National Library of Scotland

National Library of Scotland Scotland’s living memory. If you can think of it, we probably have it.

📣 Calling all Shetland writers!We are seeking applications for our Scots Scriever residency - and this year, the focus i...
12/05/2026

📣 Calling all Shetland writers!

We are seeking applications for our Scots Scriever residency - and this year, the focus is on Shetland. This is a unique opportunity for a writer to create original work in Shaetlan while championing the language across communities.

What’s on offer?
✍️ A 12‑month residency
💵 £1,250 per month
⌚ Dedicated time to write and develop new work
🫂 Opportunities to engage with audiences in Shetland and beyond

The post is funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

🔗 Apply by midday, Friday 12 June > https://www.nls.uk/about-us/jobs-and-opportunities/shetland-scriever/

04/05/2026

For , let's take a look at (a slightly modified!) book, called 'The expert sword‑man's companion: or the true art of self‑defence...' (Glasgow, 1728) by Donald McBane ⚔️

McBane (1664–c.1732) was born in Inverness and ran away from his apprenticeship as a to***co spinner to enlist in the Scots Army. He fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie (1689), later became a celebrated fencing master, and was known throughout Europe for his skill in duelling.

In the video below, we've given the illustrations a update - but can you spot the extra reference in there?

📖 You can view this item in our reading rooms at George IV Bridge. Find out more about viewing our collections on our website > https://www.nls.uk/join/

What do you do, in 15th-century Scotland, when the household priest behaves badly? If you're Isobel, Countess of Argyll,...
24/04/2026

What do you do, in 15th-century Scotland, when the household priest behaves badly? If you're Isobel, Countess of Argyll, you might just write a poem about it. A very frank poem 😳

Our latest long read is a work of fiction by writer Mairi Kidd, inspired by a real mystery in our collections. Tucked inside the 16th-century Book of the Dean of Lismore is a startling, explicit poem attributed to "Contissa Ergadien Issobell" (Isobel Countess of Argyll). It's a boast about a priest's… well, you can probably guess.

But who was Isobel? And why did she write it?

Mairi's story, 'Bearing and Begetting', imagines an answer. Set against the backdrop of a Christmas feast attended by King James IV, it explores Isobel's life, her Gaelic heritage, her marriage into the powerful Drummond family, and the risks and realities facing women in a world where "some beget, and some bear."

📖✨ Read 'Bearing and Begetting' in full (available in both English and Gaelic) > https://www.nls.uk/collections/stories/literature-and-poetry/bearing-and-begetting/

15/04/2026

How much do you know about who made your clothes? 👕👖

Next Wednesday, Alis Le May – Glasgow-based bespoke tailor – presents 'Clò na Tìre', a unique collection of garments that reflect a deep connection between craft, land, and heritage.

Chaired by Jen Ballie, Head of Design Research at V&A Dundee, Alis will discuss how her sustainable design practices enhance traditional hand-crafted garment making.

The event is part of our Fashion Revolution Week programme.

📅 6-7:30pm, Wednesday 22 April
📌 Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
🎟️ Free

Book tickets on our website > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/clo-an-tir/

Our exhibition Dear Library closes on 25 April. If you haven't yet visited, this is your final chance to experience hund...
13/04/2026

Our exhibition Dear Library closes on 25 April. If you haven't yet visited, this is your final chance to experience hundreds of love letters written by visitors to Scotland's libraries – and to leave your own 💌

To mark the closing week, writer Dave Coates has published a beautiful, urgent reflection on the joy, refuge and possibility found in our public libraries.

Inspired by the letters on display, Dave writes about his first Scottish winter, his part-time job at the Scottish Poetry Library, and the letter-writers who described their local library as "home".

📜 Read Dave's full article > https://www.nls.uk/collections/stories/life-in-the-library/dear-libraries/
🎟️ Plan your visit to Dear Library > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/dear-library/
👩🏼‍👧🏻‍👦🏽 Visiting with kids? Come to our Dear Library Story Sessions > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/?f=1700

10/04/2026

This clip from 'Island of the Big Cloth' (1971) shows traditional dyeing in the Highlands 🎨

At the beginning of the clip, you can see someone scraping crottle, a type of lichen, directly from rocks.

