Edinburgh job – Process operator
August 3, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
We think this job sounds a bit more interesting than the title would first suggest!
It is based at the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries working from the National Library of Scotland at Causewayside, but appears to involve work with the Bodleian Library in Oxford and the library at Trinity College Dublin. The job advert explains what you would need to do :-
You will contribute to the receipting, processing, recording and distribution processes of materials within ALDL. Good team working skills, attention to detail, customer-focus and a strong desire to achieve consistently high standards are essential. Experience of working with electronic databases or recording systems is also essential. Familiarity with cataloguing standards and warehousing/book distribution or library systems would be an advantage.
SSA Search For Scottish Films of Last 40 Years
August 1, 2011 by Ali George · Leave a Comment
The Scottish Screen Archive (SSA), a part of the National Library of Scotland, is looking for films and videos shot in Scotland over the last 40 years that may be gathering dust in attics and forgotten cupboards.
The SSA wants to collect the films and videos now as there is a danger they could be lost forever. The films will be added to the national collection of film held by the SSA which provides a wonderful and unique record of Scotland in the 20thcentury.
Since the 1980s, most individuals, organisations or community groups have used video to capture ordinary life, local events, changes to their neighbourhood or to promote local interests. However, as video is becoming increasingly obsolete tapes are being thrown away, and these unique visual records from the last few decades could be lost forever. The SSA is appealing to the public for help in saving these films to ensure the most complete record of life in Scotland from the 1970s up to the present day is preserved.
In particular it is looking for film / video / digital media material, fiction or non-fiction from:
- Video workshops / community groups / action groups
- Cine / Video Clubs
- Promotional films for local industries / charities / tourism
- Sport and leisure
- Footage depicting significant changes in local communities
- Special local community events. eg. Gala Days ; Millennium Celebrations
Kay Foubister, SSA Curator who is working on this project said: “The advent of cheaper video cameras in the 1980s and 1990s made it much easier for people to record local events. However, video has been replaced by newer technology and there is a real danger that these tapes will just be forgotten about and discarded. We want to prevent that happening.”
The SSA is looking for films from 1970 onwards and anyone who can help is asked to contact Kay by completing an online submission form at www.gla.ac.uk/cams or by emailing ssaacquisitions@nls.uk . Alternatively, they can telephone on 0845 366 4608.
The SSA is also interested in films that were made by children in the same period. It is working with a team at the University of Glasgow who are researching aspects of childhood and the development of children making their own movies. This team in interested in hearing from anyone who
- Made their own movies as a child
- Were part of a group that ran video workshops for children
- Participated as a child in movie making during the 1970s – 2000
Further information can be found on the project website www.gla.ac.uk/cams or by writing to the research team, Dr Karen Lury and Dr Ryan Shand.
More than 1000 films or film clips depicting community life in Scotland throughout the 20th Century can be viewed on the SSA’s website at www.nls.uk/ssa. The website has just been recognised by List magazine as one of the top 30 webites in Scotland.
National Library Puts Banned Books in the Spotlight
June 23, 2011 by Ali George · 1 Comment
The National Library of Scotland hopes to provide a revealing insight into some of the most controversial material ever written by displaying a series of banned books this summer.
Infamous titles such as DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita are joined by many other books also considered unsuitable for public consumption at their time of publication, including school syllabus classic Lord of the Flies and the scripts of popular TV Show Father Ted.
The exhibition opens on Friday 24 June and runs until 30 October. It explores issues of censorship and how it this has differed between societies and over time. It also focuses on the authors of banned titles, exploring the compromises and personal risks they endured as a result of their creations.
Martyn Wade, National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland, said: “Over the centuries many books have been burned, censored or challenged by the state and religious authorities, and society itself, because their contents did not conform to the political, religious or moral codes of their day.
“Libraries such as the National Library of Scotland have a vital role in freedom of expression and speech, allowing everyone to explore knowledge and ideas now and into the future.
