Essential information on operating hours, contact information - including names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and website addresses - access and service information, descriptions, and the location of these repositories will prove to be immensely practical. A number of features enhance the practical value of the book as an indispensable work of reference. The entries are arranged alphabetically by city or town within county, and a separate list, arranged alphabetically by type of institution, is provided for added convenience. There are lists of publications, a detailed glossary and bibliography, and an extensive index. For family and local history researchers, a brief guide to the Irish Family History Foundation (and the Foundation's website www.rootsireland.ie) is provided, along with a helpful introduction to tracing your ancestors. Of special interest are the vital reference details for each parish in Ireland for the crucially important tithe and valuation records from c. 1830 in the record offices in Belfast and Dublin. The guide also provides information of practical benefit to many other interested parties: academic researchers, professionals in the area of business, education, marketing, medicine, law and technology, as well as vacationers interested in learning about local resources available to them.
