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From: Clare McVeigh <[log in to unmask]>
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Subject: LAUNCH OF NEW RASCAL DIRECTORY
Date sent: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 12:58:26 +0100
Organization: Queen's University Belfast
##APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING##
RASCAL LAUNCHED TO AID NORTHERN IRELAND'S
RESEARCH COMMUNITY
Queen's University Belfast yesterday saw the launch of RASCAL, a
new
web-based Directory of research and special collections in Northern
Ireland. (RASCAL stands for Research and Special Collections
Available
Locally.)
Initiated by Queen's in December 2000 with funding from the Research
Support Libraries Programme (RSLP), RASCAL has been developed to
record and promote the wide range of collections available for
research in Northern Ireland. Featuring detailed descriptions to over
400 collections, RASCAL provides, for the first time, free and
unrestricted access to information about important resources held in
libraries, archives, museums and other information resource centres
throughout the region. Collections of traditional print, archives,
digital and audio-visual materials are all represented with particular
gems including:
* the Edward Bunting collection of Irish music manuscripts at
Queen's University,
* the Henry Davis Collection of rare books at the University of
Ulster,
* Harland & Wolff Ship plans and photographs at the Ulster Folk &
Transport Museum * The Northern Ireland Political Literature
Collection at the Linen Hall Library * The personal papers of poet,
John Hewitt, at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland * Belfast
Central Library's F.J. Bigger Library and Archive, and * Armagh
Observatory's collection of meteorological reports from 1783 onwards.
Speaking at the launch event yesterday, Professor Sir George Bain,
Vice Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, said: The RASCAL
Directory will undoubtedly enhance awareness among researchers of the
resources available within Northern Ireland and increase the use made
of local collections. Queen's is committed to working with others on
projects which benefit the community it serves.
The RASCAL Project Director, Norman Russell, added: Too often in
Northern Ireland we perceive ourselves at a disadvantage when compared
to others. In its own small way the RASCAL Project shows the richness
of local resources and the benefits that come from us working together
to make best use of them.
RASCAL is available now on www.rascal.ac.uk
Contact:
Clare McVeigh, RASCAL Project Manager, Queen's University Belfast,
Main Library, Belfast BT7 1LS T: 028 9027 3617; E: [log in to unmask]
Notes:
The Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) is a UK-wide
initiative funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England,
the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, the Scottish Higher
Education Funding Council and the Department of Education for Northern
Ireland to improve current levels of access to important research
materials in the UK. See http://www.rslp.ac.uk
The RASCAL Project has been led by Queen's University Belfast under
the direction of Mr Norman J. Russell (Director of Information
Services, QUB) in association with the University of Ulster, the
Library & Information Services Council for Northern Ireland (LISCNI),
The Linen Hall Library, Belfast Public Libraries and the Public Record
Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).
The RASCAL website can be accessed on http://www.rascal.ac.uk.
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