Here at Edinburgh Libraries we have many free online resources that you can use. One of them is the British Newspaper Archive which is a fabulous archive of newspapers from around the UK and Ireland.
We’ve been having a look at the coverage for Edinburgh on the British Newspaper Archive and found that one of the earliest publications on the site is The Edinburgh Gazette from Thursday 21 September 1699!
Edinburgh Gazette, Thursday 21 September 1699
Jumping forward a few years to 1750, we have the first edition available online of the Edinburgh Courant, which mentions an act of “Theft and Pickery” by a Dutch soldier and his wife who subsequently petitioned for transportation to America, which was granted.
Edinburgh Courant Monday 1 October 1750
The Edinburgh Evening Courant of Thursday 29 January 1829 featured the execution of infamous William Burke by hanging. The article describes the numbers of people drawn to watch the event: “Yesterday, this wretched man terminated his career on the scaffold, and we do not recollect on any former occasion of this nature to have witnessed such an intense popular excitement…. All the windows along the street were filled; and such was the general and ardent curiosity to obtain a sight of this noted criminal, that we observed several well-dressed females in different houses in the Lawnmarket. There were some spectators also on the top of the New North Church.”
Edinburgh Evening Courant Thursday 29 January 1829
On 14 July 1873, the Edinburgh Evening News reported a rather grim find, from a story originating from the Shetland Times. A fishing boat’s crew at a fishing station in Shetland, had discovered a human hand inside a large fish! “It was the left hand, and was perfectly entire”, and was suspected to belong to a woman who may have drowned in a wreck possibly many hundreds of miles from Shetland. “The hand was carefully buried, and the fish destroyed.”
Edinburgh Evening News, 14 July 1873
Again in the Edinburgh Evening News, this time from 1939, among its pages were to be found useful tips for housewives…. including this one on how to measure golden syrup on kitchen scales.
Edinburgh Evening News, March 27 1939
In the 2 January 1954 edition of the Edinburgh Evening News, could be found a crossword containing clues to many Edinburgh shops.
Edinburgh Evening News, 2 January 1954
Unlike today, in 1982 our television programme choice was restricted to only 3 channels, and a typical Saturday night’s viewing consisted game shows, films and big US programmes like The Dukes of Hazard and Dallas, and not forgetting, Parky.
Edinburgh Evening News, 10 April 1982
“City of Light!” in black and white. It would be some years before the Evening News was to start being printed in colour. Here is the front page of the last issue of 1994, which much as the same as now, the city was gearing up for celebrations to bring in the New Year.
Edinburgh Evening News, 31 December 1994
The British Newspaper Archive coverage is immense, for regions across the UK and Ireland. At the time of writing, there are over 71 million digitised newspaper pages available to search with even more material being added regularly. 126,992 pages were added in the last 7 days!
Specifically for Edinburgh, the coverage currently stands at
The Beacon (Edinburgh) – 1821
Caledonian Mercury – 1720 to 1867
Daily Review (Edinburgh) – 1862 to 1886
Edinburgh Courant – 1750
Edinburgh Evening Courant – 1750 to 1869
Edinburgh Evening Dispatch – 1886 to 1897
Edinburgh Evening News – 1873 to 1994
Edinburgh Evening Post and Scottish Standard – 1846 to 1849
Edinburgh Gazette – 1699
Edinburgh News and Literary Chronicle – 1848 to 1863
Leith Burghs Pilot – 1875 to 1902
Leith Herald – 1879 to 1891
National Observer – 1888 to 1897.
All this is available to you from within any of our libraries via a library computer or on the Wi-Fi!
We’re still discovering lots of interesting finds through our collaborative project with the Old Edinburgh Club in cataloguing Scottish manuscripts. This particular manuscript ties in quite nicely with the family history research conducted regularly by the Edinburgh and Scottish Collection. Today we are putting a spotlight on a collection of documents held within a leather wallet that mostly date back to the mid-19th century.
Leather document holder, photos and documents from the Robert Adam collection.
They trace the genealogy of a reputable gentleman named Robert Adam who, while having no connection to the famed architect of the same name, was related to Dr Alexander Adam (1741-1809). Alexander Adam was Robert’s great-uncle and headmaster of Watson’s Hospital (now George Watson’s College) and then Rector of the Royal High School of Edinburgh. Alexander was reputed as a classical scholar, and his pupils include many men who would go on to have esteemed careers such as Alexander Kincaid (Lord Provost of Edinburgh), Walter Scott, Lord Brougham and Francis Jeffrey. He introduced the study of Greek into the Royal High’s curriculum and achieved many other impressive feats which led to the University of Edinburgh awarding him an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 1780.
Page from Robert Adam collection
The relationship between Robert and Alexander is established in a booklet within the collection of documents, titled ‘Genealogy of my Relations’ written in either 1828 or 1846. It gives a thorough account of Robert’s family tree, tracing birthdays, dates of marriage, and dates of death of his lineage going back multiple generations. It is interesting to see such a document created and it is evident that he put a lot of effort into retrieving all the information on his ancestry.
Genealogy of My Relations by Robert Adam
His father was an appraiser and auctioneer and married Jean Stronach in 1806 with whom he had eleven children. Robert was the youngest, with a birth date of 23 June 1824.
He was born in Elgin, Moray, Scotland but several documents within the collection prove that he made the move to Edinburgh to establish a successful career as a city accountant within the town council. One of these documents include a certificate making him a burgess and guild brother of the city of Edinburgh in 1857.
Certificate of award of burgess and guild brother status
Another is a marriage certificate documenting his union with Sarah Douglas in 1850 at St Cuthbert’s Parish. The document states that he is a City Accountant.
Marriage certificate of Robert and Sarah Adam
There is also a letter that he sends to his wife in 1858, which is on business headed paper with the City Chambers logo on the left-hand side.
Letter from Robert Adam to his “dear Sarah”
To attain his job at the City Chambers, he would have needed good references, and two certificates of character are included within the document, dating from 1840 and 1841. They paint a very good image of Robert, noting his attentiveness and skills as a clerk.
His marriage with Sarah appears to have been a happy one, and photos of them are proof that they were a handsome and well-to-do couple. The photograph of Robert was taken by George Shaw’s photographic studios on 143 Princes Street, which specialised in large portraits direct from life.
Photographic studio portraits of Sarah and Robert Adam
There is an advert found in the British Newspaper Archive, from the Mid-Lothian Journal from 6 March 1896, which promoted the studio’s electric light that was extensively used for photographing in any kind of weather.
Advert for George Shaw’s photographic studio on Princes Street
Four years before their marriage, Robert dedicated “A new sang to an auld tune” to Sarah, which is what looks to be an altered version of “There’s Nae Luck Aboot The House” a Scottish song written by Jean Adam (1704-1765), which was commonly heard on the streets from the 1770s.
A new sang to an auld tune
The original song is a tale of a sailor’s wife and the safe return of her husband from the sea. Why Robert would dedicate such a song to a wife, who according to records lived in Edinburgh from at least 1841, is unclear. An envelope enclosing a letter from Robert to his wife in 1846 has a schoolhouse in Stirling as the address. This may indicate that Sarah was a teacher, thus meaning that she may have lived apart from Robert in 1846 before their marriage.
