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Honouring the pioneering work of Professor M.L. Colker

Illuminating the Middle Ages which showcases the treasure trove of medieval Latin manuscripts in the Library is this week’s choice of exhibition in the online exhibition series. Professor M.L Colker who created the first comprehensive catalogue of the Library’s medieval Latin manuscript collection sadly passed away last week. We pay tribute to his pioneering work by revisiting this exhibition curated in his honour.

In the 1950s, Marvin ‘Mark’ Colker of the University of Virginia embarked on the Herculean task of cataloguing this collection, comprising around 450 manuscripts.Over the course of 30 years, Colker made regular visits to Dublin, spending long hours working tirelessly in the manuscripts reading room at the Library. His dedication resulted in the publication of Trinity College Dublin Library: Descriptive Catalogue of the Medieval and Renaissance Latin Manuscripts (Dublin, 1991), fondly referred to as the ‘Colker Catalogue’. His ground-breaking work is the cornerstone for any project or research based on the Latin manuscripts.

By way of tribute, an exhibition entitled Illuminating the Middle Ages showcases the diversity of material made accessible to researchers through Colker’s commitment and expertise. The online exhibition features vividly illuminated psalters, a vibrantly decorated Book of Hours, a handbook for classical learning and a thirteenth-century copy of Peter Lombard’s Sentences. It also includes images from the Book of Armagh, the sumptuously decorated Dublin Apocalypse, as well as a unique handbook for confessors.

Colker’s work was also honoured with the publication of a special edition of Hermathena: a Trinity College Dublin Review — the Department of Classics’ journal which has been published without interruption since 1873. The special issue of Hermathena was edited by Anna Chahoud, Professor of Latin.

The collection, entitled Fabellae Dublinenses Revisited and other Essays in Honour of Marvin Colker, includes essays by scholars from Trinity College (John Scattergood, Edward McParland, Anna Chahoud) and abroad (Thomas Smith, Ernesto Stagni, Giulio Vannini, Ornella Rossi, Silverio Franzoni). The collection of essays gives special attention to the text known, after Colker’s discovery in TCD MS 602, as ‘Petronius Redivivus’. The studies partly engage with Colker’s pioneering research on select Latin manuscripts (MS 602, MS 632) and partly offer a complementary tribute to the extraordinary value of Trinity Library collections for literary, historical and architectural inquiries (MS 115, MS 496, Fagel Collections I.1.95).

Dublin Apocalypse, folio 3v (Early 14th century)

Reduced Library Services

Due to stocktaking activities, all libraries will be closed on Saturday 27 July, Saturday 3 August and on Monday 5 August. The 24-hour spaces (Kinsella Hall and the 1937 Postgraduate Reading Room) will remain open. Requests from storage will be partially reduced – please contact Library staff for further details.

Normal Library services will resume on Tuesday 6 August 2019.

Trinity Ball 2019 – Library Arrangements

Due to the Trinity Ball, all Library buildings on the main University campus will close early on Friday 12 April 2019.

The Berkeley/Ussher/Lecky (BLU) Libraries and the Hamilton Library will close at 5pm, Friday 12 April and reopen at 9:30am Saturday 13 April.

  • Kinsella Hall, Ussher Library will close at 5pm, Friday 12 April. The 1st floor and the computer room will reopen at 8:30am Saturday 13 April.
  • The 1937 Reading Room will close at 4:30pm, Friday 12 April and reopen at 8:30am, Saturday 13th April.

The John Stearne Medical Library is unaffected as it lies off campus, and will close at 10pm Friday 12 April and reopen at 9:30am Saturday 13 April.

Your Library, Your Views

Library Pop Art

We’re running a short survey to help us understand your experiences of the Library. As a thank you, we will enter you into a draw to win prizes including Trinity Ball tickets, TCard credit and more.

Your views will help us to better appreciate all of our users’ needs and provide valuable insights to enable us to develop responsive services for the future. The survey will take about fifteen minutes to complete. The closing date is 14 December.

Get started here!

The Library Life Pulse survey is being administered by an independent research agency called Alterline, you can view their GDPR policy online.

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

All personal data collected by the University will be processed according to the College Privacy Notice.

 

Summer Opening Hours

We are now heading into our summer hours for opening and closing – the BLU & Hamilton will close at 20:00 on Friday 25 May and from Saturday 26 May our Summer Vacation hours are in place.

Note the 1st floor of the Ussher will move to being a constant 24-hour space accessible only from outside the Library for the rest of the summer.

Lecky Entrance Closing at 5pm Today

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Lecky *entrance* to the BLU complex will close at 5pm today. The Lecky Library itself will remain open until 9:30pm, with access available through the Berkeley Library.

Trinity Ball 2018 – Library Arrangements

Due to the Trinity Ball, all Library buildings on the main College campus will close early on Friday 6 April 2018.

  • The Berkeley/Ussher/Lecky (BLU) Libraries and the Hamilton Library will close at 5pm, Friday 6 April and reopen at 9:30am Saturday 7 April.
  • Kinsella Hall, Ussher Library will close at 5pm, Friday 6 April – the 1st floor and the computer room will reopen at 8:00am Saturday 7 April.
  • The 1937 Reading Room will close at 4:30pm, Friday 6 April and reopen at 8:00am, Saturday 7 April.

The John Stearne Medical Library is unaffected as it lies off campus, and will close at 10pm Friday 6 April and reopen at 9:30am Saturday 7 April.

Library Opening Hours – Easter Weekend 2018

The Library will be open as follows over Easter Weekend 2018:

Kinsella Hall and the 1937 Reading Room will remain open 24/7 throughout the weekend.

Berkeley/Lecky/Ussher + Hamilton Libraries

– Thursday 29 Mar: 09:00 – 22:00
– Friday 30 Mar: Closed
– Saturday 31 Mar: Closed
– Sunday 1 Apr: Closed
– Monday 2 Apr: Closed
– Tuesday 3 Apr: 09:00 – 22:00

John Stearne Medical Library

– Thursday 29 Mar: 09:00 – 22:00
– Friday 30 Mar: Closed
– Saturday 31 Mar: Closed
– Sunday 1 Apr: Closed
– Monday 2 Apr: Closed
– Tuesday 3 Apr: 09:00 – 22:00

Manuscripts & Archives Research Library

– Thursday 29 Mar: 10:00 – 16:00
– Friday 30 Mar: Closed
– Saturday 31 Mar: Closed
– Sunday 1 Apr: Closed
– Monday 2 Apr: Closed
– Tuesday 3 Apr: 10:00 – 16:00

Early Printed Books & Special Collections

– Thursday 29 Mar: 10:00 – 16:45
– Friday 30 Mar: Closed
– Saturday 31 Mar: Closed
– Sunday 1 Apr: Closed
– Monday 2 Apr: Closed
– Tuesday 3 Apr: 10:00 – 19:45

Last admission to each Library is 15 minutes before the Library closes.

Library Closed, Monday 31 October

Happy Halloween!As usual, the Library will be closed for the October Holiday, Monday 31 October. Reading rooms will reopen on Tuesday at their normal hours.

Kinsella Hall and the 1937 Postgraduate Reading Room will remain open to Trinity staff and students throughout Monday. The Old Library and Book of Kells Exhibition is also open to visitors.

 

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