Engaging Audiences
An event at Kelvin Hall. Photo by Robbie Mitchell.
Audience development programme – a focus on Glasgow
We continue to take an audience-led approach to the design and improvement of our programmes, services and experiences. This is with a view to reaching new and diverse audiences and really making an impact on people across Scotland and beyond by engaging them through the collections.
We are working with the Audience Agency – a not-for-profit dedicated to helping more people access and influence culture – on an intensive two-year programme which has really helped to evolve our thinking.
Library members might remember being invited to share their views and experiences with us back in March and we received thousands of helpful responses on our services now, and what we should be focusing on in the future.
People attending our events and exhibitions may have noticed subtle shifts in our offerings, as we work to be more inclusive and relevant to 21st-century audiences.
Our team at Kelvin Hall has embraced this cultural shift and is working with the Audience Agency to develop a pilot around audience development. This involves identifying who they would like to reach (i.e. people we are not reaching but who could benefit from engaging with the Library), designing events and services around these priority audiences, delivering the activity and evaluating its effectiveness.
Evaluation informs the next batch of events and programmes, as well as helping us to demonstrate our impact on communities. It ensures we constantly strive to do better.
Meanwhile, we are also evaluating our website, web presence and digital offerings to ensure we are leveraging technology as effectively as possible.
We continue to take an audience-led approach to the design and improvement of our programmes, services and experiences. This is with a view to reaching new and diverse audiences and really making an impact on people across Scotland and beyond by engaging them through the collections.
We are working with the Audience Agency – a not-for-profit dedicated to helping more people access and influence culture – on an intensive two-year programme which has really helped to evolve our thinking.
Library members might remember being invited to share their views and experiences with us back in March and we received thousands of helpful responses on our services now, and what we should be focusing on in the future.
People attending our events and exhibitions may have noticed subtle shifts in our offerings, as we work to be more inclusive and relevant to 21st-century audiences.
Our team at Kelvin Hall has embraced this cultural shift and is working with the Audience Agency to develop a pilot around audience development. This involves identifying who they would like to reach (i.e. people we are not reaching but who could benefit from engaging with the Library), designing events and services around these priority audiences, delivering the activity and evaluating its effectiveness.
Evaluation informs the next batch of events and programmes, as well as helping us to demonstrate our impact on communities. It ensures we constantly strive to do better.
Meanwhile, we are also evaluating our website, web presence and digital offerings to ensure we are leveraging technology as effectively as possible.
Putting our best foot forward
Our Community Walking visits continue to prove popular and productive. These visits allow us to connect with groups and organisations in towns across Scotland and show how many of our resources are freely available without having to come to one of our buildings. The visits are proving a great way to introduce our collections and services to a wide range of people.
Our seventh Community Walking trip took place in February 2024, in Motherwell, with our team visiting schools, colleges, community groups and Motherwell Football Club.
We also spent an evening at Motherwell Library chatting to members of a young adult reading group, who told us they would like more opportunities to talk to us about their interests. Motherwell followed Community Walking visits to Dumfries, Perth, Greenock, Galashiels, Kirkcaldy and Paisley. In Galashiels, the TD1 Youth Group gave us a copy of its 'Lockdown Express' publication, compiled by its members. This was one of a number of local publications and ephemera we might never have known about without these visits.
We will continue making these trips, with plans for visits to Stirling, Oban and Kilmarnock in 2024 to 2025 and follow-up visits to Dumfries, Greenock and Kirkcaldy.
Touring displays
Our free displays tour the country every year to help us reach even more people. Venues include local libraries, festivals and regional museums.
'Lifting the Lid', which is about Scotland's relationship with food and drink, travelled to Falkirk and Kirkcaldy, while our 'Going to the Pictures' display, which tells the story of cinema in Scotland, went to Hawick, Galashiels, West Lothian and Argyll.
'You Are Here', a journey through maps, was in Orkney and Ayr, while Stirling welcomed 'Scotland's Photograph Album', which is drawn from the MacKinnon photography collection of more than 14,000 historical photographs, with images dating back to the 1840s. The display transports people back to a period of changing rural communities, growing cities and enduring historic sites.