“Our exhibition presents an opportunity for visitors to learn more about censorship and how it has differed over time and place, with a view to encouraging informed discussion and debate around these issues.”
The exhibition covers material dating back almost 500 years, from the Spanish Inquisition to more modern banned books such as Trainspotting and Harry Potter.
The Banned Books exhibition is open from June 24 – Oct 30 at the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW. For more information about the exhibition and its contents visit www.nls.uk.
Gaelic gone digital at the National Library
June 14, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
An online collection of Gaelic literature is proving to be a big hit, clocking up hundreds of thousands of downloads since its launch.
The National Library of Scotland has spent the past two years digitising 434,000 pages from its Early Gaelic Book Collection.
Since the site was completed in October it has proved to be a huge success attracting 323,000 downloads with the Archaeologica Britannica, documenting the histories and customs of the original inhabitants of Great Britain, receiving the most clicks.
The Early Gaelic Book Collection includes 1,800 books in Gaelic and other Celtic languages, as well as works about the Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history.
Lee Hibberd, Digitisation Manager at the National Library of Scotland, said: “Digitising the collection is a fantastic way of keeping the language alive and bringing it to a modern audience.
“The collection is also culturally very important not only for its content but for those who created it. Individuals such as Angus Matheson, the first Professor of Celtic at Glasgow University and Hew Morrison, the first City Librarian of Edinburgh proved to be pivotal figures in Gaelic literary history.”
Digitised items also act as a preservative, offering a surrogate version for Library staff to access, limiting wear and tear on the originals. Films and sound recordings stored on perishable mediums, such as reel-to-reel tapes, also benefit from digitisation.
When the project to digitise the 1,800 book collection began in September 2008, the Library’s largest online project contained 7,000 images. The Early Gaelic Book Collections contains 60 times that number from the collections of five Scots including the aforementioned academics, Lady Evelyn Stewart Murray, John Francis Campbell of Islay and J. Norman Methven.
Lee Hibberd added: “Digitisation is a wonderful way to bring the content of the National Library to people in the comfort of their homes. We have had online visitors from four of the five continents and you never know someone in Antarctica may have an, as yet undiscovered, interest in Gaelic literature.”
For more information on what documents are available online visit the National Library website: www.nls.uk ‘The Early Gaelic Book Collections’ can be viewed at http://digital.nls.uk/pageturner.cfm?id=75733573
The National Library of Scotland recently put its draft Gaelic Language Plan out for consultation prior to its submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig at the end of July. NLS’ draft Gaelic Language Plan is available at www.nls.uk and responses are welcome. These should be sent to Paul Hambelton at NLS, by email p.hambelton@nls.uk or post to Paul Hambelton, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW no later than 8th July 2011.
Consultation on Draft Gaelic Language plan
May 30, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
The National Library of Scotland has put its draft Gaelic Language Plan out for consultation prior to its submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig at the end of July.
The plan, which has been developed in accordance with the Gaelic Language ( Scotland) Act 2005, outlines NLS’ commitment to the sustainability of the Gaelic language by demonstrating how it will build on its long history of collecting, preserving and promoting its unique Gaelic collections.
In addition to collecting Gaelic books, journals and other materials, and hosting related public and educational events, NLS, which is believed to hold the pre-eminent collection of Gaelic material in the world, recently invested £100k in the digitization of hundreds of thousands of pages of rare Gaelic books, making them available to people across the world.
The plan highlights how NLS will continue to add to its Gaelic material, both historic and contemporary, and ensure access for those who would like to use, learn and be inspired by it. This will be achieved by extending curatorial expertise, collecting contemporary Scottish Gaelic material, developing new resources, continuing to digitise Gaelic material, enhancing visibility of Gaelic through corporate identity and building on relationships with partners and stakeholders.
Martyn Wade, National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland, said: “Through our mission to collect, preserve and provide access to Scotland’s recorded culture we believe we have a unique contribution to make to the vitality of the Gaelic language in Scotland and beyond.
“Gaelic is highly valued by NLS as a key part of that culture and our commitment to continue enhancing our collection of Gaelic material and increasing access to it is central to our Gaelic Language Plan.