Crottle produces beautiful shades of brown, yellow, and red. It was often gathered in late summer (mid-August), when pigment concentrations are at their peak. The lichen was packed into large cast iron cauldrons with wool or fabric, then boiled over a peat fire.

Other dyes from the Highlands included yellow from heather and bracken, blue/green from woad (or imported indigo), and red from madder 💛🩵❤️

From 21–25 April, we're marking Fashion Revolution Week at Kelvin Hall with free talks, screenings, and workshops inspired by Scotland's textile heritage.

Explore the full programme > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/?l=1702

Dear Library Story Sessions are back! This time with a focus on stories for children aged 6 to 10 years old 📚🚀Come along...
08/04/2026

Dear Library Story Sessions are back! This time with a focus on stories for children aged 6 to 10 years old 📚🚀

Come along to hear stories from fantastic, contemporary children's authors - meet a cast of unique characters, hear about some daring adventures, and be transported to surprising new settings.

Afterwards, you'll have the chance to chat to the authors and get creative with a range of crafts inspired by that day's stories.

Book your tickets > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/dear-library-family-story-sessions/?d=20260414

We’re seeking applications from students for an 8-week Summer Placement in book conservation 🎨📚You’ll be a current conse...
01/04/2026

We’re seeking applications from students for an 8-week Summer Placement in book conservation 🎨📚

You’ll be a current conservation student with a passion for bookbinding and book conservation, looking to develop your practical skills. Your time will be spent working alongside our conservation team, gaining hands-on experience with our collections.

The placement is a volunteering opportunity. Expenses of up to £2,500 for the eight-week period are available as a contribution towards living expenses, travel and accommodation during the placement.

This is a full-time placement during July and August 2026.

Find out more and apply > https://www.nls.uk/about-us/jobs-and-opportunities/book-conservation-placement/

⭐ Tomorrow, 'Outwith: Valda, MacDiarmid and Whalsay' opens at Shetland Museum and Archives ⭐ The final stop in our curre...
27/03/2026

⭐ Tomorrow, 'Outwith: Valda, MacDiarmid and Whalsay' opens at Shetland Museum and Archives ⭐

The final stop in our current OUTWITH: National Library around Scotland programme, this landmark exhibition explores the nine years that poet Hugh MacDiarmid and his wife Valda spent in Whalsay, and how the rugged landscape shaped their lives and work.

Step into MacDiarmid's writing environment, glimpse Valda's home life, and see the original fourareen boat he sailed to Linga, where he found inspiration for 'On a Raised Beach'.

✍️ Featuring original manuscripts of the poems 'Shags' Nests' and 'In Dury Voe' which were written in Whalsay, and personal letters sent between Christopher and Valda in this period, all from the National Library's collections.

🗓️ Until 20 June 2026
⏰ Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm
📍 Da Gadderie, Shetland Museum and Archives

Our OUTWITH programme continues in Perth with Lochhead’s Mary 📜🎭Gerry Mulgrew, director and star of the original Mary Qu...
24/03/2026

Our OUTWITH programme continues in Perth with Lochhead’s Mary 📜🎭

Gerry Mulgrew, director and star of the original Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off production, joins a panel discussion with Kenny Boyle and Hannah Lavery on Thursday 26 March at AK Bell Library 📚

Liz Lochhead’s play is a landmark in modern Scottish theatre. With wit and poetry, it examines power, gender, and identity through the dynamic between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I. The panel will discuss Lochhead’s lasting impact on Scottish identity.

Tickets available > https://www.perthshireboxoffice.com/whats-on/lochheads-mary

Address

George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
EH11EW

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 9:30am - 7pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+441312264531

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National Library of Scotland posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to National Library of Scotland:

Shortcuts

Share

Category