Palace Green Library

Durham University Library
Palace Green
Durham
Durham
DH1 3RN
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.dur.ac.uk/library/

E-mail

pg.library@durham.ac.uk

Telephone

0191 334 2932

Fax

0191 334 2942

All information is drawn or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Image of the entrance to Palace Green Library, with Durham Cathedral in the background
Guided tours icon Library icon Study area icon Hearing disability facilities icon Visual disability facilities icon

Founded in 1833 and occupying listed buildings within the Durham World Heritage site, the Palace Green Library of Durham University houses archives, early printed books and other special collections. The Library has two exhibition spaces: the Wolfson Gallery, which regularly exhibits treasures from all of the university's heritage collections and the prestigious, newly opened ( June 2012) Dunelm Gallery.

There are: Over 70,000 books printed before 1850 including 300 incunables; over 100 Medieval manuscripts; 3,400 metres of archives and artefacts; over 30,000 maps and prints and 100,000 photographs. We are open to anyone needing to consult our collections. New users will be required to fill out a short registration form.

Two of the University Library's special collections, the Bishop Cosin's Library and the Sudan Archive, were awarded Designated Collection of national importance status in 2005 in the first round of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Designation Scheme.

Venue Type:

Library, Archive, Gallery, Heritage site, Museum

 Opening hours

Library Term time
Mon 9.00-18.00
Tues 9.00-18.00
Weds 9.00-18.00
Thurs 9.00-18.00
Fri 9.00-18.00
Sat CLOSED
Sun CLOSED
Bank Holidays: please check library website

Library Vacation time
Mon 9.00-17.00
Tues 9.00-17.00
Wed 9.00-17.00
Thurs 9.00-17.00
Fri 9.00-17.00
Sat CLOSED
Sun CLOSED
Bank Holidays: please check library website

Gallery (Term and Vacation)
Mon CLOSED
Tues 10.00-16.45
Wed 10.00-16.45
Thurs 10.00-16.45
Fri 10.00-16.45
Sat 10.00-16.45
Sun 10.00-16.45
Bank Holidays 10.00-16.45

 Admission charges

Exhibitions admission charges:
£3.00 Adults
£2.00 Concessions
£2.00 Children
Children aged five and under- FREE
£8.00 Family Ticket

Durham Castle Tours:
Adults £5.00
Concessions/chilldren £3.50
Children aged 5 and under - FREE
Family ticket £12.00

Additional info

Wheelchair access to all public areas ,though subject to disruption from ongoing building work. Please check Library website: pg.library@durham.ac.uk or call 191 334 2932 on the day you intend to visit.

The Bishop Cosin's Library and the Sudan Archive are Designated Collections of oustanding national and international importance.

The Bishop Cosin’s Library is still housed in its original building and, as an integral element of the World Heritage Site, has significance for the history of libraries and for ecclesiastical history both locally and nationally.

The Sudan Archive is indispensable to the study of the Sudan in the period of British administration. It is significant to British national life through its illustration of the impact of the colonial power on the country at many levels of administration.

The Special Collections at Palace Green Library also hold many other important national and regional collections, including:

Durham Diocesian Records
Durham Cathedral Muniments
Local Records, Maps, Plans and Photographs
Manorial Records
Earl Grey Family Papers
Antiquarian Papers
Literary Papers
Durham University Records

Collection details

World Cultures, Social History, Religion, Literature, Archives

Key artists and exhibits

  • Designated Collection
  • Sudan
  • Cosin
  • County Durham
  • Bishop
  • Cathedral
  • Dean and Chapter
  • Earl Grey
  • University
  • Archives
  • Books
  • Manuscript
  • Printed
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Digital and online resources

Victorian Durham

http://www.dur.ac.uk/4schools/victoriandurham/default.html

An online resource looking at aspects of Victorian life with particular reference to Durham. It is accompanied by a specially designed walking trail for schools which takes pupils on a tour around the World Heritage Site on a quest for clues about the city's Victorian past.

Creator

  • Durham University Museums and Special Collections in collaboration with students on the MA Museum and Artefact Studies course

Publisher

  • Durham University Library

Family Records Guide

http://familyrecords.dur.ac.uk

This site contains links to our resources, guides and projects that are most likely to be useful for those undertaking family history and also local history research, or wanting to study individuals and families from the archives held by Durham University Library.

Publisher

  • Durham University Library Special Collections

North East Inheritance

http://familyrecords.dur.ac.uk/nei

The North East Inheritance project is creating of an online digital image catalogue of over 150,000 wills and related archives from across County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. These will provide an invaluable insight into north-eastern people and communities, their family relationships, trades and lifestyles. The wills date from the 16th Century to the mid-19th Century and many are accompanied by inventories of the goods belonging to the deceased, bonds, accounts, and a variety of associated documents.

Publisher

  • Durham University Library Special Collections

Remembering Slavery

http://www.dur.ac.uk/4schools/indexpages/citizenship.html

A collection of online resources which use printed and manuscript material to look at the history of the transatlantic slave trade. Included are a series of e-learning resources which are ready for use in the classroom; an online exhibition focusing on various aspects of the slave trade; and a number of resources designed for use on interactive whiteboards.

Creator

  • Durham University Museums and Special Collecions

Publisher

  • Durham University Library
 Face to face resources

Remembering Slavery

http://www.dur.ac.uk/4schools/indexpages/citizenship.html

A schools workshop that challenges students to think about the transatlantic slave trade and the impact that it has had. The session is based on printed, manuscript and pictoral sources from our collections but also makes use of our slavery-related handling collection and life-sized print of the slave ship Brookes. The session can take place at our Library or in school and can be adapted to suit any Key Stage.

Creator

  • Durham University Museums and Special Collections

How to obtain

Information about the session and supporting resources can be found on our website. Please contact 4schools@durham.ac.uk for further information.

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