Trinity’s libraries are to remain open during the nationwide Level 5 lockdown, it has been announced.
In an email to all staff and students, Librarian Helen Shenton said that “libraries are essential to the research infrastructures during COVID Level 5, both for access to physical material for researchers and students”.
She added that the facilities were useful “as a safe, calm environment with good connectivity, especially for students.”
The email also announced a new set of reduced opening hours for the libraries, taking effect from midnight on Thursday 22 October.
The Berkeley, Lecky, Ussher and Hamilton libraries will be open on weekdays from 9am to 6pm. The John Stearne Medical Library will also be available for use from 9am to 4pm on weekdays.
For postgraduates, the 1937 Reading Room will be open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm. Kinsella Hall will also be accessible to all staff and students from Tuesday 27 October. Its hours will be 9am to 8pm on weekdays, as well as 8am to 8pm on weekends.
All libraries will require users to book online in advance, as is the case currently. Bookings are made through the Trinity Library website.
“Scan on demand”, “click and collect”, and postal delivery services will continue to be available to library users. The Joint Research Collections in the Old Library will also be available, by appointment only and only on Mondays and Thursdays.
Shenton concluded the email by thanking “the Library staff and other colleagues across College from security to cleaning staff to postgraduate stewards, who are making this level of access to the libraries possible during Covid-19 Level 5.”
