The Irish and Local Studies Library will, from Monday 21st January 2008, open on Saturdays to facilitate those readers who work during the week. The revised hours are as follows:
The Irish and Local Studies Library shares accommodation in one of Armagh’s fine old Georgian buildings, formerly the City Hospital. Access to the library is via the car park.
Its collection, which includes many rare and valuable books, encompasses all aspects of Irish life and learning from earliest times to current issues and events, with particular emphasis on the area covered by the Southern Education and Library Board and neighbouring border counties in the Republic. One of its strengths is its newspaper and journals section which includes local papers, national and provincial dailies, political and literary magazines, dating from the 18th century to the present day. Its literature section contains a wide range of plays, poetry and fiction by both well-known and obscure writers as well as works of criticism and literary history. A considerable proportion of these works are in the Irish language. Its special collections includes a set of rare pamphlets on 18th and early 19th century political, economic and religious issues and the Francis Crossle papers relating to the history of Newry. It also has an extensive range of maps, photographs and postcards.
The library offers full reference facilities to researchers. It has a spacious reading room which is used regularly for evening lectures; individual study carrels for in-depth private study; ten computers with internet access; colour copying plus a separate room for viewing microforms.
Telephone: 02837527851 Fax: 02837527127Email: IrishandLocalStudies.selb@ni-libraries.net
