The Papers of George Boole have been fully catalogued and a .pdf copy of the descriptive list is available below.
Information on descriptive lists is provided further down this page.
If you find material relevant to your research, please note the call number(s) and click here to arrange an appointment to visit.
A hard copy of the list is also available for consultation in Special Collections and Archives within the Boole Library during our opening hours. These hard copy Descriptive Lists cannot be borrowed from the Library.
A Descriptive List is a fundamental finding aid for an archival collection. It should contain information which details the provenance of a collection and its system of arrangement. The list facilitates researchers in locating documents of specific interest to their research topic. It also assists researchers in assessing the collection as a primary source and judge the evidential value of the archives.
The online pdf copy of a descriptive list is keyword searchable. To bring up a Find box onscreen, click Ctrl+F, then enter a keyword e.g. a person's surname/a place name. Please be aware that spellings of names and places change over centuries so you may have to conduct multiple searches.
Contained within the list will be a brief description of each item in a collection which will include details such as the date and size of the item. Each entry will have a call number. When you wish to look at a particular item please provide the archivist with the relevant call number(s).
Below is a typical example of a list entry from IE BL/EP/R (Ryan of Inch Collection)
20. 2 April 1692
See Also /8
Probate with copy of the will of Daniel Ryan, Inchiofogarty. Appoints as executors his wife Frances (née Raggert), and his son John. Other children named are Nicolas, Andrew, Patrick, Joseph and Frances.
2 skins
In this entry, the call number is IE/EP/R/20, the date of the item is 2 April 1692 and it comprises of two skins (parchment sheets). With an entry See Also /8, information relating to this item can also be found in item BL/EP/R/8.