Letter addressed to Mrs Robert Adam, at the Schoolhouse, Doune, Stirling
We found Robert and Sarah in the census of 1861 and 1871, but Sarah’s occupation is not listed. Therefore, her career as a teacher may have been short lived or purely a matter of speculation on our part!
Robert and Sarah would go on to have three children named Sarah Jane (1852-1876), Helen (1854-1916) and Alexander (1857-1902). They lived in Gardener’s Crescent according to a document from 1850 which lists all the expenses of furnishing their home. They would go on to move to 19 Meadow Place at some point between 1861-1871 according to the census.
Why not take a leaf out of Robert’s book, and do your own family history research using the resources within our Edinburgh and Scottish Collection? We have many physical records such as valuation rolls, electoral registers, census records, burial records, directories and old newspapers on microfilm. And of course, there is free access to both Ancestry and British Newspaper Archive from within all our libraries! Or if you feel you need a little extra help, come along to one of our monthly family history sessions for beginners which will give you lots of hints and tips for getting started and using our resources. Contact informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk to book your place.
Our current cataloguing project with the Old Edinburgh Club means our manuscript collection is searchable on our online catalogue for the first time. We encourage you to pop into the library and give Robert Adam’s Genealogy notes a look if you’re interested in viewing records that chronicle the span of someone’s life back in the nineteenth century.
Over the past few months, children’s and craft groups across Edinburgh Libraries have been busy colouring, crafting, sparkling and decorating to create a large herd of unicorns ready for a mass gathering at Central Library.
And now, the blessing of unicorns has arrived!
Decorated unicorns on display at Central Library
Decorated unicorns on display at Central Library
The blessing of unicorns beside the Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition
Our unicorns were inspired by the Living Knowledge Network and British Library’s current theme and are displayed alongside the Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and contributed their unicorn to the display.
The blessing of unicorns will be on display on the mezzanine at Central Library until 29 February. Catch them while you can!
For many people, the goal of learning to play a musical instrument has been ever present. The benefits of playing an instrument – physical, mental, social, and emotional – have been well documented but there may still be barriers stopping individuals from learning. Making music can be an expensive business as the cost of instruments is often high even for entry-level items due to their complexity and upkeep. Tuition, sheet music, and available practice spaces add to this, leaving the dream of learning to play unattainable for many.
A row of guitars available for loan in the Music Library
Well, times are changing. Edinburgh Libraries are delighted to be part of a pioneering instrument library service initiated by We Make Music Scotland and partnered with Tinderbox Collective, and for the past year we’ve been loaning instruments to our members. If you’ve ever dreamt of learning to play an instrument, if you used to play but had to stop, or if you just don’t have access to your own instrument, the instrument library service will open doors to a musical world.
“How does it work?” I hear you ask. Read on to find out!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to borrow an instrument? It’s completely free to borrow any of our instruments! There’s no hire charge, no deposits, nothing. All you need is an Edinburgh Libraries membership card and you’re good to go. If you don’t have a library membership, you can join online or in person at any of our libraries.
How long can I borrow an instrument for? Instruments can be borrowed for 3 weeks, just the same as books. Instruments can be renewed up to 3 times unseen before they need to come back to their branch, just like any other item of stock. If an instrument hasn’t been requested, you will be more than welcome to borrow it again.
How do I find out what instruments you have? You can find listings for all our instruments on our library catalogue. There are a couple of ways you can do this. 1. You can type in the name of the instrument you’re looking for and “We Make Music Scotland” into the search box, e.g. “violin we make music scotland”. This will return the listings for violins.
Example search for “violin we make music scotland”
2. Alternatively, you can use the Advanced Search tool. Select ‘Other material’ from the Media Type list. If you’re looking for a specific instrument, type in the instrument you’re looking for in the Keywords field. If you’d like a general list of the instruments available, type “We Make Music Scotland” in the Author field.
Type the name of the instrument into the keyword box.Select ‘Other material’ from the media type list.
Of course, you’re always welcome to speak to a member of staff at any of the instrument libraries, who will be happy to help you search for any instrument you’re looking for.
How can I find out more about an instrument? If you’ve found a particular instrument on the catalogue that you’d like to know more about, it’s best to contact the library that holds that instrument as they’ll be able to see it and relay any specifics to you. Each branch may also have a physical listing of the instruments they hold, e.g. the Music Library has a paper catalogue of its instruments for borrowers to consult.
Are any of your instruments for children? Yes! Whilst there are many instruments that are suitable for children and adults alike, there are smaller versions of certain instruments – such as guitars and string instruments like violins – that are better suited to children and we do have some of these in stock. We also have percussion sets available that are perfect for young, budding musicians. If you’re at all unsure, speak to a member of staff or pop into one of the instrument libraries to have a look at the instruments in person.
Can I return an instrument to any library? Unfortunately not. Due to the fragile nature of the instruments, they are not transferred between branches so they must be borrowed from and returned to their home branch.
Can I reserve an instrument? Instruments can’t be reserved on the online catalogue as they can’t be transferred between branches. If you’d like to reserve a particular instrument, please get in touch with the branch that holds it and staff will be able to put the instrument aside for you. If the instrument you’re looking for is currently out on loan, staff from that branch will note your request so the instrument will be set aside for you upon its return and you will be notified.
Can I borrow an instrument if I don’t live in Edinburgh? Absolutely! As long as you have a Edinburgh Libraries membership card, you’re able to borrow an instrument. The only stipulation is that instruments need to be borrowed from and returned to their home branch directly.
The instrument I’m looking for isn’t listed on the catalogue. Will you be acquiring one soon? Almost all of the instruments available have been generously donated to the instrument libraries scheme so this determines the range of instruments we have available for loan.
Are the instruments checked and cleaned before they are issued? Yes. Staff from Tinderbox Collective check over all the instruments before they are added to the library catalogue ready for borrowing. All woodwind and brass instruments have their mouthpieces cleaned before they are next used.
Can I donate an instrument to the libraries? Of course, we’re very grateful for instrument donations! Please contact one of the instrument libraries for more information.
Do you have any guides for how to play available instruments? Yes, each instrument library will have a selection of how-to guides very soon. The Music Library has a more comprehensive collection of stock to help you learn to play, as well as a huge variety of sheet music available to borrow.
Do you have any space where I can practise? Central Library has a Music Room that can be booked free of charge for you to practise in. This space also has an electronic drum kit and digital piano that can be used, whilst the Music Library has another digital piano and digital keyboard that can be booked for playing. If you’d like to make a booking or would like more information on these services, please contact the Music Library.
So, what are you waiting for? Embark on a musical journey – whether it’s completely new territory or roads well-travelled – and borrow an instrument!
If you have any further questions, please get in touch with one of the music instrument libraries.
Musical instruments available for loan in the Music LibraryA row of guitars available for loan in the Music Library.
With spring just around the corner and our hopes for better times, our Music on the Mezzanine spring season is also, just around the corner and with a great selection of music to entertain us, the better times are here!
