 with the greater volume of material published in the 18th century and relates to all parts of the world, but with a particular emphasis on Europe and areas outside Europe where the Dutch had trading or colonial interests. Many items in the library are private printings, in that they were not made available to the public at large, and are consequently very rare.

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Closure of the 1937 Reading Room for Essential Works

Postgraduate-Reading-Room

There have been serious issues with leaks and damp in the 1937 Reading Room for some time. The Library has been working with Estates and Facilities to put together a programme of works to address these issues and ensure the long-term viability of the building. This will require the closure of the main reading room area from next Monday 22nd May for the coming months, and temporary closures of adjacent spaces, particularly in the early and late phases of the project. It is anticipated that the main reading room will fully reopen in September 2023 – an exact date will be communicated later in the summer when Estates & Facilities are in a position to confirm the project end point.

While the project is underway, alternative study spaces will be available on campus to ensure that our postgraduate students will always have somewhere comfortable to work, both during the day and overnight:

  • Monday 22nd May – Sunday 11th June
  • The Berkeley and Lecky libraries will be available from 09:30 to 17:00 (note: the Ussher Library will be closed during this time for essential works but you can request books held in the Ussher by emailing us at library@tcd.ie)
  • The Hamilton Library will be available on a 24/7 basis (here is a video to show you how to get there)
  • Monday 12th June to the end of the summer
  • The Berkeley, Lecky and Ussher libraries will be available from 09:30-17:00
  • Kinsella Hall (floors 1-3 of the Ussher Library), will be available on a 24/7 basis

Full details are available on the Library website’s Opening Hours section for the 1937 Reading Room.

While the kitchen, toilets, PC room, group study area, side corridors and lockers will need to be closed occasionally for short periods of time (usually just a day or two), they will remain generally accessible throughout the summer on a 24/7 basis. Postgraduate students will be given as much advanced notice as possible about these temporary closures.

Addressing leaks and damp in the 1937 Reading Room is an important health and safety measure that will improve the experience for those who rely on the various facilities within the building. But as with any historical protected structure, renovation works will be challenging. Estates and Facilities have advised that timelines, especially with regard to temporary closures of specific spaces, may be subject to change. The Library website and social media platforms will be used to keep the postgraduate community up to date on developments.     

The Library of Trinity College Dublin

Leabharlann Choláiste na Tríonóide

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Trinity College Dublin to dename the Berkeley Library 

The Berkeley Library

Trinity College Dublin is to dename the Berkeley Library while adopting a retain-and-explain approach to a stained-glass window commemorating George Berkeley [26 April 2023].  

Portraits depicting Berkeley will be assessed in the future by a new overall College policy on artwork, while the academic Gold Medals memorialising Berkeley will be reviewed by the relevant academic department.  

These decisions represent a nuanced approach and are the result of careful consideration and detailed analysis. 

Opened in 1967, Trinity’s largest library was named in 1978 after George Berkeley, the world-renowned philosopher, and former Librarian at Trinity. Berkeley published some of his most important philosophical works while at Trinity in the 1700s. He bought slaves – named Philip, Anthony, Edward, and Agnes Berkeley – to work on his Rhode Island estate in 1730-31 and sought to advance ideology in support of slavery. 

Today’s decision was taken by the University’s Board following several months of research, analysis and public consultation overseen by the Trinity Legacies Review Working Group, which is considering legacy issues on a case-by-case basis. 

Trinity decided that the continued use of the Berkeley name on its library is inconsistent with the University’s core values of human dignity, freedom, inclusivity, and equality. The denaming does not deny Berkeley’s importance as a writer, philosopher, and towering intellectual figure. His philosophical work will still be taught at Trinity and remains of significant contemporary relevance. A separate process will determine what the new name for the library should be. 

Trinity’s Provost Dr Linda Doyle said:  

“The landscape of a university, especially one as old as Trinity, is not static. Each generation of students and staff deserves a chance to influence decisions. In this case, it was our students who called on us to address the issue. We welcome their engagement, and we thank the Trinity Legacies Review Working Group for its assistance in providing evidence-based information to underpin this decision. 

“George Berkeley’s enormous contribution to philosophical thought is not in question. However, it is also clear that he was both an owner of enslaved people and a theorist of slavery and racial discrimination, which is in clear conflict with Trinity’s core values.” 

