I was so excited to finally be able to visit the N...

I was so excited to finally be able to visit the National Library of Ireland. The manuscript collection is full of unique documents related to family history that can be found no where else in the world. This is not a library you can come to without any preparation. Doing so will ensure hours of wasted time. I only had one morning to spend here during my trip to Dublin but I did many hours of research through their online catalog and had a list of the manuscripts I wanted to view in order. I went first thing in the morning to the desk for the reader's ticket and that process only took about 15 minutes. To enter the manuscript room you must put all of your belongings in a locker. You can use no-flash photography and paper and pencil to take notes. One of the manuscripts I had reserved was too heavy for the archivist to carry, but it had been microfilmed and was available in the main building. The National Library of Ireland is an invaluable source of information for any serious Irish family history researcher. I can't wait to go back!