Central Catholic Library
Encyclopedia
The Central Catholic Library is a library
located in Dublin, Ireland
. It was founded by Fr. Stephen Brown
, S.J.
on June 25, 1922 with the goal of helping the laity
to educate themselves. It is a voluntary subscription library
(the last remaining in the Republic of Ireland) and open to visitors six days a week. It has a lending section, a reference section and several collections stored in different parts of the building. It is located at 74 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
The facilities of the reading rooms were provided free of charge and were readily availed of by people from all walks of life. Members of all denominations
were welcomed - a policy which still prevails.
The Library continued to grow and expand over the following years, but on 9 March 1932 disaster struck: a serious fire destroyed the garage underneath the Reading Room. The Library suffered severely as the floor of the Lending Department became unsafe and the windows and doors were destroyed.
Two valuable collections, the Healy Collection and the Works on Sacred Art and Archaeology
, were almost completely destroyed either by fire or water. The Library was forced to close for two months.
Soon the time came to consider a move to a bigger premises in order to cope with the demand for its services. A number of vacant houses were visited and inspected for suitability. The decision to purchase the house on Merrion Square
was made in the autumn of 1933. This is the current home of the Library.
to the natural environment
, including some old books dating back to the 16th century. It also has a large collection of periodicals and pamphlets.
Stephen Brown Research and Reference Library
This, the main reading room, has sections on Christiology, the Old
and New Testament
, the Fathers of the Church, moral theology, literature
(in particular that of Ireland, England, France, Italy and Spain), philosophy
, Marian Studies
, history, church music, and the religious orders
. There is a selection of current periodical titles, from Ireland, the UK, France and the US, including several Catholic newspapers.
Art Library
This holds books which came to the Library from the Academy of Christian Art and other sources, to which was added a valuable donation of books on modern and non-European art by a member of the board of the Chester Beatty Library
.
The Irish Room
This holds a large collection covering many aspects of Irish history, both religious and secular.
Carnegie Collection
This collection is on permanent loan from the Library Council of Ireland. The books cover the areas of philosophy, religion and sociology. They are shelved separately from the core collections, and contain many books dealing with non-Catholic traditions, including Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and other denominational groups. There are also books on the non-Christian World religions, including Judaism
, Buddhism
and Islam
.
Leo Room
This room holds the remnants of the collection of the Leo Guild (founded in May 1913), whose premises were destroyed by fire during the Civil War
. Most of the Library’s books on sociology and politics are housed here.
Jerome Room
This holds a collection of approximately 1,200 books printed before 1850, with the earliest titles going back to the sixteenth century.
Kavanagh Room
This holds the collection of Bishop Kavanagh, which he donated to the Library. It also contains books left to the Library by the late Monsignor Stephen Greene.
Pamphlets
The Library holds a substantial collection of pamphlets, which are currently being processed. These include publications by the Catholic Truth Society
of Ireland and the Irish Messenger Office, as well as statements issued in pamphlet form by the Irish bishops.
and other Christian denominations more comprehensively than a general-use system such as Dewey Decimal Classification
.
The system has been expanded in recent years to include contemporary issues such as the environment (33B), and refugees and asylum seekers (33C).
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
located in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It was founded by Fr. Stephen Brown
Stephen Brown (author)
Stephen James Meridith Brown was an Irish Catholic priest, writer, bibliographer and librarian...
, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
on June 25, 1922 with the goal of helping the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
to educate themselves. It is a voluntary subscription library
Subscription library
A subscription library is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments...
(the last remaining in the Republic of Ireland) and open to visitors six days a week. It has a lending section, a reference section and several collections stored in different parts of the building. It is located at 74 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
History
The Library was founded by Fr. Stephen Brown in 1922. From the outset, it provided reading rooms which were open seven days a week from 11 am. to 10 pm. Four daily newspapers were provided as well as Catholic weeklies from England, USA, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.The facilities of the reading rooms were provided free of charge and were readily availed of by people from all walks of life. Members of all denominations
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
were welcomed - a policy which still prevails.
The Library continued to grow and expand over the following years, but on 9 March 1932 disaster struck: a serious fire destroyed the garage underneath the Reading Room. The Library suffered severely as the floor of the Lending Department became unsafe and the windows and doors were destroyed.
Two valuable collections, the Healy Collection and the Works on Sacred Art and Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, were almost completely destroyed either by fire or water. The Library was forced to close for two months.
Soon the time came to consider a move to a bigger premises in order to cope with the demand for its services. A number of vacant houses were visited and inspected for suitability. The decision to purchase the house on Merrion Square
Merrion Square
Merrion Square is a Georgian square on the southside of Dublin city centre. It was laid out after 1762 and was largely complete by the beginning of the 19th century. It is considered one of the city's finest surviving squares...
was made in the autumn of 1933. This is the current home of the Library.
Collections
The Library now has approximately 70,000 books covering a broad range of subjects from the role of women in the ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
to the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, including some old books dating back to the 16th century. It also has a large collection of periodicals and pamphlets.
Stephen Brown Research and Reference Library
This, the main reading room, has sections on Christiology, the Old
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, the Fathers of the Church, moral theology, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
(in particular that of Ireland, England, France, Italy and Spain), philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Marian Studies
Mariology
Roman Catholic Mariology is theology concerned with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ as developed by the Catholic Church. Roman Catholic teachings on the subject have been based on the belief that "The Blessed Virgin, because she is the Mother of God, is believed to hold a certain...
, history, church music, and the religious orders
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
. There is a selection of current periodical titles, from Ireland, the UK, France and the US, including several Catholic newspapers.
Art Library
This holds books which came to the Library from the Academy of Christian Art and other sources, to which was added a valuable donation of books on modern and non-European art by a member of the board of the Chester Beatty Library
Chester Beatty Library
The Chester Beatty Library was established in Dublin, Ireland in 1950, to house the collections of mining magnate, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. The present library, on the grounds of Dublin Castle, opened on February 7, 2000, the 125th anniversary of Sir Alfred's birth and was named European Museum...
.
The Irish Room
Carnegie Collection
This collection is on permanent loan from the Library Council of Ireland. The books cover the areas of philosophy, religion and sociology. They are shelved separately from the core collections, and contain many books dealing with non-Catholic traditions, including Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and other denominational groups. There are also books on the non-Christian World religions, including Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Leo Room
This room holds the remnants of the collection of the Leo Guild (founded in May 1913), whose premises were destroyed by fire during the Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
. Most of the Library’s books on sociology and politics are housed here.
Jerome Room
This holds a collection of approximately 1,200 books printed before 1850, with the earliest titles going back to the sixteenth century.
Kavanagh Room
This holds the collection of Bishop Kavanagh, which he donated to the Library. It also contains books left to the Library by the late Monsignor Stephen Greene.
Pamphlets
The Library holds a substantial collection of pamphlets, which are currently being processed. These include publications by the Catholic Truth Society
Catholic Truth Society
Catholic Truth Society is a body that prints and publishes Catholic literature, including apologetics but also prayerbooks, spiritual reading, lives of saints and so forth...
of Ireland and the Irish Messenger Office, as well as statements issued in pamphlet form by the Irish bishops.
Unique classification system
The Library is notable for the classification scheme , drawn up by its founder, Fr. Stephen Brown, S.J.. This scheme facilitates the classification of books on a wide range of topics relating to CatholicCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and other Christian denominations more comprehensively than a general-use system such as Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification, is a proprietary system of library classification developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876.It has been greatly modified and expanded through 23 major revisions, the most recent in 2011...
.
The system has been expanded in recent years to include contemporary issues such as the environment (33B), and refugees and asylum seekers (33C).