Each display has 10 eye-catching banners complemented by interactive handling boxes.
Support for climate campaign
We supported the Paperboats '1,000 Climate Hopes' campaign in November 2023, which delivered messages calling for action on climate change to the Scottish Parliament.
The event was timed to coincide with the UN COP28 climate summit and featured poetry readings and music.
Participants shared messages of climate hope written on folded origami paper. 'Boat yards' were set up in our buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh, allowing visitors to make a boat and share their thoughts. More than 200 boats were created with us.
Paperboats is a Scotland-based collective of writers focused on nature and the environment.
Lights, camera, action!
We played a starring role on two major BBC TV series in 2023.
Bafta-winning historian, writer and broadcaster Professor David Olusoga visited us while researching his show 'Union'.
He also spoke to our magazine, 'Discover', about the items from our collections he examined.
Professor David Wilson also visited us to film 'David Wilson's Crime Files'. An episode on counterfeit art included a segment on the literary forgeries of Alexander 'Antique' Smith and we hold a large collection of these. Manuscripts Curator Dr Ralph McLean discussed the methods used to copy Robert Burns' hand with Professor Wilson.
Supporting Scottish Gaelic
Gaelic is a crucial element of our efforts to preserve the national memory. The language is a key part of Scotland's culture and we're proud to be the home of what we believe is the largest collection of Scots Gaelic material in the world.
We have celebrated a number of key events and milestones relating to our Gaelic collections and our commitment to making these works available to all who would like to use, learn and be inspired by them.
Our major exhibition for 2023, 'Sgeul | Story: Folktales from the Scottish Highlands' was our first dual language showcase.
It explored the fascinating archive of John Francis Campbell, without whom some Gaelic stories would have been lost forever.
Campbell (1821 to 1885) spent his childhood on Islay in the care of the family piper, who took him to places someone of Campbell's social status would not normally frequent, such as bothies and community gatherings.
A love of the stories from the Highlands and Islands flourished and stayed with him throughout his life. He became an avid collector and writer of these stories, most of which had previously been preserved and shared by a dwindling oral tradition.
Campbell seems to have collected folktales at every opportunity and kept summaries in English and Gaelic, the latter often involving help from others as he did not trust his proficiency with written Gaelic. He was, however, a talented artist who also drew many sketches of people and the characters in the stories.
Without Campbell, some tales that had enthralled generations of Highland communities might not exist on record today.
We marked the launch of 'Sgeul | Story', which ran between June 2023 and April 2024, with a stunning performance by young band Duan. The band's name is Gaelic for a 'little ditty' or 'song'.
Sharing and preserving Gaelic music and traditional Scottish songs is a passion of the group, who all have parents and grandparents from the Highlands and Islands. The band members also featured in our 'Discover' magazine in 2023, discussing how a lot of regional Gaelic dialects have been lost and the importance of Gaelic education.
'Sgeul | Story' also inspired musical performances of Gaelic folklore and Ossianic ballads (read more on page 20) and the creation of a Gàidhlig Storymaker post, to promote the language through storytelling. The 12-month position was awarded to Kirsty MacDonald who has more than 20 years' experience in creative cultural projects and a wealth of knowledge of using archival and cultural materials to tell stories and engage audiences. The Gàidhlig Storymaker post has been generously funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
Early in 2024 we were delighted to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with our friends at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.
We also continued to develop our partnerships and relationships with Gaelic schools and organisations, including Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pàirce primary school in Edinburgh and City of Edinburgh Council's Capital Gaelic Development Officer, Ann Paterson. Pupils from the school attended a preview visit to 'Sgeul | Story' and were read some of Campbell's stories by Ann, who also contributed to the development of the exhibition and spoke at its launch.
National Librarian Amina Shah said: "We want to do more to promote Gaelic and do it better. We're excited to play our part in what feels like a resurgence in Gaelic language in Scotland."
Kirsty MacDonald
Tha a' Ghàidhlig na pàirt ro-chudromach de ar n-oidhirpean gus a' chuimhne nàiseanta a ghleidheadh. Tha an cànan na prìomh phàirt de chultar na h-Alba agus tha sinn moiteil a bhith mar dhachaigh dhan chruinneachadh – an cruinneachadh as motha san t-saoghal de stuthan Gàidhlig nar beachd.
