Libraries

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The eighteen libraries in the Books and Borrowing dataset can be accessed through this page. The map below shows their locations. Press on a book icon to see brief details of the library in question. Note that there are four libraries in Edinburgh and two in Glasgow; zoom in to separate out the book icons in these locations (the Hunterian Museum Library and the Glasgow University Library will only separate out at the very closest level of zoom).

In the table below, press on ‘Open’ to see further details of each library, including images of the borrowers’ registers and all transcriptions. Press on a table heading to order the table by your chosen column; press a second time to reverse the order.

Name	Location	Foundation date	Type	Registers	Books	Borrowers	Borrowing records
Aberdeen Theological Library Open View on map 57.14929-2.09695	Aberdeen	1700	Institutional	7	360	278	3333
Advocates Library Open View on map 55.949350169861496-3.1895776060998053	Edinburgh	1682	Institutional	54	5928	934	11905
Chambers' Circulating Library Open View on map 55.953440425191246-3.197450443879709	Edinburgh	1828	Other	1	919	311	7319
Craigston Castle Library Open View on map 57.584809090630834-2.399414159156975	Craigston	1604	Other	1	396	189	684
Dumfries Presbytery Library Open View on map 55.070724-3.611993	Dumfries	c.1706	Other	1	636	249	3475
Edinburgh University Library Open View on map 55.94754-3.18670	Edinburgh	1582	Institutional	36	2339	2069	14638
Glasgow University Library Open View on map 55.860528-4.239364	Glasgow	1451	Institutional	8	3476	1013	15372
Haddington Library Open View on map 55.954896-2.773803	Haddington	1717	Other	2	462	743	5187
Hunterian Museum Library Open View on map 55.86052-4.23939	Glasgow	1807	Institutional	1	244	42	368
Innerpeffray Library Open View on map 56.344872027554935-3.77670835767098	Innerpeffray	1680	Other	1	793	1182	5393
Inverness Kirk Sessions Library Open View on map 57.48013426746443-4.2277310000734145	Inverness	1706	Institutional	1	38	20	61
Leighton Library Open View on map 56.18868495530077-3.964384274529208	Dunblane	1688	Subscription	5	809	306	6737
Orkney Library Open View on map 58.98140-2.96056	Kirkwall	1683	Subscription	5	603	266	14495
Royal High School of Edinburgh Open View on map 55.9487994-3.1843593	Edinburgh	1658	Institutional	5	1966	2410	19968
Selkirk Library Open View on map 55.54846458930639-2.8424136727292666	Selkirk	1772	Subscription	2	859	243	15521
St Andrews University Library Open View on map 56.33934-2.79426	St Andrews	1612	Institutional	25	7560	673	21578
Westerkirk Open View on map	Bentpath	1793-01-20	Subscription	1	293	166	10239
Wigtown Subscription Library Open View on map 54.868552-4.441585	Wigtown	1795	Subscription	4	345	103	6230

This bar chart shows borrowing spans and number of borrowings across all libraries throughout the period so that you can quickly establish which decades are covered by each library in our dataset for the purposes of accurate comparison. Hover over the name of a library in the box underneath the bar chart to highlight data relating to that library. Press on that library’s name in the box to remove it from the bar chart; press on the name again to restore it.

Note that our coverage is selective, not comprehensive, and we hope this bar chart makes transparent where comparison is possible and where it is not.

[{"lat":57.14929,"lng":-2.09695,"tip":"Aberdeen Theological Library","popup":"

Aberdeen Theological Library

Location: Aberdeen
Foundation date: 1700
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 7
Number of books: 360
Number of borrowers: 278
Number of library records: 3333

","slug":"aberdeen-theological"},{"lat":55.949350169861496,"lng":-3.1895776060998053,"tip":"Advocates Library","popup":"

Advocates Library

Also known as Advocates' Library

Location: Edinburgh
Foundation date: 1682
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 54
Number of books: 5928
Number of borrowers: 934
Number of library records: 11905

","slug":"advocates"},{"lat":55.953440425191246,"lng":-3.197450443879709,"tip":"Chambers' Circulating Library","popup":"

Chambers' Circulating Library

Also known as Robert Chambers' Circulating Library

Location: Edinburgh
Foundation date: 1828
Type of library: Other
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 919
Number of borrowers: 311
Number of library records: 7319

","slug":"chambers"},{"lat":57.584809090630834,"lng":-2.399414159156975,"tip":"Craigston Castle Library","popup":"

Craigston Castle Library

Location: Craigston
Foundation date: 1604
Type of library: Other
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 396
Number of borrowers: 189
Number of library records: 684

