Confused about the Library? Start here! At the link below you’ll find help with Library basics, including logging in, databases, finding books and journal articles, using self-service machines, and more.

Library 101

Your IADT student/ staff card is also your Library card. You will need your card to borrow from the Library. We operate a self-service borrowing system. The self-service machine can be found on Level 1 the Library. If you require any assistance using the machines or borrowing please ask Library staff at the information desk who would be happy to help.

If you have any difficulty with accessing or returning items, please get in contact with us and we will be able to accommodate you.

You can access a range of computers and laptops in the Library including:

• 20 PCs in the Tech Hub on Level 1
• 4 Macs in the Tech Hub on Level 1
• 7 PCs on study desks on Level 2
• Catalogue search PC on Level 2
• 24 Self Service Laptop Loans – 18 Windows laptops and 6 MacBooks.

Laptop Lending

Laptops and MacBooks are for Library use only and should not be taken outside of the Library.

There are 18 laptops and 6 MacBooks available to borrow anytime during Library opening hours.
Laptops and MacBooks can be borrowed using your staff/student card.
Laptops must be returned before the Library closes.
Laptops must be plugged in when returned to the cabinet. Laptops that are not plugged in will remain on your Library account.

If you require assistance using the self-service laptop loans or computers in the Library please ask Library staff at the information desk who would be happy to help.

The Library has a variety of study spaces available to suit a range of learning styles and activities. These include:

• The Tech Hub on Level 1
• Quiet Study area on Level 2
• Collaborative study area which includes a variety of flexible furniture on Level 1.

For images and descriptions of each area in the Library, please click the button below:

The Library space

There is a photocopier/ printer in the Tech Hub on Level 1 of the Library.

Please note that printing in IADT is not managed by Library staff. It is managed by ICT Services. When there is an issue, they can be contacted by emailing support@iadt.ie.

Full details, instructions, and pricing for using the printers can be found here https://iadt.ie/services/information-services/printing/

You can explore IADT Library through our interactive 3D virtual tour, or watch a video showcasing the Library.

The Library space on Level 1 is designed for collaborative study.  Students can use it to work on group assignments, to collaborate on projects, and to practice presentations, for example.

It can also be used for small events and presentations where appropriate. Previous events include World Book Day author talks, film screenings, lunchtime talks, Library inductions, and panel discussions. Spaces available include group study tables, a presentation area, and collaborative study areas.

We are happy to discuss using the Library space for an event, but please note the event must not detract from other students’ use of the Library space.

Timetabled classes and tutorials may not be held in the Library. The space is not bookable during busy times close to exams.

To discuss booking the Library space please fill in the form below or visit us in the Library on Level 1 to discuss options.

Event enquiry form

We can also help display events online, as you can see from the Top Hat online exhibition, which was intended to take place in the DLR Lexicon, but was moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through collaboration with the students and lecturers involved, the Library turned the exhibition in to an online space where people could share memories of a famous venue and submit their own. The exhibition can be seen here:

Top Hat Exhibition

There are a few options to find the material you need if we don’t have it here in IADT Library.

Public Libraries

The public libraries system in Ireland is excellent. When you sign up at your local branch, you get access to all materials in all of the 330 branches and 30 mobile libraries around Ireland! Material from any branch can be delivered to your branch for FREE, and you can return it to your branch too. There are no fines in the public library system anymore either.

The public library can be a great supplement to IADTs collections if you find we don’t carry the book you need. They have physical books, eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers, online learning courses, and more. We highly recommend becoming a member of your local public library and taking advantage of a national collection of material.

Sign up online below:

Libraries Ireland – register online

Inter-Library Loans (ILLs)

ILLs provide access to materials required for research that are not held in IADT Library. If you have searched the Library and we do not have a book, journal article or other material you require for your research, we can apply to another library for the item. To apply for an ILL please fill in the Inter-Library loan form or email infolib@iadt.ie

Inter-Library Loans form

Open Access Materials

Open Access refers to unrestricted online access to articles published in scholarly journals, and also increasingly to book chapters or monographs. These materials are of equal quality and academic authority as paywalled material. Learn more about the IADT Library Open Access Collections at the link below.

Open Access resources

Open Educational Resources

Open Educational Resources (OERs) can ensure that every member of a class can access the resources they need without any barriers. They are any type of educational materials that have an open copyright licence (such as one from Creative Commons), or they are part of the public domain and have no copyright. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. OERs range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audio, video and animation. Source

In practice, this means that there are a host of resources that you can access for free and online. The emphasis on free and accessible resources for students is especially important in the current context of remote learning. At a time when purchasing e-books for the Library incurs a huge cost and limited access, utilising OERs can ensure that every member of a class has equal access to materials.

Open Educational Resources

The link below will bring you to our page for researchers using the Library.

Main page: Research @ IADT Library

All IADT Staff and Students are automatically members of the Library. Your IADT Staff/ Student card is your Library Card. If you are not an IADT Student or member of IADT Staff and wish to use the Library:

• If you are a student or member of staff in another Higher Education Institution and wish to consult material in IADT Library you can apply for a ‘Letter of Introduction’. Please request a ‘Letter of Introduction’ from the Library in your home institution and bring it with you when you visit IADT. Please note: A ‘Letter of Introduction’ does not allow you to borrow.
• If you are a member of staff or student in another Institute of Technology you may use IADT Library on presentation of your Staff/ Student ID Card. Please note: This does not allow you to borrow.
• If you are an alumnus of IADT you may be entitled to join IADT Library as an alumni member. Please contact the Library at infolib@iadt.ie for further details.

Inter-Library Loans (ILLs)

Inter-Library Loans (ILLs) provide access to materials required for research that are not held in IADT Library. If you have searched the Library and we do not have a book, journal article or other material you require for your research, we can apply to another library to borrow the item on your behalf. To apply for an ILL please fill in the Inter-Library loan form or email infolib@iadt.ie and we will do our best to acquire the material for you.

Inter-Library Loans form

Visiting other libraries

Visiting other higher education libraries is evaluated on a case-by-case basis where IADT Library does not have adequate material on your topic. Using another library as a visitor means consulting the material you need for your research within the library only. It is not possible to borrow items from them or to use the other library purely as a study space.

Visiting other libraries are granted on a one-off basis and depends on the agreement of the library in question. Please make sure you have searched IADT Library’s collection to ensure we do not already have adequate material for your research.

To consult material in other libraries you will need a ‘letter of introduction’. Please email infolib@iadt.ie for further information.

If you are approved to visit another library, please consult with them before travelling as there may be restrictions on when visitors are permitted, or material may need to be ordered in from off-site storage.

Staff may click the button below to fill in our booking request form.

Book a library class

Terms + conditions of booking:

1. Lecturers must be present during the entire Library session.
2. Requests must be submitted two weeks in advance.
3. Requests may not be able to be fulfilled at particularly busy points in the year, such as the start of term.