Tha sinn air grunn phrìomh thachartasan agus chlachan-mìle a chomharrachadh co-cheangailte ris na cruinneachaidhean Gàidhlig againn mar thoradh air dealas gus am bi na stuthan seo fosgailte dhan h-uile duine a bhiodh airson an cleachdadh, ionnsachadh bhuapa agus a bhith air am brosnachadh leotha.
B' e ar taisbeanadh airson 2023, 'Sgeul | Story: Folktales from the Scottish Highlands' a' chiad taisbeanadh dà-chànanach againn. Bha e a' coimhead air tasglann fìor inntinneach Iain Frangan Caimbeul. Às aonais seo, bhiodh cuid de na sgeulachdan Gàidhlig air an call gu sìorraidh.
Chuir Iain Òg Ìle (1821–1885) seachad òige ann an Ìle fo chùram pìobaire an teaghlaich, a thug e gu àiteachan far nach biodh daoine leis an inbhe shòisealta aig leithid Iain Òg Ìle a' dol mar as àbhaist, leithid bothanan agus cruinneachaidhean coimhearsnachd. Thog e ùidh mhòr ann an sgeulachdan Gàidhealach, ùidh a bh' aige fad a bheatha. Bha e na neachcruinneachaidh agus sgrìobhadair dìcheallach de na sgeulachdan sin. Chaidh a' mhòr-chuid a ghleidheadh agus an co-roinn le traidisean beulaithris a bha a-nis a' crìonadh.
Tha e coltach gun do chruinnich Iain Òg Ìle sgeulachdan gach cothrom a bh' aige agus gun do chùm e geàrr-chunntasan ann am Beurla agus Gàidhlig, gu tric a' faighinn cuideachadh bho dhaoine eile leis a' Ghàidhlig leis nach robh e misneachail mun Ghàidhlig sgrìobhte aige. Bha e na neach-ealain tàlantach, ge-tà, a tharraing iomadh sgeidse de dhaoine agus de na caractaran anns na sgeulachdan cuideachd. Às aonais Iain Òg Ìle, is dòcha nach bhiodh cuid de na sgeulachdan a bha air ghinealaichean de choimhearsnachdan Gàidhealach a bheò-ghlacadh air an clàradh dhuinn idir an-diugh.
Chomharraich sinn foillseachadh 'Sgeul | Story', a ruith eadar an t-Ògmhios 2023 agus an Giblean 2024, le sàr chuirmciùl leis a' chòmhlan òg Duan. Tha ainm a' chòmhlain a' ciallachadh òran no rann beag. Tha ùidh mhòr aig buill a' chòmhlain ann a bhith a' co-roinn agus a' gleidheadh ceòl Gàidhlig agus òrain thraidiseanta, iad uile le pàrantan agus sean-phàrantan às a' Ghàidhealtachd.
Bha pìos mun chòmhlan san iris again 'Discover' ann an 2023, a' bruidhinn air mar a chaidh tòrr dhualchainntean Gàidhlig sgìreil a-mach à bhith agus air cho cudromach 's a tha foghlam Gàidhlig.
Bhrosnaich 'Sgeul | Story' cuideachd cuirmean-ciùil a' gabhail a-steach beul-aithris na Gàidhlig agus duanagan Oiseanach (barrachd fiosrachaidh air td 20) agus a bhith a' cruthachadh dreuchd mar Sgeulaiche Gàidhlig, gus an cànan a thoirt air adhart tro sgeulachdan.
Chaidh an dreuchd 12-mìos a thoirt do Churstaidh NicDhòmhnaill aig a bheil còrr is 20 bliadhna de dh'eòlas air pròiseactan cultarach cruthachail agus beartas de dh'eòlas air cleachdadh stuthan tasglainn is cultarail gus sgeulachdan innse agus gus ùidh luchd-èisteachd a ghlacadh. Fhuair an dreuchd Sgeulaiche Gàidhlig maoineachadh fialaidh bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig.
