The Decoration of Spring

Spring has arrived! The flowers bud, newborn animals lay in the fields; and the sky transforms from the dark grey snows of winter, to the dull grey constant rain that all other seasons in the British Isles consist of.

So to help evoke the more traditional thoughts of spring, we turn to Capital Collections new online exhibition ‘L’ animal dans la decoration’. Merging bold colours with the use of animals, French Art Nouveau artist Maurice Pillard Verneuil, created a collection of prints which show how animals can inspire design and decoration in items of furniture, papers, tiles and even outdoor items such as railings.

So let Edinburgh Libraries bring spring to you, when the rain (or snow!!) prevents you from getting out and experiencing it for yourself.

The ebook everyone is reading

Join thousands of eBook readers around the world by taking part in the first ever Big Library Read of an eBook!

The Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone is available all library members to borrow until 1 June. So get together with your friends and family or your book group for a wild ride full of twists and turns, a story of love, secrets and the mysterious bonds of families.

Log on to Overdrive from the 15th to read your copy. The Four Corners of the Sky will be available to download to your ebook reader, use through an app or with Overdrive Read for reading through your internet browser.

Not signed up for Overdrive use yet? Then email your name, Edinburgh address and library card number to informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk and we’ll upgrade you.

 

It’s book award season

Lots of activity on the book awards front over the next few weeks. First up is The Orwell Prize for political writing. The star of our most recent Edinburgh Reads event Richard Holloway is in the running with his memoir Leaving Alexandria. Among the other shortlisted books is Raja Shehadeh’s Occupation Diaries.

It seems that if you’ve written a book on sport over the past year you’d be doing well not to be among the runners and riders for The British Sports Book Awards, given the bewildering number of categories and shortlists. Among the more predictable nominees (Clare Balding, Bradley Wiggins) is ex-Chumbawamba band member and keen fell-runner Boff Whalley.

Members of McDonald Road Library’s “Found in Translation” Book Group have been reading through the nominees for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, awarded annually to the best work of foreign fiction in translation. The group meets regularly to discuss contemporary translated fiction and is one of a number of specialist book groups we support.

Finally, going up against the all-conquering Hilary Mantel is a formidable task, but Kate Atkinson’s army of fans will be rooting for ‘Life after life’ to triumph in the Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize). Kate came to Central Library to talk about the book back in March and it’s been heavily in demand ever since (over 100 reservations at the time of writing!)

Those shortlists in full:

Orwell Prize

The British Sports Book Awards

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize

Women’s Prize for Fiction

Richard Holloway at Edinburgh Central Library

At the end of each of our Edinburgh Reads author events we ask the audience to fill in feedback forms telling us what they thought of the evening.

At last week’s event with Richard Holloway the same words kept coming up: candour, candid, openness, honesty.

People were also struck by Richard’s relaxed style, his sense of humour and thoughtfulness; but it was our speaker’s frankness that seemed to make the biggest impression.

For those of you who missed out, here is a special extended video of the author of Leaving Alexandria talking about his life, his faith and his struggles. Emotional, provocative, and yes, candid.

Help us put Scotland’s women on the map

Catherine Sinclair Monument

The Women of Scotland web site was set up with the intent of locating and mapping memorials to women throughout our country. The site includes a map of over 300 memorials to women who have had some influence on life in Scotland. And what a diverse list it is, including everyone from Flora MacDonald to Anne Frank to Linda McCartney – even Minnie the Minx is in there!

The project relies on volunteers using their local knowledge to track down memorials to add to the list. Interested in getting involved?

Come along to a special training session at Central Library on Wednesday 15th May from 1.30 – 3.30pm where experts from the Glasgow Women’s Library will introduce you to some of the women already featured on the site and also get you started in logging any memorials you know of in your locality.

Book online to register for the session. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mark Douglas-Home at Corstorphine Library

“A classic whodunnit” Allan Massie in The Scotsman

An “always gripping and entertaining mystery” Alan Taylor in The Herald

Going by the reviews Mark Douglas-Home has picked up where he left off with ‘The woman who walked into the sea‘; the sequel to his debut novel ‘The Sea Detective’ featuring crime solving oceanographer Cal McGill.

Mark has very kindly agreed to join us at Corstorphine Library next Wednesday (15th May) at 6.30pm to read from and talk about his new book.