","slug":"craigston-castle"},{"lat":55.070724,"lng":-3.611993,"tip":"Dumfries Presbytery Library","popup":"

Dumfries Presbytery Library

Location: Dumfries
Foundation date: c.1706
Type of library: Other
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 636
Number of borrowers: 249
Number of library records: 3475

","slug":"dumfries-presbytery"},{"lat":55.94754,"lng":-3.18670,"tip":"Edinburgh University Library","popup":"

Edinburgh University Library

Also known as University of Edinburgh Library

Location: Edinburgh
Foundation date: 1582
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 36
Number of books: 2339
Number of borrowers: 2069
Number of library records: 14638

","slug":"edinburgh-university"},{"lat":55.860528,"lng":-4.239364,"tip":"Glasgow University Library","popup":"

Glasgow University Library

Also known as University of Glasgow Library

Location: Glasgow
Foundation date: 1451
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 8
Number of books: 3476
Number of borrowers: 1013
Number of library records: 15372

","slug":"glasgow-university"},{"lat":55.954896,"lng":-2.773803,"tip":"Haddington Library","popup":"

Haddington Library

Also known as John Gray Library

Location: Haddington
Foundation date: 1717
Type of library: Other
Number of library registers: 2
Number of books: 462
Number of borrowers: 743
Number of library records: 5187

","slug":"haddington"},{"lat":55.86052,"lng":-4.23939,"tip":"Hunterian Museum Library","popup":"

Hunterian Museum Library

Location: Glasgow
Foundation date: 1807
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 244
Number of borrowers: 42
Number of library records: 368

","slug":"hunterian-museum"},{"lat":56.344872027554935,"lng":-3.77670835767098,"tip":"Innerpeffray Library","popup":"

Innerpeffray Library

Also known as The Library of Innerpeffray

Location: Innerpeffray
Foundation date: 1680
Type of library: Other
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 793
Number of borrowers: 1182
Number of library records: 5393

","slug":"innerpeffray"},{"lat":57.48013426746443,"lng":-4.2277310000734145,"tip":"Inverness Kirk Sessions Library","popup":"

Inverness Kirk Sessions Library

Also known as Inverness Presbyterial Library

Location: Inverness
Foundation date: 1706
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 1
Number of books: 38
Number of borrowers: 20
Number of library records: 61

","slug":"inverness-kirk-sessions"},{"lat":56.18868495530077,"lng":-3.964384274529208,"tip":"Leighton Library","popup":"

Leighton Library

Also known as Bibliotheca Leightoniana
Leightonian Library
Library of Dunblane

Location: Dunblane
Foundation date: 1688
Type of library: Subscription
Number of library registers: 5
Number of books: 809
Number of borrowers: 306
Number of library records: 6737

","slug":"leighton"},{"lat":58.98140,"lng":-2.96056,"tip":"Orkney Library","popup":"

Orkney Library

Also known as Kirkwall Library, Orkney Subscription Library

Location: Kirkwall
Foundation date: 1683
Type of library: Subscription
Number of library registers: 5
Number of books: 603
Number of borrowers: 266
Number of library records: 14495

","slug":"orkney"},{"lat":55.9487994,"lng":-3.1843593,"tip":"Royal High School of Edinburgh","popup":"

Royal High School of Edinburgh

Also known as High School of Edinburgh

Location: Edinburgh
Foundation date: 1658
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 5
Number of books: 1966
Number of borrowers: 2410
Number of library records: 19968

","slug":"royal-high-school-edinburgh"},{"lat":55.54846458930639,"lng":-2.8424136727292666,"tip":"Selkirk Library","popup":"

Selkirk Library

Also known as Selkirk Subscription Library

Location: Selkirk
Foundation date: 1772
Type of library: Subscription
Number of library registers: 2
Number of books: 859
Number of borrowers: 243
Number of library records: 15521

","slug":"selkirk"},{"lat":56.33934,"lng":-2.79426,"tip":"St Andrews University Library","popup":"

St Andrews University Library

Location: St Andrews
Foundation date: 1612
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 25
Number of books: 7560
Number of borrowers: 673
Number of library records: 21578

","slug":"st-andrews"},{"lat":54.868552,"lng":-4.441585,"tip":"Wigtown Subscription Library","popup":"

Wigtown Subscription Library

Location: Wigtown
Foundation date: 1795
Type of library: Subscription
Number of library registers: 4
Number of books: 345
Number of borrowers: 103
Number of library records: 6230

","slug":"wigtown"}]

["1730-1739","1740-1749","1750-1759","1760-1769","1770-1779","1780-1789","1790-1799","1800-1809","1810-1819","1820-1829","1830-1839","1840-1849"]

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Books and Borrowing 1750-1830