“We would very much welcome and look forward to receiving feedback on our draft plan before our formal submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig.”
NLS’ draft Gaelic Language Plan is available at www.nls.uk
Responses should be sent to Paul Hambelton at NLS, by email or post to Paul Hambelton, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW no later than 8 July 2011.
John Murray Archive added to UNESCO Register
May 23, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
The National Library of Scotland has again been selected to have a collection included in a worldwide online database of cultural merit.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has selected the John Murray Archive (JMA) as one of the 2011 additions into the UK Memory of the World Register.
In its inaugural year in 2010 the Library had four inclusions in the register including maps from cartographer Timothy Pont and books from Scotland’s first printers Walter Chepman and Andrew Myllar.
The register is a global celebration of heritage, focusing on archive, library items and collections of outstanding universal value, with a remit to promote their merits.
The JMA, which is now permanently housed at the National Library of Scotland following its recent acquisition, is a treasure trove of over 200 years of the Murray firm’s publishing history. Featuring over 250,000 items, the JMA contains letters, manuscripts and business records from over 16,000 people, including some of the greatest writers, politicians, explorers and scientists of the late 18th to the mid 20th centuries. Charles Darwin, Lord Byron, Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott and David Livingstone are just some of those great names published by the Murray family since 1768.
Martyn Wade, National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Scotland, said: “To have been included in the register last year was thrilling. To have been included again so soon is recognition of depth and quality of our archives here in Edinburgh. It is especially pleasing that the John Murray Archive has been selected for the register following our recent acquisition of the collection and our commitment to make it accessible to the nation.”
The UK Memory of the World Register was established last year with the aim of highlighting some of the UK’s lesser-known items of historical interest by awarding them with the globally-recognised Memory of the World status.
David Dawson, Chair of the UK Memory of the World Committee, said: “We were incredibly impressed by the diversity and richness of these nominations to the register.”
The Bank of Scotland Archives and Lothian Health Services Archive on Aids/HIV were also selected by UNESCO.
“David Hume: Philosopher and Historian” – talk on 25 May
May 10, 2011 by Calum Aikman · Leave a Comment
“Hume’s contemporaries knew him as a historian as well as a philosopher. His massive History of England was and remained a best-seller for half a century after his death.
Did that mean Hume had abandoned philosophy for history?
What is the significance of his interest in history for understanding his philosophy?”
As part of a panoply of events in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of David Hume, the National Library of Scotland is organising a talk, entitled ‘David Hume: Philosopher and Historian’, to be given on Wednesday 25 May at 6pm at the Main Building on George IV Bridge. The talk will be conducted by Nicholas Phillipson, an Honorary Fellow in History at the University of Edinburgh, and author of a forthcoming intellectual biography of Adam Smith.
The National Library of Scotland strongly recommends that you book in advance, as places are limited. To do so, either book online or phone 0131 623 3918. This event is free.
300th birthday celebrated in Edinburgh
May 5, 2011 by Jenny Kassner · Leave a Comment
Books and papers relating to Scotland’s most celebrated philosopher, David Hume, go on display today at the National Library of Scotland, 300 years after his birth.
Hume was one of the most prominent figures in the Scottish Enlightenment and one of the first British men of letters to win fame and fortune through his pen, both as an essayist and historian.
Now Scotland’s largest library is giving the public a chance to view an original copy of Hume’s famous ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’ (volume 1) which dates back to 1739, and is considered by many scholars to be his most important work.
Dr Iain Gordon Brown, Principal Curator of Manuscripts at the National Library of Scotland, said: “Our display is a great tribute to Hume who is arguably the most important philosopher ever to write in English. Hume’s ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’ is a fascinating insight into ‘the science of man’ but was not an immediate success in Britain, and inevitably attracted criticism from his contemporaries.
“To illustrate this we have also put on display a letter, written by Hume to Glasgow professor Francis Hutcheson in 1739, in which he responds to such criticism. If you are interested in Hume or want to learn more, come to Edinburgh and see this inspiring collection first-hand.”
