National Library of Scotland – The NEN

Scottish Book Trust survey of public librarians reveals a vital service under pressure across Scotland

An ambitious new report by Scottish Book Trust has revealed that one in three librarians in Scotland believe that their whole service is at risk of reduction or loss.

The Survey of Public Librarians, as part of the Value and Impact of Scotland’s Libraries research, published by Scottish Book Trust, Scotland’s national book charity, also revealed a vital service under threat from underinvestment. It reports:

82% of public libraries reported a restriction in their resources and funding
One in three public librarians said they had lost librarians and other library staff
One in three public librarians reported that their whole service is at risk of reduction or losses

The report reveals the vital role libraries play in the community as they help to close the poverty-attainment gap. Librarians overwhelmingly agreed that they not only provide free access to all forms of books, but offer a safe, warm and accessible space where those without computers can access digital resources and support, with help from knowledgeable and approachable staff.

While libraries across Scotland are facing ongoing cuts, librarians reported a widespread lack of understanding from their local authorities about the social, long-term impact of their service.

Two thirds of the librarians surveyed reported that their community faces digital poverty, and libraries are bridging the divide.

96% of librarians reported that their library offers access to Wi-Fi, 99% to computers with internet, 71% to ebooks and eReaders and 40% to courses in digital skills

These are lifelines for those with limited resources, including the homeless, the elderly and those who have been released from prison.

Librarians also reported that their libraries are a safe space for refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ people and disabled or neurodiverse people.

As one librarian stated: “We are the first place that people come when they need help, possibly the only place in a landscape of shrinking services. When we are gone then these other agencies will need to foot the time bill and the mental health crisis we are averting.”

This survey of public librarians is part of a wider study of both public and school libraries in Scotland, as conducted by Scottish Book Trust, in partnership with the National Library of Scotland (NLS), the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS).

Preliminary findings from school librarians will be published over the summer, with the final report published later this year.

Marc Lambert, Chief Executive of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Libraries are a vital lifeline for communities across Scotland. Not only do they provide free access to books in a warm and safe environment, but, as this wide-ranging report reveals, they are also a levelling up factory that sends people in a positive direction.

‘There is no other public space where people can access information, combat digital poverty, learn new skills, socialise with others, express themselves creatively, and seek to self-improve, entirely for free. It’s incredibly concerning that these important institutions are endangered.’

Scottish Book Trust is also conducting a survey of public library users, which will be open for responses until the end of June 2024.

The impact of Scotland’s libraries – Scottish Book Trust

Ancestry event gives opportunity to research family links within nursing and midwifery

Attendees can learn more about family history research from a range of experts

A unique event that will give participants the chance to research family ancestry within nursing and midwifery is to take place in Edinburgh next month.

Hosted by Edinburgh Napier University, The Royal College of Nursing and the National Library of Scotland, the event will give attendees the chance to research a nurse or midwife of any era who worked in any setting – hospital, community, asylums, industry, prisons, military – under the watchful eye of a range of experts.

The event will feature a number of short presentations, including introductions to family history research from researchers and archivists as well as opportunities to learn about online searching.

There will be a chance for attendees to ask questions and get guidance on how find to find out more about their nursing or midwifery ancestors.

Those attending are invited to bring along a photo, or other small memento, of the person(s) they are interested in finding out more about and would be happy to show on the day.

The event – which will take place at the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge Edinburgh from 10am-4pm on 5 June – will welcome a number of guest speakers and contributors:

Teresa Doherty: Joint Head of Library & Archives and RCN Professional Lead for History of Nursing who will talk about nurse registration and how to access nurse registers.
Nicola Ring: Professor of Nursing and Nessa McHugh Midwifery Lecturer at ENU will talk about their experiences of finding 19th century nurses and midwives and searching for early nurses and midwives accused of Witchcraft in 16-17th Century Scotland.
Sana Bilgrani: Film Lecturer at ENU who has researched nurses in her family history and produced a film about her search.
Lucy Church, Dora Petherbridge and Patrick Hart: Will talk about how the National Library of Scotland and its collections and resources can help people find their family histories.
Rosie Al-Mulla: NHS Forth Valley Archivist, University of Stirling who will talk about using NHS archives to find nurses and midwives.

Chair of the RCN History of Nursing Forum Dianne Yarwood said: “It’s not unusual to hear people say: ‘Oh yes, my great gran was a hospital nurse, or my uncle worked as a mental health nurse.’ Often, they would like to know more about this person’s nursing career but have no idea where, or how, to start searching.

