Dominican Priory of St Albert the Great

Last updated 24th March 2009 
Name of library Dominican Priory of St Albert the Great 
Address  25 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD
Telephone 0131 650 0900 
Fax  0131 650 0902
E-mail  
Website  
Alternative names  Blackfriars; Catholic Chaplaincy to Edinburgh University
Contact & Job Title Richard Conrad,  Librarian
Purpose & main user community of the library Theological study by the Dominican Friars 
Terms of access  By appointment
Opening hours As arranged with the librarian
Disabled access  Occupies several different rooms; steps up to front door.
Lending to other libraries & visitors  Would supply ILL if asked, but no requests recollected. Personal loans rare, by special arrangement with librarian
Number of volumes  13,000
Periodicals – Back Issues  26
Current Periodicals  15
Other materials  
Volumes added per year  40-50
Coverage  Usual spread of subjects in a Catholic theological library. More older material on Scripture and Church history than might be expected, but only average holdings of more recent works. Large collections of works on Scottish history and literature, including Scottish Catholic history. Quite good collection of Dominican history, legislation and spirituality. Much of the standard literature by and on St. Thomas Aquinas
Special Collections Complete set of Migne’s Patrologia Graeca and Latina. Dictionnaire de Theologie Catholique. Works of Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas Periodicals include Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Concilium (incomplete), Espirt, Blackfriars/New Blackfriars, Life of the Spirit, Revue Thomiste, The Tablet. 
Manuscripts  
Research resource  Albert the Great; Dominicana; Scottish Catholic History
Catalogue Type  Card
URL of catalogue  
Other facilities  Photocopying
Full Time Staff  
Part Time Staff  yes
Voluntary Staff  
Changes in next five years affecting the above  Computerise catalogue; take over more room to create more space for books.
Anything else about the library  Priory established 1230 and dissolved at Reformation. Re-established as Catholic Chaplaincy at Edinburgh University in 1931. Now also a full priory and the novitiate house for the English Dominican Friars.