Libraries
The CIT Library consists of four constituent libraries, encompassing the main library on Bishopstown campus, the libraries at the Crawford School of Art & Design, the Cork School of Music and the Library of the National Maritime College. All four CIT libraries taken together provide access to ca. 65,000 items in printed and audiovisual formats, a substantial collection of print journals and several thousand full-text electronic journal subscriptions.
The main library at the Bishopstown Campus is housed in the purpose-built Library/Information Technology building. In 2003 this building was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, presented by the President of Ireland, Mrs. Mary McAleese, as the best new building completed in Ireland in the three year period 1995-1997.
CIT Library’s Mission Statement
‘The CIT Library aims to enhance the quality of academic experience available at CIT by providing excellent physical facilities and by delivering information resources in all formats, in the disciplines and at the levels appropriate to the Institute’s faculty and students. Through building and maintaining collections and providing access to information sources held elsewhere, the library will support the learning, research and creative activities of the Institute and help address the information needs of the region in its economic, industrial, social and cultural development’.
This mission statement is carried out by a highly qualified team of library staff that are committed to providing a quality service and who are skilled in the application of appropriate information management practices and technologies.
Library Services
All of CIT’s constituent libraries provide an information service to all staff and students of CIT and to external fee paying clients. Electronic information (the Library’s own electronic library catalogue, access to online databases etc.) is delivered on campus over the Institute network. Furthermore, the Library operates an on-demand information retrieval service for all clients, which includes searches of subscription based databases. Library staff also mentor students and staff in the use of these electronic resources.
The Library’s services are fully automated using the Millennium library system, a fully functional, integrated library management system used in many third-level academic libraries in Ireland, the United Kingdom and throughout the world. Millennium’s Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) allows CIT users to search all library collections in order to access relevant material. The online catalogue is available for searching in any of our four libraries, across the campus network and from off-campus via the library website http://library.cit.ie
As well as being a one-stop shop for library and information needs, the OPAC also offers end-users the opportunity to access other library catalogues, a vast array of electronic journals, bibliographic and full-text databases as well as a wide range of other online resources.
Library Databases
The CIT Library has a large and constantly expanding portfolio of online databases. These databases complement the entire spectrum of courses currently being taught throughout the Institute. All of the CIT Library’s databases are subscription based, thus guaranteeing superior searching capability as well as peer reviewed quality content. The Library’s online database portfolio consists of prestigious products such as Science Direct, IHS, ISI Web of Knowledge, Ebsco-Host, Wilson Web along with many others. All of these can be accessed via the library website.
To learn more about the library, please visit our homepage or talk to a member of the library staff. You can also e-mail us at library.info@cit.ie with any queries that you may have.
