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Spaces & Equipment: Home

Spaces & equipment available in Special Collections and Archives.

Spaces in Special Collections & Archives

Space & Equipment Overview

Take a virtual tour of Special Collections & Archives.

Special Collections & Archives has different rooms best suited to the type or age of material, or the type of activity:

  • Use the Reference Reading Room to access reference collections and requested materials.
  • Use the Microform Room to access microfilm and microfiche of maps, newspapers, manuscripts, parliamentary papers, literary manuscripts, journals and census.
  • Use the Rare Books Reading Room to access archival items, manuscripts, items printed pre-1950, fragile and outsize items.

Special Collections & Archives has different equipment to access the different types of material in its care. In the:

  • Rare Books Reading Room there is a book scanner
  • Microform Room there are microform reader/scanners and microform reader/printers.

Ask at the Special Collections & Archives' Information Desk for:

  • A light sheet to illuminate watermarks in books and other bound items
  • A blacklight torch for reading faded ink handwriting.

If you have questions or comments about the spaces or equipment please email specialcollectionsarchives@ucc.ie.

Opening Hours

From Monday 13th September 2021 Special Collections and Archives is open Monday-Thursday (excluding public holidays). Special Collections & Archives are closed on Fridays. We are open strictly by appointment, to UCC staff and students, and members of the public. Individual Reading Room opening hours are as follows:

  • Reference Reading Room & Microform Room: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 11:00-16:30 and Wednesday: 11:00-19:15.
  • Rare Books Reading Room: Monday - Thursday: 11:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:30.

Access will be by appointment only. Walk-ins and same-day requests will not be possible. To book items & a workspace please click HERE.

 

In addition we continue offering:

  • Scan & Deliver for Special Collections' material including items in the Reference Reading Room, Microform and items that show Special Collections by Request / Special Collections by Appointment on the library catalogue.
  • Reprographic requests for manuscripts & archival material via specialcollectionsarchives@ucc.ie.

Every effort will be made to fulfil scan & deliver / reprographic types of requests, but this may not always be possible due to availability, copyright restrictions, size and condition of materials. Due to the time-consuming nature of fulfilling requests across multiple microfilm reels rather than journal articles/book chapters there is a limit of 5 items in a week. 

If you have any queries relating to our collections please email specialcollectionsarchives@ucc.ie. This email address is monitored regularly.