From 10 February, we’ll be hosting a variety of musicians every fortnight, right through till 15 June.
We’ve ten dates for your diary and ten quite different performances.
Saturday 10 February at 1pm – Zijuan Yu, Chinese flautist
At the start of Chinese New Year. Zijuan Yu, Chinese flautist will introduce us to the historic opera form, Kunqu, the oldest extant opera in China and recognised by UNESCO on their List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In performances of this form of opera, one of the featured instruments in the accompanying orchestra is the side blown, bamboo flute, on which Zijun Yu will lead us through a programme of music from these beautiful operas, music which is wonderfully described as shuimodio (water-polished music). Seating is limited for this first event so booking via Ticketsource is essential to guarantee your place.
Saturday 24 February at 1pm – Eilidh Paterson, Calum Wight and Steph Humphreys
Eilidh Paterson, Calum Wight and Steph Humphreys respectively, violin, guitar and clarsach, will join us to play a programme of traditional and modern Scottish Folk Music. This day will be the end of a week of Gaelic events across the library service and Eilidh, Calum and Steph will be adding some Gaelic tunes to their programme.
Saturday 9 March at 1pm – Martina Petrova
Singer and pianist, Martina Petrova will lead us through a programme of jazz favourites.
Saturday 23 March at 1pm – The Gal Trio
The Gal Trio members, Emma Cairns on violin, Elinor Roderick on violin, and Serenna Maclellan on flute, initilally formed themselves in this trio to perform the Hayton Suite by Hans Gal. They will be sharing their passion for all genres of music from classical to folk.
Saturday 6 April at 1pm – Vinodh Jayakrishnan
In one of his first public performances, Vinodh Jayakrishnan will introduce a programme of South Indian classical music. Vinodh will be performing with his small company of musicians.
Saturday 20 April at 1pm – Dan Abrahams
Dan Abrahams
Dan Abrahams is a composer, guitarist and double bassist. He regularly performs with Scottish folk duo Dowally, old-time band, the Wayward Janes and the soul/R&B group, the Foo Birds.
Saturday 4 May at 1pm – Tayus
Tayus
If ambient, post-rock is your choice, Tayus will be joining us in May.If you are new to post-rock or ambient music, think French Romantics like Ravel, Debussy, Satie et al, meets American minimalists like Reich, Glass, Riley, then play the music through a synth and/or on an electric guitar. This is just this writer’s opinion, you might hear it differently, come along and see!
Saturday 18 May at 1pm – Django’s Swing
Django’s Swing
Django’s Swing evoke the jazz clubs of the 1930s in Paris, recreating the exuberant sound of Django Reinhardt and his gypsy swing sound.
Saturday 1 June at 1pm – The Accidentals
The Accidentals have been playing together since 2003. Their all encompassing programmes of classical guitar music dips travels through time like Dr Who, if he was a classical guitarist not a Time Lord.
The Accidentals
Saturday 15 June at 1pm – Edinburgh Recorder Ensemble
For our last concert of the season, we welcome the Edinburgh Recorder Ensemble. They’ll be playing music, ancient and modern on the full recorder family, from the teeny tiny sopranino to the giant contrabass recorder.
This is our third season of Music on the Mezzanine. The performers you will see during this season and in the previous year have given of their time and their talent for free. Performers in Edinburgh find it hard to locate venues which are affordable. The cost of venue, the cost of rehearsal rooms and the cost of publicising an event can price some groups out of performing in public and the sharing of their art. In providing a small rehearsal room and a safe, secure, warm, welcoming performance space – both free of charge – we hope we will enable some performers who do not normally perform in public to consider a step on stage. Central Library’s music studio can house a small group of about 5 to 6 musicians to play or rehearse together. The room is home to our digital drum kit and second digital piano. We also have a lovely collection of musical instruments to borrow.
We’re very excited to welcome some old friends and some new friends to the Mezzanine to share their music with you. Come along, if you can for the first session on 10 February and then every second Saturday, at 1pm on the Mezzanine. Pour yourself a cup of tea and sit back and enjoy, what we think will be ten very interesting, enjoyable, musical events.
All events are now bookable online via Ticketsource or just come along on the day!
We are now off to plan the autumn season! If there is someone you have particularly enjoyed let us know and we will try and have them back. If you wish to join us on the Mezzanine to play, or if you know a group or a musician looking for somewhere to play, contact me, Douglas Wright, or anyone in the Music Library and leave your contact details.
Do you know someone who would benefit from free access to ebooks, audiobooks and magazines, but who are not a member of the library? This New Year you can get free instant access to Edinburgh Libraries Libby service without a library card. Thousands of best-selling titles for adults, teens and children are available to read on your phone, tablet or computer. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of your electronic Christmas presents and to save money. Please spread the word to relatives and friends!
No library card? No problem! From the 16 January – 15 February 2024 if you are over 16 years old you can sign up for an Instant Digital Card in seconds. All you need is a mobile phone number and the access code – Library2go. To find out how to get started go to http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/IDC.
The Instant Digital Card gives you access to Libby for three months. However, you can keep on using the service for free by joining the library and receiving a permanent membership card. Join online through http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/joinourlibrary
Contact informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk if you have any questions about our downloadable services.
We’re looking ahead to the brilliant books which will make it to the big and small screens in 2024.
One book, The Color Purple is remade, this time as a musical, which is based on the stage musical of the same name, adapted from the Alice Walker novel.
Another book, The Watchers by A.M, Shine and features Dakota Fanning as artist Mina who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in Western Ireland. Upon finding shelter she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Outlander star Richard Rankin will be the latest actor to step into the shoes of Inspector John Rebus. This new series follows 40-year-old police detective John Rebus, who finds himself at a psychological crossroads following an altercation with an infamous Edinburgh gangster.
See all our suggestions in our Book to Screen 2024 book list. Get ahead and read the book ahead of its appearance on film!
2024 marks the 120th anniversary of the opening of McDonald Road Library, or as its name was then, The Nelson Hall and East Branch Library, McDonald Road. To mark the occasion, we’ve created a digital exhibition on Capital Collections and you can also see a selection of pictures of the library through the years on display at McDonald Road Library.
The building was designed by Henry (Harry) Ramsay Taylor, who was born in Stranraer in 1863. He was educated there but completed his schooling at Glasgow Academy working in his father’s office from 1878 until March 1880 when he transferred to the Lessels architectural practice in Edinburgh. He completed his apprenticeship under Lessels & Son and remained assistant to James Lessels, becoming a partner in 1890.
Much of the work of the practice depended on the connection with Nelson’s the publishers which had been established by James’ father, John Lessels. James also designed Nelson’s large printworks which stood on Dalkeith Road.
Thomas Nelson had bequeathed £50,000 for “the erection, furnishing, maintenance and management of shelter halls in the poor districts of Edinburgh, to be used as places to which persons of the working class and others, can go and sit and read, write, converse, and otherwise occupy themselves”. McDonald Road was to be the third such building after Fountainbridge (1897) and Stockbridge (1900).