Professor Eoin O Sullivan, Senior Dean and Chair of the Trinity Legacies Review Working Group, said: 

“I am grateful to all those who contributed their time and expertise to the consideration of this critical issue. We received close to 100 submissions from members of the public, alumni and our own students and staff on this matter. 

“Especially influential on our thinking has been the pioneering work at the universities of Glasgow, Dalhousie, Brown, and Harvard, all of which have faced similar issues to those we face at Trinity as we reckon with our past. We are committed to addressing issues around Trinity’s complex legacy, from an evidence-based perspective and on a case-by-case basis.” 
 
Helen Shenton, Librarian and College Archivist at Trinity College Dublin, said: 

“Technological advances, societal changes and cultural evolutions shape the Library for each generation. Libraries are both fundamental constants in the university and simultaneously constantly in flux. 

“The Library building known today as the ‘Berkeley’ started out as the ‘New’ Library in 1967. As a 21st century Library, another name change prioritises the current generation of students’ experience of a welcoming and supportive Library space. There is the opportunity to be creative and imaginative in response to this change.  

“Trinity will continue to hold George Berkeley’s philosophical works in the Library collections and continue to teach and to research his works.” 

ENDS

Background on Trinity’s process:

Trinity’s Legacies Review Working Group (TLRWG), comprising Trinity students, professional staff, academic staff as well as external members, began an evidence-based review of the issues around the Berkeley last year.

This followed a call from the Trinity College Dublin Student Union to dename the library.

93 written submissions were received about George Berkeley by the end of January 2023.  These included submissions from current students and staff, emeritus staff, alumni and international experts on Berkeley and other associated subjects. Of these, 47 were in favour of de-naming the library, 23 suggested new names for the library and should be seen as broadly supportive of de-naming, even if renaming was outside the brief of this consultation. There were 16 submissions that supported retaining Bishop Berkeley’s name on the library.

All submissions made on the topic of George Berkeley can be downloaded and read here (https://www.tcd.ie/seniordean/legacies/).

For a working paper on Berkeley’s legacies at Trinity prepared for TLRWG, see here (https://www.tcd.ie/seniordean/legacies/berkeleyTLRWGworkingpaper.pdf).

The role of the TLRWG is to document the historical evidence on specific legacy issues, to seek evidence-based submissions from the College and wider community on each identified issue, and, based on the evidence collated, provide options for consideration to the relevant decision-making authority (College Board, Faculty Executive or School Executive) as is appropriate and determined by the Working Group. The Terms of Reference for the Group can be read here: https://www.tcd.ie/seniordean/legacies/TLRWGToR.pdf

 A brief biography of George Berkeley

George Berkeley was born at Dysart, Co. Kilkenny in March 1685. Educated at Kilkenny College, he entered Trinity College Dublin in March 1700, receiving his BA degree in February 1704. He took holy orders and became a fellow of Trinity by competitive examination in 1707. He subsequently held several college offices including Librarian (1709), Junior Dean (1710), junior Greek Lecturer (1712), senior Greek lecturer (1721), Divinity lecturer and preacher (1721) senior Proctor (1722) and Hebrew lecturer (1723) before relinquishing his fellowship in 1724 to become Dean of Derry. As Librarian in 1709 he was instrumental in overseeing the building of the then new library, now the Old Library.

While at Trinity he published the three books upon which his fame and reputation as a philosopher rests. The first of these, An essay towards a new theory of vision was published in 1709 and developed his ideas on vision which would later support his more famous immaterialist hypotheses. His Treatise concerning the principles of Human Knowledge followed in 1710 and is regarded as his masterpiece. It developed his full-blown philosophy of materialism or subjective idealism and continues to have a major influence on modern philosophical scholarship. Finally, the third of these pioneering works, Three dialogues between Hylas and Philonous was published in London in 1713. His reputation established; Berkeley embarked on two extensive grand tours of Europe from 1714-20 before eventually returning to his fellowship.

While Dean of Derry, he developed his idea for establishing a university in the American colonial territory of Bermuda. This eventually involved Berkeley moving to Rhode Island in 1729 where he purchased a farm at Whitehall worked by enslaved people.