“Do join us for this exciting, informative one day event and learn how to find that elusive ancestor. You will meet experts, gain advice and guidance and leave with the knowledge and confidence to find that nurse or midwife of yesterday.”

Those attending will be given notebooks, pens, and lunch free of charge.

To sign up to this in-person event, please follow the link:

https://tinyurl.com/NMFamilyHistory

People interested in attending who require disability adjustments on the day, should contact CMHPPLR@napier.ac.uk

Those on low income and not entitled to free bus travel, may be eligible for some travel compensation. Please contact: CMHPPLR@napier.ac.uk

Rare Heroic Gaelic Ossianic Ballads reinterpreted in rare performance at National Library of Scotland

On Saturday 23 September, the heroic laoidhean which formed a central part of traditional Gaelic culture in the later Middle Ages will be brought back to life.

The reinterpreted Gaelic heroic lays or laoidhean are the result of a remarkable collaboration of an exceptionally talented traditional Gaelic singer from South Uist, Màiri Macmillan; a celebrated chamber ensemble notable for their dedication to new music, the Edinburgh Quartet; and a distinguished modern composer whose work stretches from classical to electronica, Ned Bigham.

The musicians are breathing fresh life into these ancient songs, looking to bring them to the attention of a wider audience by staging a concert of laoidhean in the striking venue of the National Library of Scotland.

The rare event will also be recorded, with recordings released later this year, opening up the music and tradition more widely to people across the UK and abroad, adding to posterity in the archive.

The laoidhean tell even older stories embracing slain heroes, monsters, five-headed giants, epic battles and tragic love.

In the eighteenth century, the Gaelic laoidhean inspired the Ossianic prose epics of James Macpherson, a vital touchstone for the Romantic movement throughout Europe and beyond. Unfortunately, however, today the tradition of sung laoidhean is increasingly endangered.

However, one of the most important collections of laoidhean texts was compiled by the nineteenth-century folklorist and polymath John Francis Campbell, drawing on manuscripts, printed material, and his own fieldwork in the Highlands and Islands.

These texts, offering fascinating contextual details concerning singers and their performances, are preserved among Campbell’s voluminous papers in the National Library of Scotland. They played a key starting point for the research to create these new interpretations.

The Library’s first bi-lingual exhibition Sgeul | Story focuses on the work of John Francis Campbell of Islay, who worked with local storytellers to record and save Gaelic folktales which at the time were preserved solely by a dwindling oral tradition and therefore at risk of oblivion. The exhibition opened in June this year and continues until April 2024.

The concert will be introduced by Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart and Abigail Burnyeat (both at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highland and Islands), who will give the audience an insight into the history and the stories in both English and Gaelic.

Ned Bigham commented: “A few years ago Dòmhnall and Abigail introduced me to the fascinating Gaelic tradition of these heroic ballads that came across from Ireland, starting in the twelfth century.

“They belonged to the high art tradition in their communities, which may be why many contemporary singers have felt intimidated to take them on and it is now rare to hear them. In reimagining them for a modern audience we have set them to string quartet, which as far as we are aware is a first.

“The combination of the wonderfully talented Gaelic singer Màiri Macmillan and the internationally renowned Edinburgh Quartet, together with the ballads’ beautiful melodies and spellbinding narratives should be really magical!”

Abigail Burnyeat (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highland and Islands) said: “Whether in a chief’s hall or in the ceilidh house, the characters of these laoidhean were known and what happens to them was both familiar and deeply-felt.

“The performance of these tales was part of an intimate conversation between storytellers and singers and their audiences. It’s not theatre or opera: the song is there to carry the words, and the words are what’s important.

“The ballads were high art; but their stories belonged to everybody and will resonate with people just as much today as in the past.”

National Librarian Amina Shah said: “The Ossianic Ballads are the culmination of research, musical collaboration and performance which will truly bring the collections to life.

“The performances perfectly complement our ‘Sgeul | Story’ exhibition which showcases Gaelic folktales that were rescued from oblivion in the 19th century. In the same vein, the heroic laoidhean will be revived for modern audiences through the Ossianic Ballads.

“The performers will also breathe new life into the Library’s public spaces, and will pave the way for more musical events in the National Library of Scotland.

