The HardiBlog

Come along to the Microfiche/Microfilm demo in the Microfiche/Microfilm area on Thursday 27th March, 2014 Event Description: 30 minute Microfiche/Microfilm demo  Some features: Simplified, step-by-step loading On Screen instructions Searchability High-Resolution Images No messing with lenses- on screen control and many more easy to use features Location: Microform Room  - located on the ground floor of the Main Library. Take a right when you enter the library and it's on the right just after the book returns area. Book Now

What are Archives? What collections are held by the Hardiman Library? How can Archives benefit my research? These are just a few of the questions you may have regarding the treasures of the archival holdings of the James Hardiman Library. On Tuesday 25th March, all are welcome and invited to a special online forum where you can live-chat with the staff of the Archives service of the James Hardiman Library. Discover for yourself the archive collections which span over 500 years of local and national history across a wide and varied range of disciplines, from Galway history, landed estates, folklore, photographs, theatre including Druid Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, Northern Ireland conflict, society and politics, literature through the archive of John McGahern, digital archives such as the Éamon de Buitléar archive and much more. You can find more information here and a link to a digitised guide to our archive collections here .

Why not take time out this week to visit the fabulous new Special Collections Reading Room in the Hardiman Research Building and investigate Munster-born John Keogh’s Zoologia medicinalis Hibernica (Dubin, 1739). This treatise is an alphabetical index to the medicinal values of Ireland’s C18th fauna, some of which might be quite surprising, such as those of the much maligned Pica pica: Something to remember the next time you look around for that “two for joy”! If you would like to view/ consult this item, please submit an online request or contact the staff of the Special Collections Reading Room in the Hardiman Research Building at specialcollections@nuigalway.ie .

Don't forget - the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room is open until 9pm this evening (Tuesday) and every Tuesday. Special Collections material include a wealth of rare and antiquarian books from the 15th Century up to present day as well as extensive collections of maps, newspapers (local and national), theses and other collections Archival collections range in date from the 15th Century and cover a wide array of disciplines from local history (Galway Town Commissioners) landed estate collections detailing land and land ownership, local politics, local economy from across the West of Ireland, an array of theatre archives such as the Druid Theatre Archive, Thomas Kilroy Archive, Siobhan McKenna Papers, Galway Arts Festival and Taibhdhearc na Gailimhe archive; literary archives such as John McGahern Collection; Political, Human Rights and Northern Ireland papers such as Brendan Duddy, Ruairi O'Bradaigh and Kevin Boyle papers among many others. Our new facilities an...

Scheduled Downtime for Library Catalogue services on Sunday, 16th of March (0700 - 11:00) On Sunday, 16th of March from 07:00 to 11:00, the following Library services will be unavailable in order to facilitate necessary maintenance.     Real-time information regarding items on loan or availability  Booking of group study rooms  Placement of reservation requests  Online Renewal   Our apologies for the inconvenience.

The publisher Taylor and Francis informs us that the intermittent performance issues they were experiencing on the Taylor and Francis Online platform yesterday have now been resolved.  If you experience any difficulty accessing journals on this platform (or any other) please let us know through the E-resource Enquiry Form .

Why not take time out this week to visit the fabulous new Special Collections Reading Room in the Hardiman Research Building and view Defensative against the poyson of supposed prophecies by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton (1540-1614) . Originally printed by John Charlewood and reprinted here by William Jaggard of London (1620), this treatise on the irrationality of prophecy is dedicated to Sir Francis Walsingham ( 1530?-1590 ), principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I. The work bears the marks of many former owners, but the most telling signature is probably that of a certain Katherin Byrne, hidden as it is within the text itself. ‘Poyson’ reading perhaps?   If you would like to view/ consult this item, please submit an online request or contact the staff of the Special Collections Reading Room in the Hardiman Research Building at specialcollections@nuigalway.ie

We have changed our Twitter username from @jhlnuig to @NUIGLibrary. Please direct replies and direct messages to this new username, @NUIGLibrary . NUI Galway Library Twitter username