Tràth ann an 2024 bha e na thoileachas dhuinn Meòrachan Tuigse a shoidhnigeadh le ar caraidean aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, an t-Ionad Nàiseanta airson Cànan is Cultar na Gàidhlig.
Lean sinn oirnn cuideachd le leasachadh ar com-pàirteachasan agus ar dàimhean le sgoiltean is buidhnean Gàidhlig, a' gabhail a-steach Bunsgoil Taobh na Pàirce ann an Dùn Èideann agus Oifigear Leasachaidh Capital Gaelic aig Comhairle Baile Dhùn Èideann, Ann Paterson. Chaidh sgoilearan bhon sgoil airson roshealladh de 'Sgeul | Story' agus chaidh cuid de sgeulachdan Iain Òg Ìle a leughadh le Ann, a chuir cuideachd ri cruthachadh an taisbeanaidh agus a bhruidhinn aig a bhogadh. Thuirt an Leabharlannaiche Nàiseanta Amina Shah: "Tha sinn airson barrachd a dhèanamh gus Gàidhlig a bhrosnachadh agus tha sin airson a dhèanamh nas fheàrr. Tha sinn fìor thoilichte a bhith a' cluich pàirt ann an ath-bheothachadh na Gàidhlig ann an Alba."
National treasures
Visitors continue to flock to our free permanent exhibition, 'Treasures of the National Library of Scotland', which provides a unique insight into this country's history, culture and people, and its place in the world.
One of our roles at the Library is to collect and preserve the memory of the Scottish nation on behalf of the people who live here. 'Treasures' reflects ideas and innovation, creativity and social change from across the centuries.
A vast array of objects from our collections are displayed – from medieval manuscripts and maps to letters, photographs and cultural ephemera. New items are added twice a year, so there is always something new for visitors to enjoy.
Highlights from the past year include the following items.
'Tam o' Shanter' illustration, 1885
Burns wrote 'Tam o' Shanter' in 1790 to accompany the entry for Alloway Kirk in Francis Grose's 'Antiquities of Scotland', published a year later. What began as a footnote became one of Scotland's best-loved poems thanks to its dramatic verse and vivid descriptions of witches and warlocks.
This illustration of Tam by John Faed captures the excitement, fear and humour in Burns' poem.
Shakespeare's First Folio, 1623
This first collected edition of plays by William Shakespeare (1564 to 1616) marked its 400th anniversary in 2023.
Only 18 of his plays appeared in print during his lifetime and some were corrupt or pirated.
The First Folio contains 36 plays, 18 of which were published for the first time – saving classics such as 'Macbeth' from probable extinction.
Hyakumantō Darani, 764 to 770
Returning to the throne in 764 following a rebellion, the Japanese Empress Shōtoku commissioned one million wooden pagodas, each containing a printed prayer scroll. These Hyakumantō Darani were distributed in groups of 100,000 to 10 temples in Japan, symbolising the Empress's authority and repentance for the violence of the rebellion.
The Darani are among the earliest known printed works and the scroll is the oldest printed item in our collections.
Blaeu Atlas of Scotland, 1654
When Joan Blaeu (1596 to 1673) published the fifth volume of his 'Atlas novus', Scotland became one of the best-mapped countries in the world.
The volume includes 49 hand-coloured maps that collectively included more than 20,000 place names, depicting the country in unprecedented detail.
Blaeu's map of 'Lothian and Linlitquo' is the earliest published map of the region, with Edinburgh coloured red in the centre.
Festival Fringe material
We have a large collection of ephemera relating to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, from programmes and posters to promotional flyers and tickets.
Some now household names can be spotted among the items, promoting shows early in their careers.
Cutting-edge sensors
State-of-the-art environmental monitoring sensors have been rolled out, including for items in the 'Treasures' exhibition.
The trial of the LoRaWAN kit, which broadcasts at a lower frequency, allows data to be transmitted further and uses less energy.
The compact sensors sit discreetly beside items and can measure light levels, temperature and relative humidity.
Sensors were used to monitor our Gutenberg Bible in the 'Treasures' exhibition space and one was added in the Special Collections Reading Room, among others.