Upon his return from America and following a period living in London with his growing family, Berkeley was appointed to the provincial bishopric of Cloyne, in which role he remained until his death. During this period, he wrote his influential work on Irish political economy, The Querist (1735-37), as well a series of other pamphlets.

More detail on Berkeley’s memorialisation at Trinity

Berkeley Memorial Window

The Berkeley Memorial window is one of three major pieces of stained glass sited in the chancel of the College Chapel and dates to 1866. It is not well-known – even within the College – and the only scholarly article written about it is a 1972 piece by E.J. Furlong in Hermathena, from which the bulk of the following description is taken. The idea of a window dedicated to Bishop Berkeley emerged alongside suggestions for windows in honour of Archbishop Ussher and Richard Graves, Dean of Armagh and was approved by Board in 1867. It was funded by the gift of £300 from Richard R. Warren, then MP for Trinity, and a further gift of £72 from the incoming Provost Humphrey Lloyd – both given in 1867. Designs were considered for the window in February 1868, and the London firm of Clayton and Bell were successful.

Bishop Berkeley’s Gold Medals

 On 8 May 1752, ‘the Provost and Senior Fellows agreed to give annually, forever, two Gold Medals for the encouragement of Bachelor of Arts in the Study of the Greek language: having received a Benefaction of one hundred and twenty guineas, besides a die, from the Right Rev. Dr. George Berkeley, Lord Bishop of Cloyne for that purpose.’ These medals are still listed in the College Calendar today but have not been awarded by the Dept. of Classics since 2011.

The Department of Classics has a preference to dename Bishop Berkeley’s Gold Medals.

Portraits

There are three portraits of George Berkeley in the College art collection. One, by Robert Home (1782), is hung in the Examination Hall, another, by Francis Bindon (1733), is in the Senior Common Room, and the last is by James Latham (1743).

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Ireland’s only copy of the first edition of Shakespeare’s collected plays goes on display in the Library

Image of the Library's First Folio

Paw prints, burn marks and a mysterious code … Ireland’s only copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio has all the hall marks of a book that was much used and much loved. 

The highly-regarded volume is the centrepiece of a new exhibition in the Library of Trinity College Dublin entitled ‘Shakespeare the Irishman’ marking 400 years since the Bard’s complete works were first published. Both a physical exhibition and online version of the Library exhibition were launched last night in the Old Library [Thurs, April 13th] by Trinity alumna and author Anne Enright.  

The first collected edition of William Shakespeare’s plays was published in 1623, seven years after his death. Without it, half of his plays would have been lost. Surviving copies of the First Folio are among the most highly-sought after books in the world.  

Trinity’s copy was acquired at the auction of the library of the late academic Arthur Browne after his death in 1805.  Since then the First Folio has been one of the most cherished items in the Library’s collections.  

Head of Research Collections, Laura Shanahan, author, Anne Enright, exhibition curator, Professor Andy Murphy and co-curator & Assistant Librarian, Shane Mawe at the exhibition launch.

Helen Shenton, Librarian & College Archivist, commented: 

“This exhibition is part of the global celebrations of ‘the book that gave us Shakespeare’ – without the publication of the First Folio we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays. It is important to Trinity and Ireland because we have the only copy of the First Folio on the island. It is the highlight of the extensive Shakespearean material in our Library collections. It’s fantastic that it can be seen in the exhibition here in the Old Library and in its digitised form through the Virtual Trinity Library.” 

Andy Murphy, Professor of English and curator of the exhibition, commented:  

“This exhibition tells the story of Trinity’s copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio, one of the jewels in the crown of the Library’s collection. While in good condition, it’s clear that it was a much beloved and read volume. Evidence of burn marks, drink stains, paw prints, and mysterious symbols, which have yet to be deciphered, tell us that this is a book that has been used and abused, but always cherished.  

“In Ireland, Shakespeare’s plays have always been deeply intertwined with politics. The exhibition explores how his plays were adopted and adapted in Ireland focusing on his centrality to 18th century ascendancy colonial culture; his influence on 19th century Irish nationalists such as Wolfe Tone, James Connolly, and Patrick Pearse and the translation of some of his work into the Irish language in the 20th century.” 