Hume was an international celebrity who enjoyed a varied career – he was a law student, apprentice merchant, military secretary, diplomat and civil servant. Although popular in literary circles he also attracted controversy due to his perceived atheism.
NLS is a major centre of Hume scholarship, with world-renowned collections of his correspondence, papers and books. Most distinguished of all is the Hume Collection bequeathed to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1838 by the philosopher’s nephew, and now on long-term loan to the National Library of Scotland. In the 1750s Hume was Keeper of the Advocates’ Library, predecessor of the present National Library of Scotland.
Other highlights in the treasures display include letters between Hume and his contemporaries, including Adam Smith, and minutes of meetings from his time with the Advocates’ Library.
The display will be open to the public from today until June 28. For further information log on to their website.
Alice in Wonderland Treasures at the National Library of Scotland
March 17, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
A rare first issue of the first edition of the children’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and original costume visuals from a new Scottish Ballet production of the famous tale, will feature in a new display at the National Library of Scotland.
The ‘Alice in Wonderland treasures display’ launches tomorrow and features a host of items relating to the 1865 book and its author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson who penned it under the pseudonym ‘Lewis Carroll’.
Key exhibits include a rare copy of the withdrawn 1865 first issue; the author hastily withdrew the first print run of 2,000 copies following complaints about the quality of the printed illustrations from their creator John Tenniel. Few copies have survived, and the Library’s copy is in the original red cloth binding.
Stephanie Breen, senior curator, National Library of Scotland, said: “The ‘Alice in Wonderland treasures display’ is a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to get up close to a very rare issue of the book and other treasures which are seldom seen. Visitors will have a wonderful opportunity to view the first and second editions side by side and examine the differences in printing between the withdrawn 1865 Alice, printed at the Clarendon Press, and the subsequent 1866 edition, printed by Richard Clay as a replacement.”
Other highlights in the treasures display include a first edition of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872) signed by Alice Pleasance Hargreaves (née Liddell) – the original inspiration for ‘Alice’ – and various letters from Dodgson (Carroll).
The display also features a behind-the-scenes film montage of rehearsals from the pending Scottish Ballet production, and original costume and set visuals from Alice which will be held at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from next month. Visitors will also have a chance to win tickets to the production by entering a competition at the Library.
Catherine Cassidy, Associate Director Education, Scottish Ballet, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the National Library of Scotland and are particularly excited about reaching new audiences through both the display and our first ever backstage live stream event on 21st April.”
Viewers will catch a glimpse of life behind the scenes at Scottish Ballet directly before the Company’s performance of Alice in Edinburgh Festival Theatre and this event can be viewed live at the National Library with a post stream discussion as well from the Scottish ballet website. This event must be booked in advance, online or by calling 0131 623 3918.
The ‘Alice in Wonderland treasures display’ will be open to the public from March 18-May 2. For further information log on to The National Library page about Alice
For more information on the Scottish Ballet’s production of Alice (April 20-23) log on to The Scottish Ballet website
It’s official! Top Ten Family-friendly cities includes Edinburgh
March 11, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Edinburgh has been voted among the top ten family-friendly cities in Europe according to Internet travel website Trip Advisor. In fact it was positioned at number Two! Our fair city was pipped at the post only by one other, Florence in Italy, which took top position.
According to Trip Advisor, Edinburgh deserves the accolade because of its abundance of free attractions, museums and the constant flow of vibrant events on the festival calendar in every season.
The site also listed its top ten Edinburgh attractions:-
1. Camera Obscura
2. Royal Yacht Britannia
3. Royal Botanic Garden
4. Arthur’s Seat
5. Museum of Scotland
6. Scott Monument
7. National Gallery of Scotland
8. Portobello Beach
9. Edinburgh Castle
10. Holyrood Palace
In the poll, Edinburgh is placed ahead of other popular family holiday destinations such as London, Rome, Paris and Vienna.