If you’d like to attend please give Corstorphine a call on 0131 529 5506 or email corstorphine.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

 

Long Exposures by Lorenzo Dalberto

This month we are delighted to host an exhibition of photographs by Lorenzo Dalberto.You can see more of Lorenzo’s work up close in the Fine Art Library until 31st May.

The barber, the artist and the Scottish Enlightenment

This is John Kay. John worked as a barber on Edinburgh’s High Street during one of the most exciting times in our city’s history – the period known as the Scottish Enlightenment.

Kay just had to look out of his window onto the High Street to observe some of the world’s leading thinkers in the fields of philosophy, medicine and politics going about their daily business. He could also observe some of these illustrious characters in the more intimate surroundings of the barber’s chair.

This was particularly fortuitous, because alongside his career as a barber Kay pursued an active interest in art, producing hundreds of caricatures of the most notable figures in Scottish society. These etchings are full of humour and satire – indeed, the less than flattering nature of some of his work made him a target for legal action on several occasions.

Read his story on Our Town Stories to find out which celebrities of the Scottish Enlightenment caught John Kay’s attention, and view some examples of his unique style of portraiture.

Glitz Lit: A teen reading make over

Luisa Plaja meets the Glitz Lit group.

The Glitz Lit gang celebrated their first anniversary at Sighthill Library and launched their Spring Collection last Monday with a visit from Luisa Plaja. The author of Young Adult fiction appeared as part of the ‘Lipstick Libraries’ tour set up by the Reading Agency and Curious Fox publishers to promote her novel Diary of a Mall Girl and libraries to teenage girls.

Luisa began festivities with a talk and reading from her novel Diary of a Mall Girl in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 50 teenage girls.  The celebrations then continued with cupcakes, nail painting and a bath-bomb making workshop courtesy of Lush.

An overwhelmed Luisa Plaja said: “It’s a fantastic turnout, it’s brilliant. Teenage years can be a time when reading drops off and it’s wonderful the library has this initiative to encourage the girls to come to the library and take part. It’s wonderful to get people reading and to keep them reading.”

Sampling the goods during the bath-bomb workshop

The Glitz Lit campaign was masterminded by Sighthill Library staff Diane Yule and Lindsey Henderson as a way to connect with teenagers in Sighthill and Ratho libraries and to encourage reading for pleasure.

The project was initially launched in response to the revelation that 79% of young people from deprived areas in Scotland were not reaching expected literacy levels by Standard grade/GCSE age.  Over the last year the project has continued to grow and they are now regularly interacting with around 60 teens a month.  Lindsey was keen to point out that the developing bond between the staff and their young readers has allowed the initiative to take a more practical project-based approach.

“It’s a lot more than a reading list for girls. It’s about interacting with them, encouraging them to read and offering the opportunity to develop practical skills as well.  We’ve been running a jewellery appreciation project in conjunction with the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme and this has definitely had an impact on their literacy skills and the way they feel about writing in general.

It’s also influenced the amount they discuss books.  There’s a lot more talk about the books on the list and reading in general than there used to be.  They interact on Twitter as well so it’s gone beyond the four walls of the library.”

Luisa reads from The Diary of a Mall Girl

Sixteen year old Sophie Gorol puts the success down to the relationship they have with the staff and the friendly informal setting:  “A smaller group setting means you can talk to each other comfortably, listen to each other’s opinions and make recommendations”

Marnie Bell chips in: “At school you’re made to read something whether you like it or not.  But at the group it’s more tailored to your individual tastes and as the staff got to know us they know the kind of stuff we like.”

On the back of this success, Glitz Lit is now set to be rolled out at libraries in Wester Hailes, Fountainbridge and Oxgangs with local author Daniela Sacerdoti attending a launch event at Firhill High School in May.

To win a signed copy of Luisa Plaja’s Diary of a Mall Girl and to keep up with all things Glitz you can follow the project on Twitter: @GlitzLit

View a set of pictures from the event.

How we celebrated World Book Night

Shall we count the ways? First, here’s the fearless Annie Bell handing out books to unsuspecting builders and bus passengers.

Meanwhile wannabe pirates were solving a series of clues in order to locate “treasure” (books!) at a mystery location somewhere in Leith.

Several libraries were lucky enough to host visits from authors including Allan Guthrie, Andrew Greig and Caroline Dunford. At Corstorphine Library readers got together to share and swap books and reading recommendations.