“We are grateful to be working with such talented musicians and for the support of the Murray Family and the American Patrons of the National Library and Galleries of Scotland.”

Tickets go on sale today and the event will also be livestreamed.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heroic-gaelic-tales-in-modern-music-ossianic-ballads-tickets-694840846677?aff=NedBigham

‘Saved’ manuscripts join collection at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

12 original Burns manuscripts have been added to the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns collection in Alloway following fundraising campaign
Alongside the National Library of Scotland, the conservation charity also became the joint owner of the Burns First Commonplace Book
The Burns First Commonplace Book will be on public display in Scotland for the first time since 1896
‘Homecoming’ exhibition runs from 13 January – 12 March at the conservation charity’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway

Twelve original manuscripts written by Robert Burns, which have just come into the care of conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland, will go on display this January as part of a new exhibition entitled Homecoming.

The important pieces include letters, poems ‘Donocht Head’ and ‘Queen of the Lothian’ and songs ‘As I was walking up the street’ and ‘O wat ye wha’s in yon town’ giving further insight into the creative process of Scotland’s most famous poet.

They were donated to the National Trust for Scotland from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library by the Friends of the National Libraries in 2022 following a successful campaign to raise funds to secure these, and other important literary pieces, including works by Sir Walter Scott and the Brontës, for the public which were part of a private collection that was put up for sale in 2021.

The manuscripts join more than 5000 Burns-related items which are in the care of the National Trust for Scotland at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway. The site includes an award-winning museum experience, as well as the cottage where Burns was born in 1759.

Also part of the exhibition is the Burns First Commonplace Book which was given jointly to the National Library of Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library by the Friends of the National Libraries in 2022. The book was last displayed in Scotland in 1896 at the major Burns exhibition held in Glasgow and provides an invaluable record of his development as a man and poet.

National Trust for Scotland Chief Executive Philip Long OBE said: “Securing this outstanding collection for the public was an excellent example of our sector working together to raise the funds and support needed to save them for our cultural heritage and ensure that they would be protected for and enjoyed by future generations. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this possible.

“Burns was inspired by nature, beauty and heritage and his work is of deep significance to Scotland. As the custodians of the place where Burns was born, and many of his most important works, the National Trust for Scotland is honoured to add these important pieces to our collection and to share these with the public through our new exhibition.”

National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland, Amina Shah, said: “It’s fantastic to finally offer members of the public the opportunity to see these priceless items up close, after they were hidden away for so long.

“This is why we, alongside National Trust for Scotland and other organisations, worked so hard to acquire these items when they came up for sale – it was unthinkable that they would once again end up in private hands. It’s also fitting that the First Commonplace Book makes its first appearance at Burns’s birthplace – it will feel like a true homecoming.”

Homecoming is open daily at the Robert Burns Birthplace until 12 March. Entry is free.

To mark Burns’ Night at the place where Burns was born, the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is hosting a Burns Birthday Bash family weekend on 21 and 22 Jan and a Blazing Burns Night Spectacular ceilidh and fire performance on 21 Jan.

Find out more at: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/robert-burns-birthplace-museum

Irvine Welsh backs ‘magnificent’ Old Leith Rediscovered project

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £90,100 to The Living Memory Association to create a unique experience of the streets, buildings and people of old Leith. The project, named Old Leith Rediscovered, is a collaboration between the Living Memory Association and Spirit of Leithers Facebook page.

The Living Memory Association, in partnership with The Spirit of Leithers, is excited to be opening a second Wee Museum of Memory in Ocean Terminal later this month which will be dedicated to the project. The new venue will also have a walk-in exhibition space to celebrate the memories, places and people of Leith.

Much of old Leith was swept away as part of Edinburgh’s ‘improvements’ of the 1920s and 1960s and knowledge of what was lost now relies mainly on old street maps and photographs.

One of these maps, a Fire Insurance Plan dating to 1892, records significant details, such as building footprints, construction materials, number of storeys, room arrangements and function, location of doors and windows, and much, much more. For an example showing the old Kirkgate, see here.

Using a digital copy of this map created by the National Library of Scotland, Old Leith Rediscovered will add a wealth of information, including hundreds of surviving images scattered across numerous collections, to bring the historic townscape of Leith to life.

The project team conceived of Old Leith Rediscovered during lockdown as a way to celebrate the history of Leith and her people, to foster a pride and inquisitiveness about Leith’s past, and to provide a focus for Leithers to share memories and stories of days gone by. The interactive web-based map of Leith will be published online at the end of 2022.

