Ephemera Collecting:  dlr Libraries

Ephemera is any transitory written or printed matter not meant to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day.

Ephemera can be said to be ‘the minor transient documents of everyday life’

Examples of ephemera can be anything from political material, theatre, concert and festival programmes, posters, leaflets, tickets and playbills, memorial cards, calendars, postcards, invitations, cigarette boxes, newspapers, restaurant menus, fliers and pamphlets.

Ephemera collections are recognised to be hugely important for highlighting social, cultural, religious and political information. They can reveal an alternative view of history via image, wording and print format, that often escapes more formal records. They also show how seemingly insignificant ephemeral materials can achieve significant meaning and value beyond their basic use.

Below are two examples of ephemera from our own dlr library system. The first outlines the lending conditions in Dún Laoghaire Public Libraries, which had its own borough libraries for number of years before amalgamation with some Dublin library Branches to create dlr libraries. The note regarding infectious diseases is particularly interesting!

The second is a simple flier to highlight a poetry event from 1993

dlr Libraries are particularly interested to capture current political ephemera connected to the Local and European elections that is currently in abundance in every home, but will ultimately end up in green bins after May 23^rd

We are asking people to send any election/political ephemera to us here in dlr Library HQ. 

Indeed any other ephemera that you would like to see preserved for future generations is very welcome also.

If you are clearing out old files, rooms, attics or houses containing documents and ephemeral material, before you bin them please think to give them a perpetual home in dlr libraries!

All material welcome to:

Susan Lynch, Librarian, dlr Library HQ, 1^st Floor,1 Harbour Square, Crofton Road