Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Nov 1970

Vol. 249 No. 6

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - National Library.

34.

asked the Minister for Education if he will comment upon the statement made by the Trustees of the National Library of Ireland in their report for the year ended 31st May, 1970 that the Trustees are appalled that the Library in its present neglected condition cannot catalogue papers and publications of international organisations such as UNO, UNESCO and WHO which it receives.

35.

asked the Minister for Education when the National Library will be allocated sufficient typing staff to remake the main reading room catalogues which passed their planned life span four years ago and to type for inserting in the catalogues the thirteen thousand entries in respect of accessions since 1965.

36.

asked the Minister for Education the location and extent of all storage accommodation being used by the National Library; the arrangements made to make available to readers material stored in off-site storage; and when steps will be taken to provide the National Library with adequate storage staff and readers accommodation on one site.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 35 and 36 together.

The future accommodation to be provided for the National Library is bound up with the provision to be made for both the National College of Art and the National Museum. The whole matter is under active consideration at present. In the meantime the matter of providing suitable temporary accommodation for certain of the collections in the National Library is receiving attention.

Library material for which accommodation is not available in the Kildare Street premises is presently stored in the following four locations:—

(a) the basement area under the Law Library in the Four Courts for little-used periodicals and newspapers;

(b) part of the basement of 4 Kildare Street for a collection of manuscripts;

(c) some accommodation in Arbour Hill Detention Barracks made available by the Department of Defence for a further collection of manuscripts: the Department of Defence have been requested to make further accommodation in the barracks available to the Library; and

(d) the basement of the Genealogical Office, Dublin Castle, for collections of family and estate papers.

There is little demand for the material stored in the Four Courts but it can be made available at short notice. The manuscripts collections stored outside the main Kildare Street premises are due for listing.

With regard to the question of typing staff the needs of the National Library in this respect are being examined by my Department at present with a view to arranging for the assignment of additional typists if found necessary.

Can the Minister tell me how many acres of space would be required to store all the publications of UNO, WHO, UNESCO, OECD and all the rest of them?

Top
Share