Finally, Central Library was packed for an evening event with Meaghan Delahunt, Lesley Glaister and Alexander McCall Smith. Here’s Lesley and Meaghan with chair Peggy Hughes.

And here’s Alexander McCall Smith, clearly having a splendid time. Thanks to Alexander and everyone else who helped make this World Book Night such a success. Roll on next year!

Why we’re celebrating World Book Night

Tonight’s the night. All over the country passionate readers – along with a cast of well-known authors and advocates – will come together to give, share and receive books in a spirit of generosity, passion and mass participation.

Through its unique delivery World Book Night involves tens of thousands of people in sharing the value of reading in their communities and delivers brilliant books directly into the hands of those who might never otherwise engage with books and reading.

Here’s a film we made last year following the experience of one book-giver, followed by footage of our special event with Maggie O’Farrell.

This year we’ve got together with the Reading Agency to host another special event, this time with local best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith along with Lesley Glaister and Meaghan Delahunt. We’re also hosting events with some of our other favourite writers including Allan Guthrie, Andrew Greig and Caroline Dunford.

Plus there’s a bookswap at Corstorphine, a quiz at Oxgangs and a Pirate Treasure Hunt at Leith.

We’re huge fans of World Book night because its aims are so similar to ours. We believe that reading changes lives, improves employability, social skills, enfranchisement and can have an effect on mental health and happiness.

World Book Night is about getting books to those who might not otherwise engage with books and reading. And so are we.

Happy World Book Night.

Test your knowledge of Edinburgh’s landmarks

It’s World Heritage Day, so why not test your knowledge of Edinburgh’s landmarks? This is the Balmoral Hotel under construction in 1901.

It wasn’t always the Balmoral though – what was the original name for the hotel?

a) The Waverley Hotel

b) The North Bridge Hotel

c) The North British Hotel

Next, here’s a super shot of Holyrood Palace back in 1880.

The Palace was home to Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie held court there after seizing control of Edinburgh – but which Scottish monarch originally built a palace on the site? Was it:

a) James IV

b) Malcolm IV

c) Macbeth

Finally, here’s a picture of the magnificent General Post Office in 1880.

Now known as Waverley Gate, the building’s foundation stone was laid by a famous Victorian, but which one?

a) Robert Louis Stevenson

b) Alexander Graham Bell

c) Prince Albert

Find all the answers on the Edinburgh’s Landmarks story on Our Town Stories.

Reading Rainbows, Lipstick Libraries and the Best of British

Here’s Councillor Richard Lewis, leading a rousing chorus of Old Macdonald Had a Farm, at Craigmillar Library.

The occasion was the launch of Reading Rainbows, Edinburgh’s first book gifting initiative for 4 year olds. Children from the Moffat Early Years Campus were joined by author Natalie Russell, whose Brown Rabbit in the City was one of the books included in the gift bags which were distributed to every child at the event, along with writing material and an information leaflet for parents.

From the looks on the children’s faces, this joint project between Children and Families and Edinburgh City Libraries looks set to be popular and well received!

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Moving up the age scale, 11- 15-year-old girls are getting ready for next Monday’s Lipstick Libraries event with goodie bags, bathbomb making and a visit from Diary of a Mall Girl author Luisa Plaja. It’s all happening at Sighthill Library from 6pm – to book a place call 0131 529 5667 or email westerhailes.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Finally, it’s great to see local author Jenni Fagan being named among Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists, alongside the likes of Zadie Smith and Adam Thirlwell.

We’re huge fans of Jenni’s debut novel ‘The Panopticon‘ and were delighted when she came along to Central Library last year to read from and speak about the book. Here she is in action:

Bessie, 9, piper and suffragette

At the start of the last century, women continued to campaign for sexual equality and the right to vote. When the peaceful women’s suffrage movement of the 1860s proved unable to achieve change, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was established in 1903. The members of this militant group, called suffragettes, were even prepared to go to prison for their cause. In 1909, the first militant demonstrations took place throughout Scotland, including Edinburgh. That’s when a nine year old girl named Bessie Watson entered the stage. As a female piper she played not only the bagpipes, but also an important role in the suffragette’s movement. Read our latest story on Our Town Stories and find out more about Bessie’s extraordinary childhood as a young suffragette.

The story of Edinburgh’s landmarks – part 1

This Thursday is World Heritage Day – all the excuse we need to show off some of the amazing images from our collections. We’ll kick off with a photograph of our city’s most famous landmarks. No prizes for guessing where this is, but what about when the picture was taken?