 
Librarian & College Archivist, Helen Shenton, Provost, Dr Linda Doyle, author, Anne Enright and Professor Andy Murphy viewing the exhibits.

As part of global Folio400 celebrations, Trinity’s copy of the First Folio has been digitised in its entirety and is now freely available to the public online via the Virtual Trinity Library.  

The exhibition marks the launch of the Trinity Centre for the Book a new research centre hosted in the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute in collaboration with the Library, which will co-ordinate and share research on the rich cultural and social importance of books of all types.  

Mark Faulkner, Ussher Assistant Professor in Medieval Literature and Director of the Trinity Centre for the Book, commented: 

“As this exhibition demonstrates, Trinity’s Library has an outstanding collection of Shakespearean material; and this excellence is mirrored in its holdings of medieval manuscripts, early printed books and the archives of authors, politicians, thinkers and many others. The new Trinity Centre for the Book will harness these outstanding collections and the university’s significant concentration of experts across its three faculties and the Library to further our understanding of one of society’s most important technologies – the book.” 

Niamh O’Farrell-Tyler, 4th year Student in Drama and Theatre Studies, School of Creative Arts
recites ‘the isle is full of noises’ speech from Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ as part of the Library exhibition.

More about the Trinity Centre for the Book: 

The Trinity Centre for the Book, hosted in Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, in collaboration with the Library, aspires to make Trinity a globally recognised centre for the study, understanding and sharing of the book. The centre will capitalise on Trinity’s outstanding Library collections that span thousands of years, from the Egyptian Books of the Dead to the Library’s rapid response collecting initiative ‘Living in  Lockdown’ – a hybrid collection of physical works and born digital submissions. It will also harness the university’s significant concentration of expertise, with more than 150 researchers publishing over 1,000 works on book history over the last ten years. The centre will examine all aspects of the history of the book to broaden our understanding of its rich cultural and social importance. This will include the key role it has played in communicating knowledge and lived experience for millennia, to recent developments in non-alphabetic forms of communication such as emojis and the emergence of AI-driven content generation engines such as ChatGPT. See more here

 More about Trinity’s First Folio: 

The First Folio is one of the most highly-regarded books in the world. Trinity holds the only copy of the book on the island of Ireland. It formerly belonged to Arthur Browne, who was born in New England into a family with strong Irish connections. He studied at Trinity and settled in Dublin. Browne was a distinguished lawyer and an academic at Trinity, where he was both Prof of Law and Prof of Greek. At the time Trinity had its own seat in the Irish parliament and Browne was MP for Trinity from 1783 until parliament was dissolved in 1800. Trinity’s copy of the volume, while in good condition, includes evidence of its having been well used by readers over the decades with evidence of burn marks; drink stains; paw prints; and annotations. The most intriguing aspect of Trinity’s copy is a page that includes a set of inscriptions on one of its blank pages. These are yet to be deciphered, but are most likely shorthand symbols. Trinity purchased the book at the sale of Browne’s books in the wake of his death in 1805 paying £26 11s 6d for the volume.  

  

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Lyric Feature focuses on an 18th century Tipperary woman whose extraordinary memoir survives in the Library

Last Sunday’s Lyric Feature, Dorothea the doozy, presented by Trinity alumna  and radio documentary maker Angie Mezzetti, brings to light the work of Dorothea Herbert, a long-overlooked 18th Century writer, diarist, poet and artist from Carrick-on-Suir.  Herbert’s memoir, which she called ‘Retrospections of an Outcast’, was written between 1780 to 1806 and was published for the first time in 1929. In this documentary, Manuscripts Curator Dr Jane Maxwell, a specialist in the history of women in the 18th century, introduces this memoir, beautifully illustrated with watercolours by the author – which has been in the care of the Library since the 1980s.

This document is of immense significance to the social history of Ireland in the 18th century, and especially for the history of women in a century which saw them emerge more clearly into society. What gives this document added significance is that the author was clearly suffering severely from a mental illness at a time when there was little understanding for such afflictions.

Readers can listen back to the feature here.