When the library opened on Monday 18 January 1904, the Nelson Hall occupied the largest portion of the building. It consisted of a Lending Library with the capacity to accommodate 20,000 volumes, a reading room, a gymnasium and in the basement a hall for small meetings. When built, the building had two upper flats towards Leith Walk which contained accommodation for the librarian and for the caretaker, entered by a separate stair from Leith Walk.
Books were not directly accessible by the public for browsing until 1922, when Edinburgh’s library service switched to “open access”. At its opening, the library held a stock of 11,498 volumes, issuing more than 190,000 per year in its first few years.
Throughout its 120 years the library has been very much a part of the community and the Nelson Hall has hosted musical recitals, exhibitions, author events and much more.
In 1986, it hosted a first for Edinburgh Libraries, a massive book sale where you could buy ex-library stock at give-away prices. This fabulous picture from The Scotsman shows the enthusiasm for the book sale!
In 1989 McDonald Road hosted Scotland’s first Multicultural Fair, which included dance, music, poetry readings and more. It also coincided with the launch of Edinburgh Libraries’ Ethnic Library Service which was geared directly to the needs of the ethnic community both within and outwith the city. Hundreds of books, magazines, records, cassettes and videos were available to speakers of Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
McDonald Road Library: Launch of Ethnic Minority Service, 1989, The Scotsman Publications Ltd. www.capitalcollections.org.uk
Today the library continues to be involved with the community hosting weekly activities for readers of all ages. For younger children there are Book Bug Sessions in English, Spanish, Gaelic and Polish. There’s a craft club and Chatterbooks reading group for children. There’s a board games club for children and teens and an art group for adults and young people, as well as an adult writer’s group, book groups and weekly film screenings!
As you can see a lot has happened in the last 120 years, here’s to the next 120!
Why not browse more of our fantastic images of McDonald Road Library over the years in our online exhibition or by visiting the library?
St Giles Cathedral, was founded 900 years ago, around 1124, either by King Alexander I, who died that year, or by his brother King David I, who succeeded him.
Our new Capital Collections exhibition brings together photographs and drawings of St Giles Cathedral by the renowned architect Dr Thomas Ross who had a long-standing connection to St Giles.
In 1862, Thomas Ross moved to Edinburgh to be assistant to architect, David MacGibbon, becoming a partner in the firm of MacGibbon and Ross in 1872. The pair shared a love for the ancient castles and churches of Scotland and spent much of their leisure time on field trips, sketching these buildings. This pastime led to the delivery of a paper to the Edinburgh Architectural Association by MacGibbon. It was well-received and in turn led to the idea for ‘The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland’ which developed into a five volume set and a comprehensive survey of Scottish architecture prior to the Restoration.
Some field trips were combined with travelling for work but most were undertaken at the weekend by train or bicycle, often setting out on a Friday evening. Sometimes they travelled together, sometimes individually, to visit one of the buildings on their list and would spend their day drawing and measuring the building.
MacGibbon and Ross next turned their attention to ‘The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland’, a three set volume which was published in 1896-97. These volumes provide a description of all churches, cathedrals and abbeys from early Christian times to the 17th century.
It is in volume two of The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland that a large section is given over to St Giles Collegiate Church in Edinburgh, including drawings, plans, sections and details of stone carvings and a detailed history of how the building has been renovated and remodelled over the years.
The date of the photographs in the exhibition is estimated but they may coincide with research carried out in the course of the compilation of The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland volumes. The section on St Giles in the book certainly includes detailed descriptions and illustrations of the stone carvings on column capitals, views of archways, vaulted ceilings and pillars with flags hanging as found in these photographs.
Also, in 1889, MacGibbon and Ross carried out work on St Giles Cathedral related to the Memorial chapel to Dr Chambers and a tracery in window of St John’s Chapel. In 1891, the practice worked on the Ladies’ vestry in the choir. However, when funds were allocated for the building of a new Order of the Thistle Chapel at St Giles, although Thomas Ross had had a consultation role in the process to find a new home for the Order of the Thistle, it was Robert Lorimer appointed as architect. You can see a sketch by Thomas Ross of a ‘Proposed Chapel of Knights of the Thistle, St Giles Cathedral’ within this exhibition.
Thomas Ross died on 4 December 1930 in Edinburgh at the age of 91. He was until his death an elder at St Giles. One of his last pieces of literary work was to write a series of historical papers on St Giles. He also maintained on behalf of the kirk-session, a record of all references to St Giles found in books, newspapers and magazines.
Tanya from Central Lending Library tells us about her Snowflake Project and finding inspiration for new beginnings.
What will the New Year bring?
Every day, or week, or month, for a whole year… maybe a new poem, a tune, a walk, a sketch or craft, a recipe or a book?
It’s common to arrive at this time of the year and review what has happened throughout those days and weeks that have been, and to think forward to what the new year may bring, and sometimes reconcile one’s hopes and dreams with the reality…
A while ago I stopped my usual custom of taking out ‘how to learn… (insert language of choice) in one year’ type material at the beginning of January from my local library, as I finally realised it just wasn’t going to happen.
But late last year, as I excitedly watched the first snow of the season arrive in Edinburgh, I saw a book on crocheting snowflakes in Central Lending. I already knew how to crochet but had never been able to understand the language and follow a pattern, and I was intrigued.
So, the challenge began…I thought I might just try a couple…
100 Snowflakes to crochet and Tanya’s 100 crocheted snowflakes on display in Central Library
A year later, with other projects and adventures in between, I was snowed under… I finished the book! In some way, I have managed to learn another language – I have learnt to ‘speak’ crochet, though of course, as with anything, the more you know, the more there is to know… There were restarts, and undoings, rereading of instructions and ponderings, but wonderful quiet meditative moments too, and times when it was helpful for my brain to have no other choice but to completely focus only on the very next stitch. Though there is one very special snowflake with more than the usual number of points!
It has bought much joy to discover something new and to complete a project. It has also been gratifying to see that what began as a simple personal interest has brought joy to others.
What will this new year bring then? The library has many books that use the concept of a year or a certain number of things as a framework for an adventure into something new. There are many interesting directions to investigate and paths to follow… maybe you will find some inspiration in the following suggestions. Will you try something new that you have always wanted to do, or revisit an old favourite passion? Our wonderful library staff will always be happy to assist with your quest!
Some ideas from our collection, beginning with the book that started it all –
100 Snowflakes to crochet by Caitlin Sainio As a first-time reader of crochet, I found this easy to follow, starting with simple designs and adding complexity as it went along. With clear instructions and full patterns for a wide range of designs, the book gives you all the techniques you’ll need.
Or maybe poems and stories will be the way to go… for all ages…
A year of reading aloud: 52 poems to learn and love by Georgina Rodgers with foreword by Rachel Kelly Enjoy the magic of reading aloud and switch off from the distractions of life through the contemplation of poetry. Reciting poetry is a tradition as old as time. Ancient Greeks used it for awakening the mind and shaping character. Memorising poetry exercises the brain and gives it strength to learn and remember other information. It is also innately mindful as it calls us back to focus on where we are right now. It makes us pay attention and helps us inhabit the moment. Each of the 52 poems in this book is accompanied by an explanation of its key messages along with some insight about the poet.
