LIS 580 British Studies The National Library of Scotland, The Edinburgh Central Library, and the University of Edinburgh July 1, 2016

The National Library of Scotland

Before our tour of the Edinburgh Central Library we hung out at the National Library of Scotland. Here we toured the interactive state-of-the-art John Murray Exhibition. Some of us also got our Reader Card (thanks Cherie!).

The Edinburgh Central Library

Then we crossed the street to the Edinburgh Central Library. Our hostess and guide was Fiona Myles, Library Development Officer. 

The Central Library opened in 1890 as the first public library in the city. Funded by a Carnegie grant, Carnegie actually laid the founding stone of the French Renaissance style building. 

We began our tour in the B3 Level. This used to be the newspaper room. It is now the Edinburgh and Scottish History Collection.












The B1 level holds the Music Library and meeting rooms. It has an exhibition space that, at the time of our visit, contained an exhibition on WW1.

The University of Edinburgh New College Library

In the afternoon we went to the University of Edinburgh New College Library. Our guide was Sheila Dunn, Site & Services Supervisor.

This beautiful library was once a church. In the 1840's the Church of Scotland split. Those members of the new Free Church of Scotland had to start their own library. They built their library from membership donations, which meant that the collection holds a variety of books, not only theological works. New College merged with the Faculty of Divinity in 1935. This was after the reunification of the Church of Scotland. Joining the libraries meant that they had to to expand. They took this Free High Kirk Church building and designated it the new library.