We hope to eventually use them as part of a kit that will travel with collections when they go on loan.
The pilot is in partnership with National Museums Scotland.
Collections in Focus
Blood, Sweat and Tears: Scotland's HIV Story
We welcomed more than 52,000 visitors to this display, curated in partnership with Scotland's HIV and hepatitis C charity Waverley Care.
In 1991, in response to the AIDS epidemic, Waverley Care established one of the world's first hospices for those affected, Milestone House, in Edinburgh. As treatments improved, the remit shifted from palliative to respite care.
This story was told in this exhibition, with the display honouring those who died and survived, people who nursed patients, campaigners and those who raised funds and awareness.
The exhibition showcased how the community took action, with items on display including arts and crafts made by residents of Milestone House, sexual health posters and leaflets, medicine packets and newspaper articles revealing attitudes towards HIV and AIDS. Visitors shared their thoughts and memories on 'leaves' shared on our 'HIV Stories Tree'. More than 1,160 'leaves' were left, written by visitors from across Europe, Argentina, Brazil, China, Canada, Kenya, Korea, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Singapore, Ukraine, Uruguay and the United States.
As part of our supporting programme for 'Blood, Sweat and Tears', the five authors of 'Our Stories Told By Us' spoke at George IV Bridge as part of their book tour. They were joined by members of the Waverley Care team.
Co-authors Charity Nyirenda, Rebecca Mbewe, Winnie Ssanyu Sseruma, Memory Sachikonye and Angelina Namiba discussed the motivations for the book: to tell the world about African leadership in HIV prevention and treatment, to share their own stories in their own voices and to address stigma.
'Blood, Sweat and Tears: Scotland's HIV Story' ran from 12 May to 2 December 2023.
Encountering Political Texts
This thought-provoking display asked 'what makes a text political?' and shone a spotlight on items such as pamphlets, proclamations and sermons dating from 1640 to 1770.
It was a period of political uncertainty in Scotland and England, including arguments for and against the Union of Parliaments in 1707.
Newsbooks, the forerunner to today's newspapers, were also on show, reporting on events at home and abroad during the English Civil War.
The exhibition highlighted the differences between how political information is shared and consumed today with the past.
Alongside the physical copies of items being displayed were some digital versions, encouraging visitors to think about how the different look and feel created different experiences of political texts.
The exhibition was the result of political texts workshops with Newcastle University and the project was funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council Research Network Grant.
'Encountering Political Texts' ran from 8 December 2023 until 20 April 2024.
Events
Fiddler on the rooms
Fiddler Aidan O'Rourke filled the reading rooms with music for two performances of Gaelic folklore – called 'Beacon' – inspired by our exhibition 'Sgeul | Story: Folktales from the Scottish Highlands', which shared the magic of stories collected by John Francis Campbell.
O'Rourke examined the display items to curate 'Beacon', teaming up with musicians Allan MacDonald and Sarah-Jane Summers, plus storyteller Eddie Linehan. The fiddler was inspired by a letter to Campbell that tells how a story of his was "like a flash of lightning, everywhere at once, all over, like one of your lights beaming from a certain distance round a particular spot".
O'Rourke loved the idea of Campbell sending out a beam of light that sweeps around, collecting tales, ballads and charms. He said: "I thought we could all take a walk together through the reading rooms. I imagine one of these beams, illuminating glimpses of the various riches that stimulated Campbell."
Stories linked to Ossianic ballads were shared by Linehan – one of the few storytellers practising seanchaithe, or traditional Irish lore-keeping.
Heroic Gaelic Ossianic ballads reinterpreted
Composer Ned Bigham filled the Library with music with his reinterpretation of Gaelic heroic lays, or laoidhean. These formed a central part of Gaelic culture in the later Middle Ages and tell tales of slain heroes, monsters, giants, battles and love.
Bigham collaborated with traditional Gaelic singer Màiri Macmillan, from South Uist, and celebrated chamber ensemble the Edinburgh Quartet for the concert, which complemented our exhibition, 'Sgeul | Story: Folktales from the Scottish Highlands'.
The exhibition showcased the work of John Francis Campbell of Islay, who compiled one of the most important collections of Iaoidheadn texts.