Was is 1856, 1896 or 1926? (Actually there are no prizes for guessing this either but you can find out the answer, and lots more about our city’s landmarks, on the Our Town Stories site).

More tomorrow!

Piershill Library temporary closure

Piershill Library will close from Monday 15th April up to and including Wednesday 17th April to enable our heating system to be fixed.

We will open again on Thursday 18th April at 10am

‘Surviving’ by Allan Massie

A group of British expatriates meet for their weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Rome. At first the drama is low-key, little more than the nervous chatter of dry-drunks and their less disciplined colleagues. Literary spirits weigh heavily on the characters’ sodden efforts to hold together lives that have cracked like old plates. Kate, a former bestselling author, invites a young Englishman wrongly acquitted of murder to stay with her so that she can write a book about him. Her recklessness ends in a fresh killing that the AA members must collude in covering up. But the lurid plot is mostly just a balance for much softer, sadder apprehensions of common disappointment and ageing. Alcoholism, like writing, is a lonely business.

Author Allan Massie is truly a man of letters in a way few others are. Primarily noted for his historical fiction he is an equally accomplished biographer, anthologist, book reviewer and columnist, and has written on everything from rugby to health care.

So we’re delighted that he will be joining us for an Edinburgh Reads event in Central Library on Thursday 30th May, where he will be discussing “Surviving” with “Redlegs” author Chris Dolan. As ever, you can book a free ticket online but you will have to be quick!

Meet the author: Marsali Taylor

Marsali Taylor grew up locally but now lives in Shetland. A qualified tourist guide and keen historian, Marsali is launching the first book in the Shetland Mysteries series at Stockbridge Library.

Death on a longship tells the story of Cass Lynch – who thinks her big break has finally arrived when she talks her way into skippering a Viking longship for a Hollywood film. But this means returning home to the Shetland Islands, a place she hasn’t set foot on since she ran away as a teenager to pursue her dream of sailing. When a dead woman turns up on the boat’s deck, Cass, her past and her family come under suspicion from the disturbingly shrewd Detective Inspector Macrae.

Cass must call on all her local knowledge of Shetland, the wisdom gained from years of sailing, and her glamorous, French opera singer mother to clear herself and her family of suspicion – and to catch the killer before Cass becomes the next victim.

Marsali will be at Stockbridge Library this Wednesday (10th April) from 2 – 3pm to read from and talk about the book. If you’d like to come along email stockbridge.library@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 529 5665.

A boy’s own adventure in Norway

Our latest exhibition on Capital Collections is a unique sketchbook of watercolour ‘Views in Norway’ dating from 1864 belonging to the Scottish author, R. M. Ballantyne.

The watercolour sketches take Ballantyne from the port of Bergen, north around the Norwegian coast up to the Arctic Circle, a journey of around 430 miles. No mean feat in an age before the 4×4 and gore-tex. Ballantyne would have travelled mostly on foot, by boat or by cariole (horse-driven carriage). At the back of the fantastically ornate sketchbook are a number of photographs collected on his travels. The picture postcard views of Bergen, the portrait of the author in his hiking gear and portraits of local people (including a Sami bride and bridegroom head to toe in furs), complete the picture of his walking holiday.

The author’s travel experiences often set the backdrop for the boys’ own adventure stories he wrote, or allowed him to imagine and describe places he hadn’t visited. There is a strong correlation between the ‘Views in Norway’ sketchbook and Ballantyne’s Norwegian adventure story, ‘Chasing the Sun’, where the main protagonist goes in search of perpetual daylight.

Ballantyne wrote around 80 stories, but perhaps only the title of ‘Coral Island’ is widely known today. Browse all Ballantyne’s titles and download the ebooks for free from Library2go and discover the spirit of boys’ own adventure. (Go to the ‘Additional ebooks’ area on Overdrive which gives free access to Project Gutenberg books.)

Edinburgh and beyond: new paintings by Yeung Joo Han

On display at the Art Library until 30th April.

Yeung Joo Han is from South Korea, and studied at Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. She currently lives and works in Edinburgh. Influenced by impressionist and expressionist artists she uses warn, bold and lively colours to express her feelings of joyfulness in the landscape. The subject matter of her painting is the tranquility, stillness, and solitude she feels in nature. These works are mainly done as a result of travelling in Scotland.