Whats the difference between the John Paul II library and Russel Library

kala85

I have just seen that Maynooth seems to have two different libraries - the John Paul II library and the Russel Library. I am just wondering what is the difference between the two libraries??

How so Joe

JPII library belongs to the university, and is the one all the students use.
The Russell library belongs to St Patrick's College, and is smaller, and as far as I'm aware, has restricted access.
JPII is the one you'll be using as a student. I've never even been in the Russell library.

Thwip!

kala85 wrote: »

I have just seen that Maynooth seems to have two different libraries - the John Paul II library and the Russel Library. I am just wondering what is the difference between the two libraries??

Only one of them is named after me...

How so Joe

Thwip! wrote: »

Only one of them is named after me...

Yeah, the Thwip! library, the lesser-known of the Maynooth collections of books.

Eric Cartman

Ones haunted by the ghost of the late pope, the other by a ghost of a jack russell who entered the building to find a tennis ball then died of old age.

Thwip!

How so Joe wrote: »

Yeah, the Thwip! library, the lesser-known of the Maynooth collections of books.

Books might be stretching it... We stock one and it's currently out

Alt_Grrr

kala85 wrote: »

I have just seen that Maynooth seems to have two different libraries - the John Paul II library and the Russel Library. I am just wondering what is the difference between the two libraries??

How so Joe wrote: »

JPII library belongs to the university, and is the one all the students use.
The Russell library belongs to St Patrick's College, and is smaller, and as far as I'm aware, has restricted access.
JPII is the one you'll be using as a student. I've never even been in the Russell library.

The JP2 Library now belongs to NUIM and houses the universities stock of books which can be borrowed.

The Russell Library is the old library and is not a lending library, the collection it houses belongs to NUIM, SPCM and some privately owned collections which are housed there.
Its books are historical books (from about 1800's til late 1900's) and its has some fantastic pieces, like first editions of Newton and such.

Due to its age and value access is restricted, in fact if you are in the library, you are forbidden from taking anything off the shelves (they are all alarmed), you must request the book and a member of staff will get it for you and place it in front of you.

There's sometimes tours of the Russell library and special exhibitions held there, its worth going in for a look, its a very old library and is worth seeing for yourself.



Final fun fact, the Russell Library is named after Charles William Russell, President of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth (1857–1880), the JP2 library is named after pope John Paul the second, who dropped into Maynooth to check up on his homies on his visit to Ireland in the 70's (its not just to do with the association between Maynooth and the Catholic church as many tour guides say...)

gorugeen

The Russell Library contains books published before the mid 1800's. Some date back to before printing became widespread. It's an astonishing place to visit if you get the chance. Pugin designed it. It is as amazing as the books it contains.