A year full of stories written by Angela McAllister and illustrated by Christopher Corr This treasury of 52 stories collects together a rich resource of myths, fairy tales and legends from around the world, with a story for every week of the year.
A year of Scottish poems with a foreword by Jackie Kay and chosen by Gaby Morgan A Year of Scottish Poems is a glorious collection of 366 poems compiled by Gaby Morgan. Reflecting the changing seasons, landscape and history of Scotland and her people and marking key dates in the Scottish calendar – from Burns Night to Hogmanay – these poems are powerful, thoughtful and uplifting. With an introduction from the Scottish poet laureate Jackie Kay, this collection is bursting at the seams with the strongest voices in Scottish poetry: Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Mackay Brown and Sir Walter Scott sit alongside Liz Lochhead, Don Paterson and Carol Ann Duffy to deliver magic on every page that lasts a whole year!
A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Allie Esiri A Poem For Every Day of the Year is a magnificent collection of 366 poems compiled by Allie Esiri, one to share on every day of the year. This audiobook collection is passionately narrated by Helena Bonham Carter and Simon Russell Beale. Reflecting the changing seasons and linking to events on key dates – funny for April Fool’s Day, festive for Christmas – these poems are thoughtful, inspiring, humbling, informative, quiet, loud, small, epic, peaceful, energetic, upbeat, motivating, and empowering! Perfect for listening to with all the family.
Sketching 365: build your confidence and skills with a tip a day by Katherine Tyrell Packed with insightful, easy-to-follow tips and featuring a refreshingly diverse range of work from contemporary artists, this is a comprehensive, highly accessible guide that is guaranteed to appeal to aspiring artists of all levels.
Or even enjoy someone else’s…
Quentin Blake: A Year of Drawings A portfolio of new, unpublished work by Quentin Blake, completed by the artist during the lockdowns of 2020-21.
Eating plus reading must surely be a good thing….
The little library year: recipes and reading to suit each season by Kate Young Kate Young’s first book, The Little Library Cookbook, captured the imagination of fiction-lovers and cooks alike. Here she returns with over 100 new recipes inspired by her favourite works of fiction, arranged in seasonal chapters to guide you through a year of eating and reading.
Our Music Library will reveal more ideas… instruments, music scores, books about music, music to listen to… try listening to a new piece of music for each day –
Year of wonder: classical music for every day by Clemency Burton-Hill Classical music for everyone – an inspirational piece of music for every day of the year, celebrating composers from the medieval era to the present day, written by BBC Radio 3’s Clemency Burton-Hill.
Walking in the Pentland Hills: 30 walks in Edinburgh’s local hills by Susan Falconer This guidebook features 30 circular walks on Scotland’s Pentland Hills, easily accessible from Edinburgh and home to peaks such as Scald Law and Carnethy Hill. Ranging from 2 to 17 miles, the routes are suitable for all abilities. Also available as an ebook – helpful for those travelling light!
There are books to help you think about what is happening in your life through the lens of literature –
How to live, what to do: life lessons from literature by Josh Cohen Literature matters. Not only does it provide escapism and entertainment, but it also holds a mirror up to our lives to show us aspects of ourselves we may not have seen or understood. From jealousy to grief, fierce love to deep hatred, our inner lives become both stranger and more familiar when we explore them through fiction. Josh Cohen, a psychoanalyst and Professor of Modern Literary Theory, delves deep into the inner lives of the most memorable and vivid characters in literature. His analysis of figures such as Jay Gatsby and Mrs Dalloway offers insights into the greatest questions about the human experience, ones that we can all learn from.
Life lessons from literature – wisdom from 100 Classic works by Joseph Piercy Life Lessons from Literature is a must for all bibliophiles, providing a concise and highly accessible bucket list of must-read books that teach us so many fundamental truths and broaden our minds.
And as it is always interesting to read of others explorations, whether fictional or real, and while there are many books dealing with personal development, this one has a light-hearted approach –
Here comes the fun: a year of making merry by Ben Aitken Are you getting enough? Ben Aitken wasn’t. Increasingly flat and decreasingly zen, he knew that something had to change. So he joined a lawn bowls club. About a week later, he continued his assault on the doldrums by taking a cheerleading class. Then – with an almost entirely reformed selfhood winking appealingly on the horizon – he went cold-water swimming and was back to square one. Despite the inevitable setbacks and missteps, it was becoming clear to Aitken that the very pursuit of fun was a great route to feeling less naff. And so he made a vow to go after the f-stuff with as much gusto as he could muster. He filled his calendar with a plethora of potentially pleasurable pursuits. Although the results were mixed, Aitken’s year of making merry left him feeling undoubtedly better. Which invites the question: if fun is such a reliable mood-swinger, shouldn’t we be having more of it?
And of course, we have numerous resources for learning many different languages for those wanting to go down that path!
Whatever you would like to do, enjoy the opportunities that the year brings and take advantage of the wonderful resources available through your local library. You never know where it might lead…
Wishing you all the very best for new adventures in the New Year!
Ever thought to ask your local library staff what they’re reading? We asked colleagues from across our library service which book they’ve enjoyed the most this past year. Read on for some great reading recommendations!
Gema from Stockbridge Library says with no doubt, the book I’ve enjoyed the most in 2023 was Patria (Homeland) by Fernando Aramburu. I read it in Spanish and I am curious about how the translation into English might work, since it has so many colloquialisms. But I’d recommend giving it a try. The book tells the story of the members of two families whose lives have been tragically affected by the terrorism in the Basque Country. I was wary of reading this book because I’m not a big fan of actively searching for suffering, but so many people had recommended it to me that I thought that I would give it a chance and stop if it became too painful. And… I just couldn’t stop reading. Even if I only had 5 minutes to spare, I would take the book and read it avidly. The chapters are short, the characters are exceptionally well depicted, so human; everything sounds so true. I especially admired the ability of the author to treat such a delicate subject with so much respect. And, the most surprising trait of it was that it also made me laugh with its very Basque sense of humour! It is the kind of book that goes with you for a long, long time. Patria is available to borrow in print in Spanish. Homeland, the English translation is available to borrow in print or as a talking book on CD.
Katelyn at Piershill Library recommends The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher I discovered a new favourite author when I picked up T. Kingfisher’s The Hollow Places on a whim while looking for a spooky read. What started as a simple adventure exploring an impossible space in the walls of a roadside museum turned into a deeply unsettling read that saw me staying up until the wee hours. I breathed a sigh of relief that the protagonist was finally safe, only to realise there were several chapters left! I’ll never look at willow trees quite the same way again. The Hollow Placesis available to read as an ebook.
