The Book of Trinity College Dublin 1591-1891

by Ireland) Trinity College (Dublin

Dr. Monck Mason devoted much conscientious labour and intelligence to the work. He was assisted in the department of Irish MSS. by Edward O’Reilly; in that of Oriental MSS. by Edward Hincks, then sub-librarian; and in the Icelandic MSS. by George Cash. It is much to be lamented that the work was not published as designed. The MSS. in the Irish language have been catalogued by Dr. O’Donovan in one thick folio volume. There exists also a card catalogue, consisting of about 20,000 cards, prepared under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Dickson, assistant librarian. He employed, at his own expense, a person acquainted with the Irish vernacular, but otherwise not as well qualified as might be wished (the inevitable result of want of means to pay a qualified scholar).

It is in contemplation to print a summary catalogue much briefer than Dr. Monck Mason’s, but containing sufficient information about each volume to indicate to students at a distance what they may expect to look for in it. A catalogue of this kind need not occupy more than one volume, and might be sold at such a price as would make it generally accessible.

It may interest librarians to learn how the accommodation has been from time to time enlarged. Up to the end of the eighteenth century, the room in the east wing, now occupied by the Fagel Library, was set apart as the MSS. Room. In the stalls in the Long Room, where the short bookcases are at present, there were seats like settles, the ends of which still remain. From the high cases projected sloping desks, below which there were no books. The engraving in Malton’s Views of Dublin represents this state of things. These seats and desks were removed in 1817. The Reading Room was the upper room in the west wing, now the Clerks’ Room. The whole of the ground floor, except in the wings, was an open ambulatory, divided length-wise by a central wall, the south side being used by the Fellows. The rooms on the ground floor in both wings were Lecture Rooms—that at the west for Law, that at the east end for Divinity. The Law Lecture Room also contained the Lending Library. There were no bookcases in the gallery.

INNER STAIRCASE IN LIBRARY.

In 1802 the Fagel Library was placed in the East Room, and the MSS. were removed to the room above it. The next step was the erection of the short bookcases in the stalls. In 1844 Dr. Todd introduced the ingenious device of low bookcases in the windows of the gallery, revolving on hinges, and with shelves on both sides. In the central part of the building, where the walls are thicker, there were two of these—one outside the other—so that, with the fixed shelves at the back, there were five shelves in depth and four in height. In the shallower windows these were but three in depth. In 1860 it had become necessary to reconstruct the roof, and then bookcases were placed on the gallery over those below, and reaching to the roof. Most of the revolving cases had then to be removed.

Meantime, in 1848, the room on the ground floor in the east wing had been made a Reading Room, and heated by hot-water pipes. A spiral staircase connected it with the room above. When it became necessary to have a means of communication with the gallery at this end, it was proposed either to continue this staircase, or to construct a similar one at the other end of the room. The objection to this scheme was a remarkable one: it would give too great vent for the heated air, and so cause draughts; in other words, it would help to ventilate the Reading Room—the very thing that was wanted!

When the new Lecture Rooms and Museum were built, the MSS. were removed to their present place on the ground floor near the entrance, and some twenty-five years after that, bookcases were constructed in the upper east room. A few years ago these were in their turn nearly filled, and it became necessary to enclose the ground floor of the Library. This work was completed this year (1892). The western third of this space constitutes the new Reading Room.

INNER STAIRCASE IN LIBRARY.

In 1802 the Fagel Library was placed in the East Room, and the MSS. were removed to the room above it. The next step was the erection of the short bookcases in the stalls. In 1844 Dr. Todd introduced the ingenious device of low bookcases in the windows of the gallery, revolving on hinges, and with shelves on both sides. In the central part of the building, where the walls are thicker, there were two of these—one outside the other—so that, with the fixed shelves at the back, there were five shelves in depth and four in height. In the shallower windows these were but three in depth. In 1860 it had become necessary to reconstruct the roof, and then bookcases were placed on the gallery over those below, and reaching to the roof. Most of the revolving cases had then to be removed.