Books and Borrowing 1750-1830

List of libraries

Edinburgh University Library

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edinburgh-university

Also known as University of Edinburgh Library. Located in Edinburgh. Founded in 1582. Type of library: Institutional. Collection: Still in situ.
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This bar chart shows total borrowings by year. Of the 36 extant registers for our period, we have transcribed 5. This bar chart allows you to see which years have been transcribed at a glance, and gaps in this bar chart represent periods for which we have not transcribed borrowings, not ones where no borrowings are recorded.

["1747","1748","1749","1750","1751","1752","1753","1754","1755","1756","1757","1758","1759","1760","1761","1762","1763","1764","1765","1766","1767","1768","1769","1770","1771","1772","1773","1774","1775","1776","1777","1778","1779","1780","1781","1782","1783","1784","1785","1786","1787","1788","1789","1790","1791","1792","1793","1794","1795","1796","1797","1798","1799","1800","1801","1802","1803","1804","1805","1806","1807","1808","1809","1810","1811","1812","1813","1814","1815","1816"]
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Library description

The Edinburgh University Library is one of the oldest libraries in Scotland. It dates from 1580 when Clement Little bequeathed his books to the Town and Kirk of Edinburgh. The gift was transferred to the Town's College upon its foundation by King James VI's charter in 1582.

Borrower description

The library was for the use of the University of Edinburgh's academic community. Students became members on payment of a matriculation fee. Outside users were permitted to borrow books with the permission of the principal. The professors' borrowing registers also show evidence of books being borrowed for friends and family.

Holding description

[significant donations/bequests]

  • 1582: Clement Little - 276 vols
  • 1624: Drummond of Hawthornden
  • 1678: Nairn - 1838 books
  • 1763: Surgeons' Library - 560 volumes

Sources

  • Matriculation records: Historial Alumni: https://collections.ed.ac.uk/alumni
  • Other: Guardbook catalogue: https://collections.ed.ac.uk/guardbook

Secondary sources

Robert D. Anderson, Michael Lynch and Nicholas Phillipson, The University of Edinburgh: An Illustrated History (Edinburgh: EUP, 2008)

Jean R. Guild and Alexander Law (eds), Edinburgh University Library: A Collection of Historical Essays (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Library, 1982)

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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

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Advocates Library

Also known as Advocates' Library

Location: Edinburgh
Foundation date: 1682
Type of library: Institutional
Number of library registers: 54
Number of books: 5899
Number of borrowers: 932
Number of library records: 11812

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Orkney Library

Also known as Kirkwall Library, Orkney Subscription Library

Location: Kirkwall
Foundation date: 1683
Type of library: Subscription
Number of library registers: 4
Number of books: 236
Number of borrowers: 127
Number of library records: 1636

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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

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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: 832
Number of borrowers: 179
Number of library records: 11812

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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

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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

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