Doris from Central Lending Library chooses The book you want everyone you love to read by Philippa Perry for her book of 2023. Philippa Perry’s latest offering, The book you want everyone you love to read is a gem. Full of Perry’s trademark insights and warmth, this non-fiction book is broken down into four sections. These sections are: how we love, how we argue, how we change and finally how we find contentment. I found it best to read the book in short bursts as there is a lot of information to assimilate. Perry offers advice on how to find fulfilment and contentment in these turbulent times. The book includes letters from her Guardian advice column on topics ranging from envy to ennui, relationship breakdowns to how to live a more contented life. Also included are bite size pieces of advice called Everyday Wisdom. Perry advises that if a loved one is going through a difficult time, try to understand what their coping style is and then feel with them, rather than trying to deal with their situation. The book you want everyone you love to read is available to borrow in print
Emily from Wester Hailes High School Library really enjoyed Just Sayin’ by Malorie Blackman. I have long been a fan of hers, as have so many people of my generation (well, all ages really), and it was a true pleasure to read her long-awaited memoir. She has had a fascinating life with many challenges and many joys, and writes about her experiences with feeling and passion. While reckoning with racism, poverty, assault, discrimination, baby loss, and chronic health problems, Malorie has built a glittering career as one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors. The audiobook is actually read by Malorie herself which adds an extra layer of authenticity to the experience of listening. This is a great read for anyone who has enjoyed her children’s fiction, but also for anyone who is just looking for an inspiring life story to sink their teeth into. Just sayin’ is available to borrow in print or as an ebook or audiobook.
Lynne from Craigmillar Library recommends Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. The main character Elizabeth Zott is a remarkable woman. I just love the way negative comments fall off her. Her role evolved from the lab to fronting a TV show, again the character was very unique. A determined woman in a male setting but she was great at survival. Lessons in Chemistry is available to borrow in print or as an ebook or audiobook.
Heather from South Queensferry and Kirkliston Libraries most enjoyed Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. By the end of January 2023, I already had an inkling that the epic Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon could be my book of the year! I don’t often foray into fantasy, but I read this as part of a read along with a few others which is a great way of trying out new genres and chatting with folk along the way. The richness of the imagined East and West transported me into a world that turns traditional roles on their head, with strong female characters and amazing world building. This is one big book at over 800 pages but is the perfect escape to while away a grim January with adventure, intrigue, magic and a couple of dragons thrown in! Priory of the Orange Tree is available to borrow in print or ebook.
Zoe from Central Lending Library highlights 21 lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari. This book was published in 2019 but is so relevant today. I absolutely loved it, which is not something I can always say about a non-fiction title dealing with heavy issues like global politics, AI and religion. Harari has such a clear, balanced way of explaining the world. I was listening to this while making a craft item and kept having to stop and listen to bits again because they were giving me lightbulb moments. What an accessible writer and thinker Harari is! Highly recommended to anybody who wants a deeper understanding about what humans are and the challenges we face. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is available to borrow in print or as an ebook or audiobook.
Ania from Central Lending Library would like to recommend Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. I got this title as an audiobook during this year’s Together We Read digital book club promotion on Libby. It was great, light and entertaining, yet it touches on some very current, modern and up to date occurrences and situations. It deals with many subjects like race, fake friendship, political correctness, social media and general pressure of modern life! A great and engaging read. Yellowface is available to borrow in print or as an ebook or audiobook.
Chris from Oxgangs Library’s favourite book of 2023 was The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams. Set during the First World War, the story focusses on Peggy, her family and friends almost all “town” as opposed to the “gown” of Oxford. Peggy and many of her friends are folders at Oxford University Press and as the men of the company join up the women find their responsibilities expanding. Peggy volunteers to read to disabled service men and this also broadens her awareness of the world around her and its horrors. An enthralling read. All the more poignant as the author noted that there was virtually nothing recorded about these women who kept OUP going through the war. The Bookbinder of Jericho is available to borrow in print or as an audiobook.
Mel at Corstorphine Library most enjoyed Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch. This book was un-put-downable! Morgan is My Name is a story about a young woman overcoming adversity to find her voice and chart her own path, and is a feminist retelling of the life of Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. The book follows the hostile relationship between Morgan and her stepfather Uther Pendragon, her years spent in a convent secretly learning magic, and then her marriage and the arrival of Arthur into the story. This is the first in what is to be a trilogy (the 2nd instalment is due in March 2024), and I cannot wait to see where the story goes! Morgan is such a likeable character and her story was so full of twists and turns and heartache that it was the kind of story that I was thinking about long after I had finished reading it. It was excellent and the best book I’ve read all year. Morgan is My Name is available to borrow in print.
Susan from the Digital Team says one of her favourite books of 2023 was I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. When looking through my list of books read this year, I was quite surprised that this was the one that jumped out at me as the one to recommend, as it is not what you would describe as an “easy-read”. It is brutally honest and truly heart-breaking. I was drawn to it as I remembered Jennette from one of my daughter’s favourite shows when she was young, iCarly. It was quite horrifying to discover the truth of what this child actor’s life was like, behind the fake TV persona, descending into a spiral of eating disorders and addiction driven by the overbearing ambition of her mother. I was left with a better understanding of how it feels to live with addiction and eating disorders and with nothing but empathy and admiration for Jennette’s honesty and struggle to regain her life. I’m Glad My Mom Died is available to borrow in print or as an ebook or audiobook.
Laura from Gilmerton Library’s book of the year was The Lock Up by John Banville. I really enjoy crime thrillers and John Banville’s Quirke novels are just the ticket for suspense and red herrings. What’s also interesting about this book is how we get more of an insight into the characters of Quirke and Strafford and their relationships with the women in their lives. Equally complex men in very different ways. Set against the backdrop of 1950s Dublin, this is an intriguing read. The Lock Up is available to borrow in print or as an ebook.
Clare in the Digital Team recommends All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr. Sometimes you read a book and just know that the story will stay with you for a very long time. All the light we cannot see was one of those books. The narrative interweaves the lives of two young people, Marie-Laure, a blind girl from Paris forced to flee the Nazi invasion with her father, and a boy, orphaned Werner, who escapes a future working down the local mine in Germany, by winning a place at a brutal military training camp. From the outset, you sense their paths will cross. It is a heart-wrenching and at times, chilling story, beautifully written. All the light we cannot see is available to borrow in print, talking book on CD or as an ebook or audiobook.
Bageshri from Stockbridge Library says her best read in 2023 was The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It’s an American classic set in the early 20th century. It is a story of Celie, a poor, uneducated, abused Southern black woman, narrated as a series of letters. The letters are the only means for Celie to express her feelings. These letters are a record of twenty years of Celie’s life journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The story also focuses on the strong sisterly bond between Celie and Nettie. The best part of the book for me is to see how this abused woman becomes an independent liberated person at the end. The Color Purple is available to borrow in print or as an audiobook.
Nicola from Kirkliston and South Queensferry Libraries most enjoyed in 2023, The stranding by Kate Sawyer. I came across this book as it was one of the BYOBs on the BBC2 programme Behind the Covers. This is not your typical post-apocalyptic novel, and will definitely appeal to people who don’t normally read this type of book. In the beginning you are not quite sure what has led to this end of the world moment. You meet the two main characters on a beach in New Zealand, and they end up finding refuge within the mouth of a beached up whale. The sensory world within the whale is so clearly depicted and you feel you are living every moment. Gradually you are introduced to Ruth and begin to understand her life and relationships, as it goes back and forwards in time. It becomes a story of love and resilience, and I enjoyed being on the journey with Ruth and getting to know her. This was a surprising and enjoyable read and I would recommend it. The Stranding is available to borrow in print.
