RASCAL

Research and Special Collections Available Locally (Ireland)

18th Century Books and Pamphlets	Queen's University Belfast
Associated Collections	Return to results page

Collection
Identifier	w/
Description	General collection of 18th century books and pamphlets. The collection relates to a wide variety of subject areas representative of the interests and pre-occupations of writers of this period and the collecting concerns of QUB library. History, politics, religion, language and literature are all well represented within. One particular collection of note concerns the series of pamphlets maintained by the Irish politician and statesman, John Foster (1740-1828), best known as the last Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. These pamphlets convey a unique sense of the political life, arguments and events that shaped 18th century Ireland, in particular leading up to the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. The Collection is also strong in titles by the poet Allan Ramsey (1686-1758) formerly collected by Andrew Gibson (fl. 1904-27) of Belfast, a former Govenor of the Belfast Library and Society for Promoting Knowledge.
Strengths	The collection is strong for works dating from 18th century. Material concerning subjects and happenings of this period are therefore well represented. The John Foster Pamphlet Collection and Gibson's collection of Allan Ramsey titles are of particular interest.
Physical Characteristics	Approx 7614 items comprising folios, pamphlets, quartos and volumes. English; Latin; French;
Languages	English;French;Latin
Collection Temporal Date Range	1701 - 1800
Accumulation Date Range	1701 - To date
Contents Date Range	1701 - 1801
Collection Type	Collection.Library.Text.Special
Accrual	Policy: Passive Method: Purchase Periodicity: Irregular
Access	The collection is available for reference only under supervised access in the Special Collections Reading Room at The McClay Library. Further information is available here: http://libguides.qub.ac.uk/specialcollections Information for visitor access to The McClay Library is available here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/InformationServices/TheLibrary/AccesstotheLibrary/Accessformembersofthepublicandothervisitors/
Description or Catalogue	Details of the Early Printed Book Collection can be found on the QUB on-line catalogue (QCAT), prefixed by lower case w . The Library catlagoue is available at http://www.qub.ac.uk/lib

Collector
Name	Queen's University Belfast
Organisation	Queen's University Belfast
Role	Academic Institution
History	The Library at Queen’s was established in 1849 following the foundation of the original college in 1845. Based initially in the Great Hall, and, from 1869, in its own separate accomodation, the Library catered to the needs of all students enrolled in the college before future growth and expansion dictated otherwise. Today the Library is dispersed across a number of departmental libraries throughout Northern Ireland each providing access to what has become one of the largest collections of books, periodicals and pamphlets in the province with over one million items noted in the official library catalogue. Principal centres include The McClay Library, situated on the main campus site, the Medical Library at RVH, the Agriculture and Food Science Library at Newforge Lane (1970s), the Biomedical libraries in the City Hospital and in the Medical Biology Centre (Lisburn Rd), and the Veterinary Research Library. Although largely adminstered as a separate unit for most of its history, the Library was amalgamated with the University’s Computer Services and Audio-Visual departments to form a new Information Services department in the year 2000.

Owner
Name	Queen's University Belfast
Organisation	Queen's University Belfast
Role	Academic Institution
Telephone	.
Email	.
History	Queen's University Belfast was formerly established as 'Queen's College, Belfast' by Queen Victoria in 1845 as one of a network of three Queen's Colleges in Ireland alongside Cork and Galway. It was raised to the status of a full university in 1908 with its own Charter and Statutes. When Queen's College first opened its doors in 1849, there were 20 professors and 90 matriculated students all based in the main Lanyon building off University Road, Belfast. Since then, the University has grown considerably both in reputation and stature reflecting its status as one of the oldest universities in the UK. Now catering to some 1,300 academics and 17,000 full and part-time students, the University offers courses and research opportunities in Agriculture & Food Science, Arts, Economics & Social Sciences, Medicine & Health Sciences, Science, Engineering, Education, Law and Theology based in centres within several miles of the original site, as well as a Marine Laboratory at Portaferry, a campus at Armagh City and outreach centres in Omagh and Newcastle and a nursing campus at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Notable persons to have come through Queen’s doors include Seamus Heaney, a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Mary McAleese, the current President of Ireland and a former senior officer at Queen's, David Trimble, a former member of teaching staff and a joint recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace and superstar actor Liam Neeson.

Location
Name	Queen's University Belfast
Address	The McClay Library 10 College Park Belfast United Kingdom BT7 1LP
County	Antrim
Website	http://www.qub.ac.uk/lib
Access Control	The McClay Library operates a controlled entry system. Members are required to use their Queen’s staff, student or library card to obtain admission. Information for visitor access to The McClay Library is available from the Library website.
Role	Librarian
Phone	00442890976333
Email	rascal@qub.ac.uk