Bigham said: "In reimagining them for a modern audience we have set them to string quartet, which as far as we are aware is a first."
The event was held thanks to the generosity of the Murray family and the American Patrons of the National Library and Galleries of Scotland.
poyums wae Len Pennie an Susi Briggs
We were delighted to host the official launch of Len Pennie's 'poyums' to a packed house in February 2024, before she embarked on a tour of events across Scotland and the UK.
Renowned for her Scots 'Word of the Day' series on TikTok and powerful feminist verse, Pennie engaged in a candid conversation with Scots Scriever Susi Briggs at our George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh.
They spoke about her journey from online sensation to the release of her debut poetry collection 'poyums', which became a bestseller.
They also spoke about the promotion of Scots, surviving domestic abuse and creative ways to hurl online abuse back at detractors through poetry.
Reaching out
Library's reach
- 241 villages, towns and cities across Scotland.
- 120 places in other parts of the UK.
- 112 towns and cities in other countries worldwide.
'Discover' magazine reaches 238 places in Scotland and 106 areas in the rest of the UK.
Reach across Scotland:
- Discover: 238 areas
- Donors: 92 areas
- Events: 27 areas
- Other (business and digital): 6 areas
Reach across the rest of the UK:
- Discover: 106 areas
- Donors: 33 areas
- Events: 3 areas
- Other (business/digital): 16 areas
Reach across the rest of the world:
- Discover: 98 towns and cities
- Donors: 21 towns and cities
- Events: 1 country
- Other (business and digital): 9 cities
Developing the organisation
Fellowship for National Librarian
We were delighted to see our National Librarian and Chief Executive, Amina Shah, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2023.
The Fellowship comprises around 1,800 leading experts in the arts, sciences, business and third and public sectors.
The RSE says its Fellows are "the most distinguished in their fields", with Amina being recognised for her more than 25 years of experience across the library and cultural sector.
Fellows engage and connect nationally and internationally to share knowledge and tackle the most pressing challenges of the modern world. Engagement and collaboration are both important to Amina, who took part in a number of events in 2023 to 2024.
These included an in-conversation panel in June 2023 as part of the CILIPS WINspiration feminism for libraries series and giving the keynote speech at the WINspiration conference in March 2024.
Amina also held a talk with Q&A at the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Advanced Studies for International Women's Day in March 2024 and attended the First Among Equals leadership lunch with Susan Rice in June 2024.
She also chaired a panel in August 2023 as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, with the subject under discussion 'Do we need a new canon?'.
Climate control and our collections
We have been hosting a groundbreaking research project into maintaining safe environments for storing historic collections.
Bo Han, a PhD student in building and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system simulation modelling, has been exploring the buffering effect of archival boxes to protect against fluctuating environmental conditions.
Preserving historic items requires significant energy use to maintain the right temperature and humidity levels. But the climate crisis means the usual approaches are being reassessed. Bo developed a model, based on our environment modelling data, that shows we can ensure safe storage inside a microenvironment (storage box) so we do not need the same level of control in the macroenvironment (storage areas). It means we would be less reliant on air conditioning – saving us energy and money.
This is the first STEM-based PhD we have collaborated on and the findings are proving of great interest to other cultural institutions. The project is in partnership with Heriot-Watt University.
Java nice day!
Our new café at George IV Bridge is proving a hit with our staff and visitors. The coffee shop has 'bean' busy providing food and drinks to help people have a brew-tiful day. Meanwhile, our new pop-up shop at Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, has also been enjoying a brisk trade and has allowed us to reach a wider range of customers.
Funding our work
Income 2023-24
- Grant in aid: £19,608,000
- Donations and legacies: £1,449,000
- Charitable activities: £674,000
- Other trading activities: £166,000
- Investment income: £393,000
Spending 2023 to 24
- Staff costs: £13,483,000
- Depreciation: £3,718,000
- Building maintenance: £1,437,000
- Other property costs: £1,316,000
- Collection purchases: £729,000
- Other running costs: £2,333,000
Balance Sheet highlights:
- Further additions to collections: £323,000
- Library infrastructure: £968,000
- Value of donated collections added in the year: £58,000
- General reserves at year end: £913,000
Thank you
We are grateful to everyone who donates cash or collections to the National Library of Scotland. Those who have made larger donations to the Library in the past year are listed below. We would also like to thank our majority funder, the Scottish Government, for its continued advocacy and support.