So what were you reading in 2023? Well, it was a bumper year for our Library2go downloadable services with you borrowing over 2.5 million newspapers, 500k magazines, 190k ebooks and 180k audiobooks!! This is what the top ten loans in each category looked like –
eBooks Yellowface was this year’s decisive winner with 732 Edinburgh readers checking out this bestseller on Libby. Richard Osman appears twice with two offerings from his Thursday Night Murder Club series.
1. Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang (732)
2. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (534)
3. The People’s City (500)
4. The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin (423)
5. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (418)
6. Be Happy by Rebecca Ray (410)
7. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (401)
8. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (395)
9. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (340)
10. The Girls in the Glen by Lynne McEwan (328)
eAudiobooks Rebecca Yarros’s epic fantasy is the run-away winner of the audiobook category with 831 loans. Lovely to see classic novel, Pride & Prejudice, making an appearance in the top 10.
1. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (831)
2. The Bonnie Dead by Andrew Raymond (594)
3. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (534)
4. Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang (471)
5. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin (422)
6. 1989 by Val McDermid (396)
7. Official Secrets by Andrew Raymond (391)
8. The Dentist by Tim Sullivan (378)
9. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (375)
10. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas (367)
1. The Economist (17,394)
2. Radio Times (14,162)
3. Hello! (11,052)
4.Good Housekeeping (9725)
5. Auto Express (9,230)
6. BBC Good Food (9,313)
7. TV Times (8,547)
8. New Scientist (6,679)
9. TV & Satellite (6,188)
10. Computer Active (5,730)
eNewspapers
Our Edinburgh readers love their newspapers on PressReader! Nearly half a million Scotsman newspapers were downloaded this year, closely followed by the Edinburgh Evening News.
1.The Scotsman (484,952)
2. Edinburgh Evening News (333,246)
3. The Guardian (312,375)
4. The Herald (168,808)
5. The Daily Telegraph (146,642)
6. Scottish Daily Mail (109,502)
7. Daily Mail (88,431)
8. The Independent (54,832)
9. The Daily Record (52,841)
10. The Observer (29,270)
Check out our Library2go support pages if you’d like to get started using our downloadable services. They are free and easy to use! All you need is a tablet, smartphone or computer and your library membership.
Let’s open the pages of one of our latest scrapbook additions to Edinburgh Collected, gathered together by one of our regular contributors, Patrick McCole.
The year was 1963 and Rock swept the nation. Since The Beatles, teenagers with electric guitars and drums began performing in clubs up and down the country.
1964 – Left to right, John, David, Jim and Sandy at the Live at The Aabano Club
Here in Edinburgh, a group of Broughton High School pupils had joined together and formed such a group, playing in clubs and halls. A couple of years later winning the Evening News Beat Competition at Dunfermline’s Kinema Ballroom in 1965 and 1966 boosted the Band’s reputation and led to them playing bigger clubs throughout Edinburgh such as The Top Story in Leith Street, McGoos in the High Street, The International (The Nash) on Princes Street and The Place in Victoria Street. The name of the group… The Hipple People.
Publicity shot for 242 Showbeat Monthly, September 1966
The original members of the band were David Valentine on vocals, Raymond James on drums, Jim Marshall on lead guitar, Sandy Lax on rhythm guitar, John Cross on bass guitar and from 1965, Ian Nicol on vocals.
The band and manager, Alan Sinclair at Calton Hill -1964
During the early to mid-Sixties they built a reputation for themselves, performing throughout Central Scotland and the Borders. They were managed by Tam Paton at one point, previous to his work with The Bay City Rollers.
Like many bands at the time their set list consisted of covers of other artists’ songs, but with the help of Tam Paton they recorded four demos, two of them self-penned. Tam secured a London recording session with CBS, where they recorded their own material and a further four tracks. Unfortunately, CBS never released them.
First live performance in 40 years – 2010
In 1966, having supported The Troggs, The Who, Billy J Kramer, and many other artists, the band split. David, Sandy and Raymond continued as the Hipple People for several years.
It would be 40 years before the band reunited on stage again as the original Hipple People.
First rehearsal at Heartbeat Studios – 2009
It was in 2009 when David was the resident pianist at Ryan’s Bar at the West End. Most of the original band members would occasionally go along and watch him entertain the crowds and have a good old blether. This encouraged David to suggest a ‘jam session’ for old times sake, and that session turned into a regular event.
Celebratory photoshoot, National Monument at Calton Hill – 2023
In 2010, Raymond’s daughter asked them to play at her 40th birthday party, the first time the four of them had played together since 1966, from there on, the story has continued. They have now played twice as long as they first did and continue their regular “Sounds of the Sixties and Seventies” gigs in clubs around Edinburgh.
Visit Central Library and enjoy a new Winter exhibition created by Ray Pattie, talented artist and library adviser at Central Lending. The dazzling display can be found in the Central Library staircase cabinets and runs throughout December and into January 2024.
“The Winter exhibition is about capturing the essence of nature and how important it is to our daily lives,” says Ray, who graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA Honours in Painting. “We need to take some time in nature.”
Detail from the Winter exhibition at Central Library
“I am absolutely delighted with Ray’s work,” adds Lesley Sime, Central Lending supervisor, who worked closely with Ray on the concept of the Winter exhibition. “Ray has created some great designs in Central Children’s Library over the last year and we both share similar tastes in artwork so we saw eye to eye on the Winter exhibition.”
Detail from the Winter exhibition at Central Library
The artists Victoria Crowe, David Hockney, Elizabeth Blackadder, Mark Herald and Angela Harding all provided inspiration for the Winter exhibition, as did the St Jude’s printmakers collective.
Preparation got underway at the end of September when the Central Lending Library team was given responsibility for the staircase display. The idea of a winter theme, which moves from morning to night time, was created by Ray using acrylic paint and watercolours.
The Winter exhibition encompasses Christmas elements including a partridge sitting under a pear tree and a deer that looks as if it has lights on its antlers.
Detail from the Winter exhibition at Central Library
Look closely and you will also see library adviser, Tanya Whibley’s work. Another talented member of Central Lending, Tanya crocheted the birds’ nests and created some robin’s eggs.
The Winter exhibition has been a family affair, with members of Ray and Lesley’s family getting involved. Ray’s mother collected acorns, leaves and twigs for the forest background and Lesley’s mother-in-law provided giant pine cones.
Children, as well as adults, are being encouraged to view the Winter exhibition. A quiz has been created for children about the Winter exhibition in Central Children’s Library and Lesley says some of the questions have been designed so children have to go and see the exhibition to answer them.
Winter exhibition at Central Library
Downstairs in the cabinet outside of Central Children’s Library, Ray has created cards of different birds including a beautiful robin, chaffinch, a red cardinal and two turtle doves.
“I’m really happy with the Christmas cards,” Ray says. “I created them towards the end of the project using watercolours and I feel they really captured what I was trying to do.”