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Reader’s Choice is now Reader Recommendation

Based on the popularity of the Library’s Reader’s Choice pilot scheme for books received under UK electronic legal deposit (UK eLD), the Library has extended the scheme’s scope and improved how it works in Stella Search. Under the pilot scheme, print requests were limited to specific publishers and publication years and were mediated by single-purpose, pre-loaded records in Stella Search. With Reader Recommendation, the UK eLD records themselves include the link to the recommendation form; purchased print copies will be requestable via new records for the print version. Of course, the Library continues to be under pragmatic constraints in operating the scheme, particularly the availability of the print titles from its suppliers, and the availability of funds. As before, it will monitor and review the scheme in the context of evolving collection development policies and practices.

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Digitising Cultural Heritage Collections: Lessons Learned and Forging Ahead

A seminar organised by the Library of Trinity College Dublin and the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL).

The Library of Trinity College Dublin and Trinity Centre for the Book Research Seminar will host the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL) Annual Seminar on Tuesday October 4, 2022 (9:30am – 5pm), at the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute. Ten years since digitisation was last the subject of a CERL Seminar, we wish to bring people together to discuss the varied challenges research libraries face in the planning and realising of internal and collaborative programmes of digitisation for cultural heritage materials. 

Speakers from various international and Irish libraries will comment on the state of the art of digitisation and the role of research libraries therein, presenting a variety of recent and ongoing projects. These include the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Folger Shakespeare Library, John Rylands Library, and the libraries of the National University of Ireland Galway and Royal Irish Academy. Through the seminar we hope to instigate a community-focused discussion to problematise the maturing field of cultural heritage digitisation. 

The full programme is available here for the event
Registration is open to all. Please register before September 26 by emailing secretariat@cerl.org.

Campus Location: Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute
For further information contact Unlocking the Fagel Collection Project Manager, Dr Ann-Marie Hansen, anhansen@tcd.ie

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#TCDLIBRARYSURVEY What we’re doing with your feedback

Last year, 1,189 of our readers responded to the Library Life Pulse survey conducted during Ireland’s fourth and strictest lockdown. The findings showed that the impact of the Library on our readers’ wellbeing was significant and up 10% from pre-Covid times to 61%.

We were delighted that you agreed positively with the following statements:

It is easy to access help and support when I am in Library buildings (71%)
The Library offers relevant training and skills support for students and staff (71%)
The Library has the right resources for my course/research degree programme/role (74%)
The Library is helping me to succeed on my course/research degree programme/in my role (76%)
I am satisfied with how the Library communicates with me (74%)

We acknowledge there is room for improvement with the following:

Suitable study/work space is readily available in the Library building(s) (46%)
It is easy to find the location of suitable study/work spaces in the Library building(s) (53%)
It is easy to access help and support when I am using Library services online (50%)
The Library has helped me to develop the skills I need for my studies/role (51%)

How are we acting on your feedback?

The high-level findings of this survey have been shared with the Library’s Leadership team and the university’s Library and Information Policy Committee. In the months following the survey, we have been exploring ideas and discussing solutions to issues you have identified in key areas of Space; Access to Resources; Training and Support and Communications. You can find out more about the survey findings and our action plan here:

We will be consulting with staff and students in making those improvements and will provide updates as they are being implemented.

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#TCDLibrarySurvey – have your say

A Library survey was launched College-wide today seeking feedback from all staff and students on their experience of using the Library.

The Library is at the heart of the University, providing services, resources, training and space. Its important role within the College community has been further highlighted over the past year during Covid-19. This is an opportunity for you to have your say in relation to your Library and how it can best support you currently, and in its future development.

The survey is being administered on behalf of the Library by an independent research agency called Alterline. The first survey, which ran in December 2018, received 2,540 responses across six core metrics. It is a biennial survey and in response to feedback received in 2018, the Library has embedded a series of additional services and resources across the Library.

Your views will help us understand your needs as readers and will provide valuable insights to enable the development of responsive services for the future.

As a thank you for taking part, at the end of the survey all participants will  have the option to be entered into a prize draw to win AirPods, a Fitbit tracker, Trinity Gift Shop online gift cards, One4all vouchers and T-card top-ups.

Click on the survey link to get started, or copy and paste the link into your browser: https://www.tcd.ie/library/survey

If you have any queries about this survey, please contact us at library@tcd.ie