Thursday, April 29, 2010

E-Books Galore!

Almost 50 titles from our short-loan collection are now available in e-book format! To see the list of titles go to our Catalogue page and click on the SPD E-books icon.

You'll also see an 'ebook available' label on print versions of available titles to alert you. The e-books are viewed through your web browser and offer some handy functions:
  • word/phrase searches
  • export references to a RefWorks account
  • ReadAloud tool for users with impaired vision
  • download a title for up to 7 days for offline access
  • copy/print within copyright limitations
  • staff can link directly to an ebook from Moodle
With these titles we hope to increase accessiblity of core titles for St. Pat's students and staff:
  • when you're off-campus
  • outside of Library opening hours
  • if all print copies of a book are out on loan
  • if you have your full quota of books out
  • and there's no fines!
All the titles require you to login whether on or off campus. For staff this is their novell login while for students it is their normal login (as used for everything Moodle, email etc.). If you don't know your login details please contact IT support.

If you would like a run-through of the format please contact info.library@spd.dcu.ie or ask for Ben or Ronan at the Library Information desk.

Our thanks to the Quality Promotion Committee for their support of this initiative.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Bank Holiday

The Library is closed on Monday, May 3rd for the bank holiday. Items issued from our Short Loan Collection from Thursday evening onwards will be issued until Tuesday, May 4th.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Rare Henry Morris Collection on Display

From today Thursday 22 April, and for a number of weeks, our collection of Henry Morris [1874-1945] papers is on view by appointment in the Special Collections room in the Library Please contact Tommy Murtagh in the library to organise a viewing time - Tommy.Murtagh@spd.dcu.ie.

This collection is usually stored in the College archive - don't miss the opportunity to view the collection in its current form!

Henry Morris was a writer and Irish scholar, born in 1874 in Co. Monaghan. He was a student of St. Patrick's College from September 1899 until July 1900.

He founded the first branch of the Gaelic League in Co. Monaghan and was a founder member of the Louth Historical and Archaeological Society. He served as a departmental inspector and became deputy chief inspector in the primary branch of the DES. His academic publications include Greann na Gaeilge (1901-7), Seanfhocail Uladh (1907), Donn Bó agus Scéalta Eile (1908), Dhá Céad de Cheoltaibh Uladh (1934), Amhráin na Midhe (1933) and Dánta Diadha Uladh (1936).

This small collection consists of letters written to Henry Morris by notable figures such as Patrick Pearse, Éamonn Ceannt, Charles McNeill, Torna, Eoin Mac Neill, Kuno Meyer, P.W. Joyce , Francis Joseph Bigger, E.J. Gwynn, Timothy Michael Healy, RAS Macalister, Úna Ní Ógáin, Eoin O'Duffy, Denis Carolan Rushe and others. Much of the correspondence relates to Conradh na Gaeilge, with which Morris was heavily involved.

Some other gems collected by Morris himself include:
  • a legal document written by Daniel O'Connell
  • a Repeal Association of Ireland Membership card
  • a signed receipt by Henry Grattan
  • letters written by Isaac Butt, Michael Davitt, William Gladstone, Cardinal Manning and Thomas Moore.

The letters were gathered in a scrapbook by Henry Morris and while a basic catalogue list of content exists the joy will be to browse the collection. Don't miss this rare opportunity!

Monday, April 19, 2010

School Visit to Library

To celebrate UNESCO World Book Day (a bit later than usual!) children from St. Laurence O'Toole's, BNS, Seville Place in Dublin will join us here in the library tomorrow for some fun and games.

The children will design and produce their own books as well as take part in other library related activities. Please feel free to join in - all are very welcome. The madness begins at 10.30am.