- Collections
About Collections
The Library provides access to all sorts of information resources to support your learning and research. You can search all of our collections through the Library Catalogue, or learn more about different types of information resources below.
- Using the Library
Find your way
Find out about what Library services you can avail of, take our 360 degree Library tour and navigate your way around the Library. Each section includes a description of services available and allows you to become familiar with the Library before you visit us.
- We Can Help
We're here to help
Library staff provide support, help, and training to enable you to get to grips with the literature of your subject and the Library's resources.
- Digital Scholarship
Digital Scholarship
The Library welcomes opportunities to advance our Digital Scholarship. Our areas of contribution include content, technology, infrastructure, partnership and the practice-based expertise in our team.
- Open Scholarship
Open Scholarship
The Library supports the practice of research, education and knowledge exchange to enable open collaboration and learning.
- Search
Search
A single search interface to all collections and content, both physical and digital. It's quick, user-friendly, and a personalised discovery experience.
- About
About
Library Strategy
We are proud to present our Library Strategy 2021 - 2025: Preserving the Past, Enabling the Future.
The main Library building of NUI Galway is named after James Hardiman, born in 1782, noted antiquarian and author of the standard history of Galway and other works and first Librarian of the College (1849-1855). Learn more about the History of the Library.
Collectively, Library spaces and services are referred to as "NUI Galway Library" or just "the Library". The James Hardiman Library is the main Library for the University and is located at the heart of the campus. There is also a separate Medical Library in the Clinical Sciences Institute at University College Hospital. The Hardiman Building for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences research, adjoining the James Hardiman Library, includes archives, special collections, exhibitions and seminar spaces. The incorporation by NUI Galway of Shannon College of Hotel Management includes its Library.
The Library contains 540,000 printed books, with the total stock being nearer to 700,000 volumes. Read more about our Collections.
Archives and special collections are vital to the academic mission of the University. Areas of focus for archives are literature, theatre, film and the performing arts, and historical and political collections, all including significant Irish-language and regional material. Read more about archives and special collections.
The main Library management system is Alma, supplemented by others including Primo (discovery), CALM (archives), DSpace (institutional repository), Islandora (digital collections), and Talis Aspire (reading list management).