Patrons and Benefactors
Mr Iain and Mrs Fiona Allan
Dr Keith Bailey
Mr David Baylor
Professor Sir Drummond and Lady Bone
Mr Richard and Mrs Catherine Burns
Professor Graham Caie
Professor Sir Kenneth Calman
Rt Hon Lord Cameron of Lochbroom
Lady Coulsfield
Miss Ruth Crawford QC
Sir Sandy and Lady Crombie
Ms Sandra Cumming
Ms Marjorie Drexler
Mrs Helen Durndell
Professor Sir David and Lady Edward
Sir Charles Fraser
Professor Peter Garside
Dr Robert and Dr Sheila Gould
Dr Gray
Ms Dianne Haley
Mr Shields Henderson
Professor David Hewitt
Mr Edward and Mrs Anna Hocknell
Rt Hon Lord and Lady Hope of Craighead
Mr Charles and Mrs Rosemary Hutchison
Mr Dermot and Mrs Miranda Jenkinson
Dr Richard Kimberlin OBE and Mrs Sara Kimberlin
Professor James Laidlaw
The Leckie Family Fund
Mr Stuart Leckie OBE
Mrs Christine Lessels
Dr John Macaskill
Dr Morag MacCormick
Professor Sir Alexander and Lady McCall Smith
Dr Warren McDougall
Mrs Lynda McGrath
Dr Karina McIntosh
Mr Justin McKenzie Smith
Dr Henry Noltie
Mr Fraser Paterson
Mr James Pirrie
Professor Murray Pittock
Mr Charles and Mrs Ruth Plowden
Professor David Purdie
Mrs Fiona Reith QC
Ms Judy Riley
Dr James Robertson
Sir Muir and Lady Russell
Professor Melissa Terras
Professor Sir Iain Torrance
Sir Boyd and Lady Anne Tunnock
Professor William Walker
Mr Max and Lady Sarah Ward
Professor Charles and Mrs Anne Withers
Alma & Leslie Wolfson Charitable Trust
Donors
Mr Campbell Armour and Mr Angus McLeod
Mr John Bremner
Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian and Lady Mary Callander
Dr Tristram Clarke
Dr Neil Dickson
Mr Bruce and Mrs Dorothy Field
Mr Alex Graham
Mr Ian Gregory
Mr James Mark Littlewood
The Right Hon Lord and Lady Macdonald of Tradeston CBE
Mr Alistair MacLeary
Sheriff Norman McFadyen CBE
Sir Ian Rankin OBE and Ms Miranda Harvey
Mr Dennis Smith
Professor Michael Stewart
Mr Alistair Thompson
Mr Brian Tiplady
Miss Elspeth Yeo
Archives Revealed – The National Archives
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
British Library
Conference of European National Libraries
Dr David Summers Charitable Trust
Stichting Teuntje Anna (TA Fund)
The Ettrick Charitable Trust
The John R Murray Charitable Trust
National Lottery Heritage Fund
P F Charitable Trust
Wellcome Trust
American Patrons of the National Library and Galleries of Scotland
Patrick Calhoun
The Cunning Charitable Trust
Angus Deaton and Anne Case
Driver Family Foundation
Lady Bettina and Mr Peter Drummond-Hay
Francis Finlay Foundation
Mr James Fraser
Martin J.G. Glynn
Mr and Mrs Conrad K. Harper
Nancy G. Harrison
Charlotte Lyeth Burton
Mr and Mrs John Macaskill
Fraser MacHaffie
Robert and Fulvia McCrie
Thomas Neff
Thomas Richardson
Barbara Shailor
Ciannait Sweeney Tait
K.T. Wiedemann Foundation
Zachs-Adam Family Fund
And all who donated anonymously.
Find out more about supporting the National Library of Scotland, or email development@nls.uk.
The National Library of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, No. SC011086