National Library of Scotland

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

Why do action epics, horror games, and farming simulators all keep returning to libraries? In our latest long read, auth...
02/06/2026

Why do action epics, horror games, and farming simulators all keep returning to libraries?

In our latest long read, author Sam Fern argues it's the mix of curiosity, secrecy, community, and the quiet thrill of organising knowledge.

Sam takes us on a tour through some of the most intriguing libraries to appear in videogames. Along the way, he explores:
🪝 Lara Croft solving shelf-based riddles with book trolleys and grappling hooks (Tomb Raider: Legend)
🦇 Batman dropping a chandelier through a ransacked library to save hostages (Arkham Asylum)
🗡️ The House of Wisdom in 9th‑century Baghdad, where knowledge turns deadly (Assassin's Creed: Mirage)
🏰 Urag gro-Shub, the grumpy orc librarian of the Arcaneum in Skyrim
📚 Animal Crossing players building tiny street libraries – because no idyllic town feels complete without one

What is your favourite video game library? 🤔

Read the full article > https://www.nls.uk/collections/stories/life-in-the-library/archives-in-videogames/

📣 One week left to apply!We’re looking for a Customer Relationship Management Product Manager to lead on developing our ...
01/06/2026

📣 One week left to apply!

We’re looking for a Customer Relationship Management Product Manager to lead on developing our Customer Relationship Management system to help us talk (and listen) to our audiences.

Experienced in CRM development, you’ll have strong product, stakeholder and relationship management skills. You’ll balance strategic thinking with practical delivery.

The role is full-time and permanent, with a salary of £48,643 per annum. Applications close Monday 8 June.

Interested? Apply online > https://nls.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/4199638?cid=3310&t=Customer-Relationship-Management-Product-Manager

01/06/2026

Take a quick look at our new display – Paperback Revolutions – now open at our George IV Bridge building.

From the launch of Penguin in 1935 to the paperbacks of today, this display tells the story of how the humble paperback changed reading. Books were once a niche product for the few. Then came affordable, portable, boldly designed paperbacks – and reading became something anyone could do, anywhere.

On show:
🐧 The first ten Penguin titles
📖 The first complete UK edition of ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ (1960)
✨ A selection of paperback bestsellers from across the decades

Open until 24 October 2026. Free. See the display at George IV Bridge.

📣 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

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