The main library on the Bishopstown campus of MTU was officially opened in 1994. The Information Technology wing of the building was completed in 1997.
In 2003, the Library/Information Technology building was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI). The RIAI Gold Medal is the highest honour in Irish architecture and is awarded every three years for the design of a building of exceptional merit completed within a three-year period. The medal was presented on-site by the President of Ireland, Mrs. Mary McAleese to Mr. Shane de Blacam of architectural practice de Blacam and Meagher, in association with Boyd Barrett Murphy O’Connor, as the best new building completed in Ireland in the three-year period 1995-1997.
Incidentally, the President’s visit came on the two-hundred-year anniversary of the founding of the Royal Cork Institution, which subsequently evolved into Cork Institute of Technology.
Take a virtual tour of the Bishpstown campus library
The RIAI panel were impressed by the building’s:
- powerful architectural expression
- it’s dramatic fusion of spatial and structural form
- it's maginative use of detail and subtle references to local masonry traditions.
The latter point refers to the fact that the predominant materials in the dramatic symmetrical south exterior curved façade, with its central entrance hall, are clay bricks and white limestone, similar to the traditional use of these materials in the city of Cork, the so-called “streaky bacon” mix.
This traditional blending of materials continues in the major internal structural details, including interior pillars, which are a mixture of red brick and block.
Throughout the library, the walls are lined with books. These are accessed on the upper floors from galleries of beech wood.
Great emphasis was placed on the provision of natural light and the quality of the space for readers.
The galleried areas are lit by floor-to-ceiling windows on the north façade. The reading room is lit by a north rooflight, which traverses the building above the main circulation route.
The rooflight increases in height as the room increases in depth, giving adequate daylight for reading in all parts of the library. The curved, south wall is also lit by a high-level north light, while at low level, small windows allow in shafts of sunlight in a controlled manner. Thus, south light largely enters as reflected light, which offsets heat gain and glare which might otherwise be a problem with computer screens. The ceiling height in the main reading room is a triple-height space, 6 metres above floor-level; elsewhere it is 7.375 metres to accommodate the timber access galleries.
The benefit of these high rooms is that they provide a naturally ventilated space which is brightly lit by north light within a deep plan.
The furniture, including the stairways, galleries and bookshelves, was designed by the architects, using beech wood for the furniture and natural fibreboard for the bookshelves.
Summer 2021 saw a capital works ICT infrastructure upgrade take place in the Bishopstown Library including installation of a10 Gigabit Cat6a solution, high density WiFi and an electrical system to support personal devices at all study desks. Each study space in the library is equipped with a double power socket, a phone charging port and many spaces with individual overhead study light that can be switched on or off depending on personal preference.
In a total area of 2,700 square metres, the library seats more than 600 readers in this academic and architecturally enriched atmosphere. With its well-proportioned study desks, the library offers the perfect environment for study, research and reflection.
A variety of learning spaces are available across the library to suit all learning styles. These include quiet areas for study with individual desks or height-adjustable desks, large tables for group project work, areas for discussion, group study rooms equipped with AV equipment and whiteboards for collaborative work, or if preferreed, large comfortable individual seating. The architecture of the building lends itself naturally, providing brightly lit areas but also areas that are shaded with softer overall lighting.
The MTU library website and e-resources are available 24/7, both on and off-campus, providing access to E-books and E-journal collections.
MTU Students/Staff can access an extensive collection of 200,000+ eBook titles covering all subject areas, using their personal MTU account details.
Library eBooks can be read online or downloaded to a PC or mobile device. Full instructions on the use of eBooks are available on the MTU Cork library homepage https://librarycork.mtu.ie/ebooks.
Various special collections (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Design, Self-care collections and more may be accessed via the library website.
MTU Library Cork theses collections may be accessed via SWORD.
MTU Libraries subscribe to an impressive collection of eJournals covering all disciplines, offering MTU patrons a quick and effective means of finding scholarly content for assignments and project work. All eJournals are accessible via the MTU Cork Libraries homepage
MTU Libraries stock 170,00 items in print format.
Workshops are regularly held throughout the academic term, to help patrons find the best source material for assignments, to show how to cite correctly and refine research topic, provide guidance on referencing, avoiding plagiarism, as well as explaining the importance of academic integrity.
Printing, scanning and copying is available to patrons. Students and staff can stay connected by using MTU Student Wi-Fi and can keep their devices charged using power sockets which are conveniently located throughout each of our libraries.
The MTU Library Assignment Toolkit is an online self-paced kit. It includes a series of modules that help students through the assignment completion process including tips on; online searching, planning assignments, understanding plagiarism, referencing, misinformation and more.
Library subject guides are available to help students easily find relevant books, articles, databases, and other materials in their relevant subject area.
Visit MTU Library’s Subject Guide collection.
Library staff also provide support on the following topics:
- Research Data Management
- Research Dissemination
- Open Access
- Copyright and licensing
- Systematic Literature Reviews
- Research Integrity
- Training in all the above
Visit the Research section of the MTU library homepage for information on these and other research related topics.
MTU Library staff regularly use social media to inform students about upcoming events such as workshops, library related events, exhibitions and new initiatives.
- X (Twitter) - @MTULibraryinfo
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MTUlibraries
- Instagram - mtu_library
- Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/library.mtu.ie
