Gathered Together: A Survey of the Unique & Distinct Collections Held by CONUL

Susie Bioletti | Keeper, Preservation & Conservation | Trinity College DublinFelicity O’Mahony | Assistant Librarian MAR&L | Trinity College DublinElaine Harrington | Special Collections Librarian | University College

CONUL – Going Further Together: Collaboration in Irish Academic & Research Libraries

1 June 2016

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Gathered Together• Sub-committee on Collections, Preservation &

Conservation • 2013-2016 strategic work plan• Identifying UDC’s; their accessibility, condition,

preservation and other needs• Promote collaborative work packages• Siobhan Fitzpatrick (Mentor) Susie Bioletti (Chair), Eoin

McCarney, Evelyn Flanagan, Elaine Harrington, John Cremin, Ann McSweeney, Mary O’Doherty, Ursula Mitchel, Frank Reynolds

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Gathered Together• Survey completed June 2014 – May 2016• 12 libraries• 20 participants: Philip Cohen, Ursula Mitchel, Mary

O’Doherty, Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Colette O’Flaherty, Marie Boran, Hugh Murphy, Audrey Kinch, Susan Durack, Clara Joyce, Estelle Gittins, Helen McGinley, Paul Ferguson, Ray Stanley, John Cremin, Elaine Harrington, Emer twomey, Evelyn Flanagan, Evelyn McAuley, Frank Reynolds

• 593 named unique and distinct collections

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Gathered Together• Date from the 3rd millennium BC• Over 10,415,386 items• 5,200,000 photographic items• 632,227 maps• Over 3,403,038 volumes• 160,353 drawings, watercolours• 8.5 kilometers other items• 50 skulls, 1700 medical instruments,130 silverware• Harps, guns, flags, medals, death masks, furnishings, jewellry

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Gathered Together• Lets do more …• Identify collaborate projects that re/connect collections.• Explore synergies and use these to highlight significance• Identify and reduce greatest risks to collection preservation• Joint grant funding opportunities – collection surrogates,

improved access and greater exposure for CONUL • Advocate for conservation and improved storage • Why? Because our collections are worth it

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Types of Collections• English Literary Collections• Irish Language

Manuscripts Individuals / Companies

• Cultural Music Theatre Estates Science & Business

Irish Language - Manuscripts

https://www.isos.dias.ie/

https://www.ucc.ie/en/modern-irish/olongain-conference/

Irish Language – Individuals / Companies

Ó Criomhthain, Tomás. Allagar na hInise. 1928.

Ó Neill, Séamus. Tonn Tuile. 1947.

Duilearga Collection. 1920.

English Literary Collections

Brendan Kennelly & Robert Ballagh. The Great Book of Ireland. f35

PP/4/1 (1)  Letter from Sean O'Faolain to Munira Hamud Mutran, São Paulo, Brazil, re: Irish writing 17 February 1973.

Ringling-North

Inscription from James Stephens to his wife in Strict Joy: Poems.

English Literary Collections

Hearn, Lafacadio. The Boy Who Drew Cats.

Music

UCC Goodman MS 196 p.72 Tunes for Francis & Thos Godfrey

Goodman Collection: TCD MS 3194

Special Collections, Queen’s University Belfast, Bunting Collection, QUB MS 4/30/20, ‘Starrae er whoola Gaurdin or the land behind the garden,’ 1792.

Theatre & Broadcasting

National Dance Archive of Ireland N25_1

PP/6/51 Teresa Deevy - Detail from Abbey Theatre Souvenir programme Aug 1938

EstatesHouse of the Earl of Dunraven

at Adare, D/3196

Bantry House and gardens c. early 20th century PP/13/3/8 Marriage Settlement

from the papers of the Borrowes family of Giltown, Co. Kildare. 4 Dec 1783.

Special Collections, Queen’s University Belfast, Robert Hart Collection, QUB MS 15/6/5/1

Science & Business

‘Scientists, including Cynthia Longfield (2nd from left), from the St George expedition posing with their equipment. RIA, LRC/25, p2.

Robert Lloyd Praeger

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Slide CreditsSlide 7• Irish Script on Screen: https://www.isos.dias.ie/• Ó Longáin Conference: https://www.ucc.ie/en/modern-irish/olongain-conference/

Slide 8• Special Collections, NUIG, Duilearga Collection: Irische Dollsmarchen, 1920.• TCD Early Printed Books, Sáirséal agus Dill Collection: Ó Neill, Séamus. Tonn Tuile. Baile Átha

Cliath: Sáirséal agus Dill, 1947. S & D 1:3.• Special Collections, UCC Library, Torna Collection: Ó Criomhthain, Tomás. Allagar na hInise.

Baile Átha Cliath : Ó Fallamhain i gcomhar le hOifig an tSoláthair, 1928.

Slide 9• Special Collections, NUIG, Ringling-North Collection.• Maynooth University PP/4/1 (1)  Letter from Sean O'Faolain to Munira Hamud Mutran, São

Paulo, Brazil, re: Irish writing 17 February 1973.• Special Collections, UCC Library. The Great Book of Ireland. f35.

Slide 10• Special Collections, NUIG, Hearn Collection: Hearn, Lafacadio. The Boy Who Drew Cats.• TCD Early Printed Books, James Stephens Collection: Stephens, James. Strict Joy: Poems.

[London]: Macmillan, 1931. OLS L-7-20.

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Slide CreditsSlide 11• Special Collections, Queen’s University Belfast, Bunting Collection, QUB MS 4/30/20, ‘Starrae er

whoola Gaurdin or the land behind the garden,’ 1792.• Special Collections, UCC Library: MS 196 ‘Tunes for Francis George & Thos Godfrey’ p.72• TCD Music, Goodman Collection: TCD MS 3194 and portrait of Fr. James Goodman

Slide 12• Maynooth University PP/6/51 Teresa Deevy - Detail from Abbey Theatre Souvenir programme

Aug 1938• Glucksman Library, UL, National Dance Archive of Ireland N25_1

Slide 13• Glucksman Library, UL, D/3196 House of the Earl of Dunraven at Adare, • Special Collections, Queen’s University Belfast, Robert Hart Collection, QUB MS 15/6/5/1 • Archives Service, UCC Library, Bantry House and gardens c. early 20th century • PP/13/3/8 Marriage Settlement from the papers of the Borrowes family of Giltown, Co. Kildare. 4

Dec 1783. (John Paul II Library, Maynooth University)

Slide 14• Royal Irish Academy, Robert Lloyd Praeger (RIA).• Royal Irish Academy, Longfield Roberts Collection: ‘Scientists, including Cynthia Longfield (2nd

from left), from the St George expedition posing with their equipment. RIA, LRC/25, p2.

Collections, Preservation & Conservation

Thank you!Gathered Together: A Survey of the Unique & Distinct

Collections Held by CONULSusie Bioletti | Keeper, Preservation & Conservation | Trinity College Dublin

bioletts@tcd.ie | @bioletts

Elaine Harrington | Special Collections Librarian | University College Corke.harrington@ucc.ie | @walkerabroad

Felicity O’Mahony | Assistant Librarian MAR&L | Trinity College DublinFOMAHONY@tcd.ie