Research services offered by the James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, in the Hardiman Research Building,

1. The Strategic Significance of the
Hardiman Research Building
John Cox, University Librarian

2. What’s In a Name?
James Hardiman Library
 From: Postgraduate Library
 To: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Research Building
 Via: PRTLI V
 To: Hardiman Research Building
 AKA: The Library Extension
 Within: Hardiman Building
 Opposite: James Hardiman Library

3. Outline
• A vote of confidence
• More than a library: co-tenancy
• Archives and Special Collections services
• Attracting new collections
• Digital Library partnerships
• Community space: exhibitions and events
• Contrast with “old” Library
James Hardiman Library

4. A Vote of Confidence
James Hardiman Library

5. More Than a Library
James Hardiman Library
 Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Building (AHSSRB):
 “integrate research and training in the Humanities, Digital Cultures,
Creative Industries, Business, Social Sciences, Rights,Advocacy, and Public
Policy.
 provide a collision function between knowledge and practice
 provide a research environment to enable the transformation of cultural
resources into social and economic opportunity
 be a national and international hub with strong regional connectivity to
creative industries, to the economics of heritage, and to research-led
projects to achieve social cohesion”

6. Co-Tenants
James Hardiman Library
 Library Research Services
 Moore Institute for the Humanities and Social Studies
 Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change
 Other research disciplines may move in (“research hotel”)
 Librarians, archivists, research staff, PhD students, visitors,
technologists et al.

7. Archives and Special Collections

8. University Focus on Archives for Research
James Hardiman Library

9. Transformed Facilities
James Hardiman Library

10. Investment in Archival Facilities
James Hardiman Library

11. Attracting Collections
James Hardiman Library
 AbbeyTheatre
 Thomas Kilroy
 Brendan Duddy
 Ringling North Library
 Éamon de Buitléar
 Tim Robinson

12. Digital Library Partnerships

14. Digital Scholarship Enablement Strategy
James Hardiman Library

15. Partnership Momentum
James Hardiman Library

16. Community:
Exhibitions and Events

17. James Hardiman Library
Initial Exhibition

18. James Hardiman Library
Current Exhibition

19. James Hardiman Library
Digital Display Infrastructure

20. James Hardiman Library
Official Opening

21. Conference Visit
James Hardiman Library

22. US University Visitors

23. James Hardiman Library
Local Primary School Visitors

24. A Tale of Two Buildings

25. By Contrast: James Hardiman Library
“It is unfair that we are unable to access the new state of the art library
extension, which I'm sure our fees aided in building” (4th Year)

26. New Expectations of Library Space
“Overly cramped, not enough desk space, loads of desks with no plugs and fluctuating
temperature” (4th Year U/G)
“The library space as a study area is corrupted by a lack of heating (when needed) and
air-conditioning and rendered unattractive by grubby carpets and seating” (Taught
Masters)
LibQual, March 2014

27. Library Quality Review Recommendation
“The University should commit to the transformation of the
existing James Hardiman Library to bring about a building that:
 Encourages and motivates scholarship
 Symbolises and enhances the ethos, brand and reputation of the
University, avoiding risks to future recruitment of students and
researchers
 Enhances the student experience
 Is genuinely at the heart of the campus
 Anticipates and responds to user needs”

28. University Strategic Plan, 2015-2020
“We will develop a campus-wide buildings regeneration plan, for
implementation on a phased basis.This plan will include the
transformation of our Hardiman Library building into a dynamic
learning environment, reflecting the culture of knowledge creation in
a contemporary university.”

29. James Hardiman Library
 Questions?