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Special Collections: Request Material

Special Collections is home to manuscripts, older printed books and unique & distinct collections.

Requesting Material

To request books, theses and more please contact specialcollectionsarchives@ucc.ie with the author, title and call number of the item and the date for which it is needed.

Alternatively fill out this online form. 

Most special collections items in UCC Library are stored in secure, closed stacks that are only accessible to staff members. 

All items held in Special Collections are kept in collections but there are different types of material:

  • Special Collections by Request (themed collections)
  • Special Collections by Appointment (manuscript or older printed collections)

Items are retrieved for the following times: 11:00, 14:00 and if Special Collections is open in the evening for 17:00.

Please check the opening hours to ensure we are open when you visit.

Special Collections by Request

Many collections in Special Collections have the status 'Special Collections by Request' including the X Collection. An example is The Death of Fionavar: From the Triumph of Maeve by Eva-Gore Booth. Items in the X Collection can be viewed in our general reading room. 

 

 

Caption: Endpapers from The Death of Fionavar: From the Triumph of Maeve by Eva Gore-Booth in the X Collection. The decorated endpapers are by Constance Gore-Booth, later Constance Markievicz.

Special Collections by Appointment: Pre-1850 or Fragile Items

Older printed books (pre-1850) and fragile material including bound paper newspapers have the status 'Special Collections by Apppointment.' An example is John Gerard's Herball. These items must be viewed in the Rare Books Reading Room as the conditions in this room are best suited for the items. This room is not open at lunchtime or in the evenings.

         

Caption: Selection of older printed items.

Special Collections by Appointment: Manuscripts

All manuscript or strong room material, whether in English, in Irish or another language have the status 'Special Collections by Appointment.' Examples include Ls 90 “Beatha Finnchua” scribed by Seosamh Ó Longáin and Braun's Civitates orbis terrarum. Both manuscript and strong room material require one day’s notice before the item can be viewed. This material requires extra time for staff to retrieve it. Manuscript and strong room material must be viewed in the Rare Books Reading Room as the conditions in this room are best suited for this material. This room is not open at lunchtime or in the evenings.

Caption: Ls 90 “Beatha Finnchua” scribed by Seosamh Ó Longáin (1846).

Opening Hours

Special Collections and Archives Service have standardised their opening hours as follows:

From 12 November - 20 December 2019:

Microform & Reference Reading Room: Monday & Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 11:00 – 16:30; Wednesday 11:00 – 20:15.

Rare Books Reading Room: Monday – Friday 11:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 16:30. 
 
Special Collections & Archives are closed 23 December 2019 and 2-10 January 2020. Apologies for any inconvenience.
This is to facilitate essential works in the reading rooms and to deliver a better service to all our patrons in the second semester. There will be no access to any items from any of the collections nor will be there be any access to the spaces in Special Collections & Archives.

Special Collections & Archives will reopen at 11:00 on 13 January 2020.​