The Scottish Poetry Library is a public library with charitable status specialising in contemporary Scottish writing in English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic. The library, which is free to join for UK residents, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024. The SPL houses a borrowing and reference collection of books, pamphlets and audio material. Visitors are welcome to browse the shelves and have a relaxing read in the library.
The library was founded in 1984 by poet Tessa Ransford. Tom Hubbard was its first librarian. The present Director, Asif Khan, was appointed from June 2016. [1] Khan is supported by a team of librarians and specialist staff with expertise in collections management, special projects, learning, events and communications. [2]
The SPL is a limited company with charitable status. From November 2023, its Board was co-Chaired by Claudia Daventry and Charlie Roy. The SPL has status as a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) with a remit to support audience development, literacy through reader development and creative writing classes with diverse groups, schools and public libraries, and to promote opportunities for writers and performers for showcasing their talents at home and abroad.
Since 1999, the library has been based at 5 Crichton's Close, just off the Canongate in Edinburgh's Old Town. The library building was designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects, and was shortlisted for Channel 4's "Building of the Year" in 2000. [3] It has been described as "a poem in glass and stone", [4] and was included in Prospect magazine's 2005 list of the 100 best modern Scottish buildings. [5]
The Hunterian is a complex of museums located in and operated by the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest museum in Scotland. It covers the Hunterian Museum, the Hunterian Art Gallery, the Mackintosh House, the Zoology Museum and the Anatomy Museum, which are all located in various buildings on the main campus of the university in the west end of Glasgow.
The Ruskin – Library, Museum and Research Centre is an archive, museum, and research centre at Lancaster University, in the north of England. The Director of The Ruskin is Professor Sandra Kemp. Prior to 2019, The Ruskin – Library, Museum and Research Centre was known as the Ruskin Library.
The National Library of Scotland is one of the country's National Collections. It is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom. As well as a public programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, and tours, the National Library of Scotland has reading rooms where visitors can access the collections. It is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is a member of Research Libraries UK (RLUK) and the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL).
The Advocates Library, founded in 1682, is the law library of the Faculty of Advocates, in Edinburgh. It served as the national deposit library of Scotland until 1925, at which time through an act of Parliament, the National Library of Scotland Act 1925, the National Library of Scotland was created. All the non-legal collections were transferred to the National Library. Today, it alone of the Scottish libraries still holds the privilege of receiving a copy of every law book entered at Stationers' Hall.
Liz Lochhead Hon FRSE is a Scottish poet, playwright, translator and broadcaster. Between 2011 and 2016 she was the Makar, or National Poet of Scotland, and served as Poet Laureate for Glasgow between 2005 and 2011.
Redford Cavalry and Infantry Barracks is a military installation located on Colinton Road, near the Edinburgh City Bypass, east of the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. The barracks are set to close in 2029.
Falmouth University is a specialist public university for the creative industries based in Falmouth and Penryn, Cornwall, England. Founded as Falmouth School of Art in 1902, it was later known as Falmouth College of Art and Design and then Falmouth College of Arts until 2012, when the university college was officially granted full university status by the Privy Council.
The Museum of Edinburgh, formerly known as Huntly House and the historic Bank of Scotland Head Office, located at 142-146 Canongate, is a museum in Edinburgh, Scotland, housing a collection relating to the town's origins, history and legends. Exhibits are described as a maze of history with more rooms than one can imagine. From decade to decade down the timeline, rooms include an original copy of the National Covenant signed at Greyfriars Kirk in 1638 and a reconstruction of Field Marshal Earl Haig's headquarters on the Western Front during the Great War, the latter exhibiting items bequeathed to the Museum.
Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and part of Edinburgh College of Art. The building has three exhibition spaces, including a contemporary white cube gallery and a neoclassical space that was formerly a 19th-century natural history museum. Its programme includes a number of exhibitions each year, with solo shows providing international artists with access to University research and collections, whilst conceptual group shows foreground key political and social issues. Talbot Rice Gallery is open to the public and admission free.
Edinburgh University Press is a scholarly publisher of academic books and journals, based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Royal Medical Society (RMS) is a society run by students at the University of Edinburgh Medical School, Scotland. It claims to be the oldest medical society in the United Kingdom although this claim is also made by the earlier London-based Society of Apothecaries (1617). The current president of the 287th session is fifth-year medical student Miss Nanna Sivamanoharan. The RMS is a professional society engaged in the advancement of medical knowledge and provision of assistance to medical students and professionals.
Richard John Price is a British poet, novelist, and translator. From 1988 to 2024 he was a librarian at the British Library, London.
The Assembly Rooms are meeting halls in central Edinburgh, Scotland. Originally solely a meeting place for social gatherings, it is now also used as an arts venue and for public events, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Hogmanay celebrations. There are four rooms, with moveable chairs or tables, that are used year-round and are available for private functions: Music Hall, Ballroom, Supper Room and Edinburgh Suite.
Scottish Book Trust is a national charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland promoting literature, reading and writing in Scotland. Scottish Book Trust works with and for a range of audiences, including babies and parents, children and young people, teachers and learning professionals, and writers and publishers.
Edinburgh University Library is the main library of the University of Edinburgh and one of the most important libraries of Scotland. The University Library was moved in 1827 to William Playfair's Upper Library in the Old College building. The collections in Edinburgh University Old College were moved in 1967 to the purpose-built eight-storey Main Library building at George Square, one of the largest academic libraries in the world. Today, Edinburgh's university-wide library system holds over 3.8m books, e-books and e-journals in total.
Kevin MacNeil is a Scottish novelist, poet, screenwriter, lyricist, playwright and educator. He was born and raised on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
Wellington School is a private day school in Ayr, Scotland. The school was founded in 1836 as a school for girls, today the co-educational school provides both primary and secondary education between its Junior and Senior Schools for around 580 pupils between the ages of three and eighteen years. Wellington School generally draws its pupils from across Ayrshire.
McDonald Road Library is one of 28 freely-accessible public libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland. The library opened in 1904 as the East Branch of the city's library service. It is located on the corner of McDonald Road and Leith Walk, and is a category B listed building.
The City Art Centre is part of the Museums & Galleries Edinburgh, which sits under the Culture directorate of the City of Edinburgh Council. The City Art Centre has a collection which include historic and modern Scottish painting and photography, as well as contemporary art and craft. It is an exhibition based venue with no permanent displays.
The Makar is the national poet of Scotland which was established in February 2004 by the Scottish Government and supported by Creative Scotland. The incumbent Makar serves a maximum term of three years which is non–renewable, and has overall responsibility for the promotion of literacy, poetry and writing across the country, as well as producing annual reports for both the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament.