Books and Borrowing 1750-1830

Online Exhibition

Our online exhibition – Library Lives: Hidden Histories of Reading in Georgian Edinburgh – was created in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and its Centre for Research Collections.

The exhibition explains what borrowing registers are and explores the library lives of borrowers at four libraries in Georgian Edinburgh: The Royal High School Library, the University Library, the Advocates Library, and the Chambers Circulating Library.

Three featured borrowers – Principal William Robertson, Sir Walter Scott, and Mrs Anne Grant of Laggan – are our guides to Georgian Edinburgh’s libraries in a richly illustrated and interactive online exhibition.

We offer special thanks to Elizabeth Quarmby Lawrence, Rare Books and Literary Collections Curator, and Bianca Packham, Engagement Officer (Exhibitions), both of the University of Edinburgh who guided us through the process of creation.

Snapshot of the online exhibition index.