Following the completion of the Winter exhibition, Ray has been inspired to begin more art projects in the future.
The unicorn crafting fun continues in our libraries, as part of Edinburgh Libraries’ contribution to the Living Knowledge Network current theme of Fantasy: Realms of Imagination.
Currie Library hosted a whole day of unicorn themed activities including a special Bookbug and crafts galore.
Unicorn themed Bookbug at Currie LibraryUnicorn crafts at Currie Library
Children at Sighthill Library have been decorating loads of unicorns ready to send to Central Library for the ‘Blessing of Unicorns’ exhibition next year and they had a fantastic display of unicorn themed reading suggestions.
A 3D model unicorn at Sighthill Library
Unicorn themed reading suggestions at Sighthill Library
At Oxgangs Library, everyone had great fun at Tiger Tales reading fantastical stories about unicorns and making fabulous unicorn masks!
In the Music Library, we’ve put out our Christmas stock of sheet music and CDs, so that can only mean one thing, it’s December and the countdown to Santa’s big day has begun.
Display of Christmas song sheet music and CDs in the Music Library
Drop in and amongst the shelves you might find… Mariah singing all I want for Christmas is a book with the music to my greatest hit. George and Andrew reply, last Christmas we gave you a book with that song and many others. While Paul and his fellow Wings are simply having a wonderful Christmas time choosing song books and CDs to play their hits from. Meanwhile Chris is picking some tunes for his drive home for Christmas. But could someone tell Noddy to stop shouting, we know… it’s Christmas!
Whether you choose to launch into the karaoke favourite, Fairytale of New York or stand by the piano like Bing and David and pa rum pum pum pum your way through the Little Drummer Boy, we have the books, CDs and DVDs which can help keep yourself, your family and your friends entertained this Christmas.
Display of Christmas music books and song sheet music in the Music Library
We also have a massive amount of CDs, books and DVDs none of which mention Christmas once! So if that’s your thing, we have everything you might need to “while away the hours, conferring with the flowers” as the Tin Man might say. And yes, we have a copy of The Wizard of Oz too.
Whether you want to shut up shop until its all over or whether you want to be front and centre when they’re handing out the crackers, the Music Library has everything you might need for a musical festive time.
Edinburgh Libraries opening times over Christmas and Hogmanay will be:
Monday 25 December – closed Tuesday 26 December – closed Wednesday 27 December – normal opening hours Thursday 28 December – normal opening hours Friday 29 December – normal opening hours Saturday 30 December – normal opening hours Monday 1 January – closed Tuesday 2 January – closed Wednesday 3 January onwards – normal opening hours
Please note, Muirhouse Library at Edinburgh College has different opening hours over the holiday period to the rest of our libraries. It will be closed from Friday 22 December 2023 to Monday 8 January 2024.
Central Lending Library has a fantastic new collection of graphic novels which is currently on display and available to borrow until the end of January 2024. The collection will then move onto one of our other branch libraries.
You might have noticed that we’ve been talking a lot about unicorns in our libraries lately, inspired by the current Living Knowledge Network theme of Fantasy: Realms of Imagination.
You may associate unicorns with sparkly children’s parties and rainbow backpacks. But the unicorn has been around for a very long time. They were once revered above any other animal, especially in Scottish history. We thought we’d take a closer look at this mythical beast.
So how exactly did these myths and legends get started?
The Scots Gaelic name for the unicorn is aon-adharcach and unicorns have been linked to Scotland for centuries. In Celtic mythology the unicorn was a symbol of purity and innocence, as well as masculinity and power. Tales of dominance and chivalry associated with the unicorn may be why it was chosen as Scotland’s national animal.
Legend tells that the unicorn first appeared on King William I’s coat of arms in the early 12th century. Later, in the early 15th century, King James II adopted the unicorn.
The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, used prior to 1603 by the Kings of Scotland, was supported by two unicorns. Since 1603, the royal coat of arms has featured the unicorn of Scotland on one side and the lion of England on the other. The unicorn representing Scotland in the coat of arms is always depicted bounded by a golden chain, which is often seen passing around its neck and wrapping all around its body. The unicorn was believed to be the strongest of all animals – wild and untamed. It is possible that the entrapment symbolises the power of the Scottish kings – they were strong enough to tame even a unicorn.
No one has proven the existence of the Scottish national animal. But fossil discoveries may indicate that a form of unicorn may have lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. However, they were not the pearly white horses with wings and horns that you may be used to imagining.
Popular beliefs, in a time gone by, was strengthened by rhinoceros and narwhal horns showing up in strange places. People had better imaginations that real scientific evidence then, but this was enough to convince them that these horned beasts roamed the land. The unicorn’s horn, also known as an alicorn, was believed to have many healing properties. This was particularly true in the 17th century. Many apothecaries would claim to stock powdered unicorn horn (which was usually walrus ivory or rhino horn). Recipes that included the Scottish national animal’s horns were said to cure a range of illnesses such as boils and the plague. Only the wealthy could afford alicorn; as unicorns were so ‘rare’, even a pinch of its powder was incredibly expensive to purchase.
Lewis Carroll features a verse in Alice Through the Looking-Glass called the Lion and the Unicorn –
‘The lion and the unicorn Were fighting for the crown The lion beat the unicorn All around the town.
Some gave them white bread, And some gave them brown; Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town’.
Illustration from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll, volume published 1887. Illustration by John Tenniel
If you are looking for unicorns in Scotland, you won’t have much trouble finding them, they are everywhere.
Stained glass window, St Vincent’s Chapel, St Stephen Street, 2007 by Andrew J. L. Ansell, www.capitalcollections.org.uk
You may notice that the Mercat Cross in many towns and cities depicts a regal unicorn. In our castles you will see them feature in tapestries, stonework and furniture.
We still think if you were to ask any young children, their answer to “Did unicorns ever exist?’” would be a firm “Yes!”
This article was inspired by the British Library and the Living Knowledge Network of libraries’ current theme of Fantasy: Realms of Imagination. Keep a look out for many more activities on the theme happening in our libraries and online via the Living Knowledge Network, (and, of course, unicorns!)
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, through to 10 December, Human Rights Day. The campaign raises awareness about gender-based violence, challenging discriminatory attitudes and calls for improved laws and services to end violence against women and girls for good.
As part of the campaign, on the 5 December, Edinburgh Libraries will hold special Bookbug sessions celebrating women across history, literature, science and the arts. These sessions will have a specific focus on celebrating women, using stories and songs to promote women across professions and history and the libraries will have new collections of children’s books that have a strong connection to this theme.
In ten of the participating libraries, we’ll create displays that celebrate women, and each display will be lit up in orange during the 16 Days of Activism.
Join us for one of these special Bookbug sessions on Tuesday 5 December at
Do you know someone who would benefit from free access to ebooks, audiobooks and magazines, but who are not a member of the library? This New Year you can get free instant access to Edinburgh Libraries Libby service without a library card. Thousands of best-selling titles for adults, teens and children are available to read on your phone, tablet or computer. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of your electronic Christmas presents and to save money. Please spread the word to relatives and friends!
Tales of One City 