Miles Tubb, Project Co-Ordinator, The Wee Museum of Memory, said: “We are thrilled to have received funding for this exciting project, which will link these wonderful historical maps with the Leith community.

“We are especially delighted to be working in partnership with Spirit of Leithers Facebook page, National Library of Scotland and Ocean Terminal. Our Wee Museum of Memory has been based in Ocean Terminal for over 7 years and this new unit dedicated to memories of Leith will bring different generations together to learn about the rich history of the Leith community.

Christopher Fleet, Map Curator at the National Library of Scotland, added: “We are delighted to be associated with this project, which will integrate our maps with related historical information, including photographs and oral history resources.

“Maps present the past in one of its most engaging forms, allowing endless insights into what was there, and into how people lived and worked. Moreover the plans that form a focus of this project are one of the most detailed types of urban mapping ever surveyed of places such as Leith.

“We are thrilled that this project has been funded, as it will provide new ways of enjoying and understanding the maps, as well as gathering new information for further research.”

Irvine Welsh, author of the Leith-based classic novel Trainspotting, said: “In the current age of drab uniformity, as manifest in our urban architecture and design, where modern construction renders everything generic, it’s important to remember the richness in the heritage of places like the great port of Leith.

“Thanks to this magnificent project, Leithers old and new can now immerse in the vibrant community of bygone days. As Bob Marley once said ‘in this great future you can’t forget your past…’ So we can now connect with where we came from, which you have to be able to do in order to truly know where you are going.”

Fraser Parkinson, administrator of Spirit of Leithers Facebook page, said: “Our page is dedicated not just to buildings and streets but to the people of Leith who have come before and are here today.

“This project is another huge step in building bridges across the globe between all those who wear their association with Leith as a badge of honour. We look forward to welcoming visitors and hearing from them at the new Spirit of Leithers and Living Memory Association unit at Ocean Terminal.”

Waverley – the first global blockbuster

Move over Da Vinci Code, step aside Harry Potter … the world’s original best-seller is on display in the National Library!

Two hundred years ago, an anonymously published novel sold out within two days and went on to become a global bestseller …

The original manuscript of Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, the first novel in his series of global bestsellers, is now display at the National Library of Scotland – 200 years after it was first published.

The ground-breaking book tells the story of the 1745 Jacobite Rising and is widely regarded as inventing the modern historical novel. The first edition of 1,000 copies sold out within two days of publication in 1814. Within months, a fourth edition was being printed.

The National Library of Scotland (NLS), which has one of the best collections of Scott material in the world, is celebrating this literary landmark with a display of rare books and manuscripts which explore what lay behind the novel, how it was published and what people thought of it.

When ‘Waverley’ was published 200 years ago, very few people knew who had written it. Scott had made his name as a poet and decided to publish his first attempt at fiction anonymously, perhaps uncertain of the impact it might have on his reputation. Fiction was also seen as a lesser literary form in the early 19th century with the result that almost half of all novels were published anonymously or under a pseudonym.

On display at NLS will be items which show how Scott (pictured below) was identified by many people as the likely author and his dramatic public outing over a decade later. Scott seemed to enjoy the intrigue he had created and resisted the advice of friends in the know who urged him to own up to his authorship.

At the heart of the display is the original manuscript, showing Scott editing his novel as he went along. Letters written by Scott, his friends and publishers illustrate how the book developed, with its roots in the stories of 1745 Scott heard as a boy, and reveal that not everyone was convinced that the novel would be a great success. Also on display are the volumes of the first edition from 1814, contemporary advertisements and reviews, and a rich selection of the books which Scott used in researching the period.

Helen Vincent, Head of Rare Books and Music, at NLS said: ‘”Waverley” is an exciting book to read because in it you can see Scott inventing a new way of writing historical fiction. It is a novel full of drama and adventure, but Scott also had a serious purpose in writing it, wanting to capture the past as it was on the brink of slipping out of living memory. Scott’s skill as a storyteller and painter with words meant that his books appealed to readers around the world — and created an image of Scotland that still holds strong today.

‘We are delighted to be able to display some of the treasures from our Scott collections which tell the story of one of the most influential books in the English language.’

‘Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley: Voices from the archives’ is on at NLS on George 1V Bridge until 2 November. Entry is free.