The library of the National Botanic Gardens is located in Glasnevin.
It is an important and valuable collection of botanical and horticultural books and periodicals. Primarily the library serves the staff and horticultural students of the gardens, but as it is the only library in Ireland that specialises in botanical and horticultural works many college students, botanists, and plant enthusiasts come to avail of this unique collection.
Visitors are requested to book an appointment in advance of their visit.
Contact the Library to book an appointment via e-mail: LibraryNBG@opw.ie or telephone: (01)-8371636.
Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday 9.30-4.45pm (Closed: 1-2pm), Fridays 9.30-1pm
Library Collections
The library houses a number of collections, which are listed below.
Books
The book collection contains approximately 20,000 volumes. The open access collection is available for readers to browse and consult. There is also a rare books collection which can be accessed by appointment.
Journals
The library receives journals by subscription, exchange and gift. There are currently over 40 active subscriptions.
Special Collections
The special collections consist of the rare books, archives, botanical art, photographs and ephemera. If you are interested in viewing the special collections, please contact the library.
On the Library’s Online Exhibitions page, you will find more information on our special collections.
Nursery Catalogues
There is a collection of Irish and international nursery catalogues held in the library. The nursery catalogues date from the nineteenth century to the present day. A listing of a selection of our nursery catalogues is available here.
