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National Library of Scotland

@natlibscot.bsky.social
8.2K followers 825 following 565 posts

Scotland’s living memory. If you can think of it, we probably have it.

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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Choosing what to save on a floppy disc was a deliberate act. Today, cloud storage feels limitless, but what does that mean for the stories we choose to tell? And will future generations even be able to read the formats we use today?
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Our born digital archives contain lives captured on all of these, from Dorothy Dunnett’s 8” discs to James Kelman’s 3.5” floppies and Kathleen Jamie’s USB drives.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
How do we save our stories when the format keeps changing? 💾 From the 8-inch floppy discs of the 1970s - once costing a fortune in computer terms - to the ubiquitous USB drive, the way we store our memories has transformed.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Did you know that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress? 📖 Join us for the Wee Read this Wednesday! Drop in to hear six minutes of a book read by Library staff in our Rain exhibition. Readings every hour from 10:30am to 4:30pm.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Students can explore historic treasures from our collections, learn about conservation, discover the history of our buildings, and practise independent study in our Discovery Room.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Happy World Teacher Day! 🍎 From online workshops that guide Advanced Higher students through using our catalogue for their dissertations, to self-guided visits and staff-led tours, we offer a range of ways to bring the Library into your classroom - or your classroom into the Library.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Wondering where to get your coffee this #InternationalCoffeeDay? We have some maps that might be able to help... 🗺️☕ Where do you get your favourite brew from?
Three speciality coffee maps and a world atlas of coffee lie on a table next to a coffee mug.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Drawing on treasures from our Moving Image Archive and personal reflections, this piece dives into the many meanings in a downpour on screen. It can obscure, reveal, isolate, or actively drive a story forward. Sometimes it simply falls in the background, shaping the mood and atmosphere.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
From the torrential downpour that washes away Andy Dufresne's old life in 'The Shawshank Redemption', to the joyful puddle-stomping of Gene Kelly in 'Singin' in the Rain', and the terrifying storm that unleashes the T. rex in 'Jurassic Park' - rain is more than just weather on screen.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Rain can signal hope, danger, romance, freedom or atmosphere ☔ In our new long read, Library staff explore rainy moments in cinema and what they mean to us.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🔗 Find out more and apply on our website > nls.current-vacancies.com/Careers/nls-...
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Content Designer (maternity cover) – £37,439, fixed-term maternity cover (9 months initially, with the possibility of extension). Develop engaging, accessible and user-centred content across our websites, helping people discover and connect with our collections and services. 📅 Closes: 06/10/26
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Content and Analytics Officer – £33,268, permanent. Combine content operations with analytics and insight to elp us understand, improve and maintain the National Library of Scotland's website. 📅 Closes: 06/10/2026
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
We're hiring! We're looking for passionate, skilled people to help us preserve and share Scotland's cultural heritage.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Ever wanted to see how a street looked 100 years ago - right where you're standing now? 🗺️ Our georeferenced maps let you do exactly that. We've got over 600 layers freely available online, with tools to filter, measure, draw, compare and export them.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Explore this work on display in our Treasures exhibition.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
His meticulous observations, brought to life in stunning hand-coloured engravings by Pietro Fabris, changed everything. Published in English and French, these beautiful plates kindled a cultural obsession, cementing Vesuvius as a must-see destination on the Grand Tour.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Before William Hamilton’s ‘Campi Phlegraei’ (1776), public understanding of volcanic activity was hazy at best 🌋 Hamilton, Britain’s ambassador to Naples, had a front-row seat from his villa as Mount Vesuvius began to stir.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
President Connolly visited our exhibition, saw collections items, and discussed our plans with the national libraries of Ireland, Wales and the British Library for the collaborative project ‘Across these Islands’.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
We were delighted to welcome Uachtarán na hÉireann (President of Ireland), Catherine Connolly, to the Library today.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
They were among thousands of students, teachers, and volunteers who helped document the nation's landscape – often on a shoestring budget, always in sturdy walking shoes. Half a century later, Margaret spotted an article in The Geographer featuring a map with familiar colour-coding.
A close up of one of the maps Margaret and Katy helped make.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
What happens when you see something you made 60 years ago in a national collection? 🗺️ In the summer of 1967, teenagers Margaret and Katy walked the farmland around Fochabers in Moray, mapping crops, distilleries, and remote paths as part of Britain's Second Land Utilisation Survey.
Margaret and Katy smiling in the National Library of Scotland's Maps reading room.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
In 1693, John Slezer published 'Theatrum Scotiae' – a book of engraved views that offered readers a new way to see Scotland, from castles and palaces to burghs and universities. Slezer was a military engineer from the Rhineland who became Chief Engineer for Scotland.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Did you hear our National Librarian Amina Shah on BBC Radio 6 Music this morning? Amina spoke with Nick Grimshaw about a Very Specific Playlist which ties in with our exhibition, ‘Rain’, on now at our George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh.
A screenshot of a Spotify playlist titled 'Rain - playlist by National Library of Scotland'
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
What are the rules of a library? 📜 Acclaimed artist Peter Liversidge spent eight months researching our collections, speaking to staff, and studying library rules from around the world to create 'The Rules of the Library' – a large-scale artwork now on display in our General Reading Room.
Close up photograph of 'The Rules of the Library' by Peter Liversidge.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
You can see Orkney and Shetland on the pillar above the stairs! The original map we used had them in boxes a fair bit south of where the islands actually are, so we decided to move them up to the pillar above the stairs, which is a slightly more accurate location and still visible to passers-by.
Rainfall map of Scotland
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
You can see them on the pillar above the stairs! The original map we used had Orkney and Shetland in boxes a fair bit south of where the islands actually are, so we decided to move them up to the pillar above the stairs, which is a slightly more accurate location and still visible to passers-by.
Rainfall map of Scotland.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
A warm welcome to Claire White, our new Shetland Scots Scriever! 🥳🎻 Claire is a songwriter and traditional fiddle player from Shetland, with a deep passion for the Shaetlan language.
Claire White stands on a rocky shore.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Kelvin Hall has been many things over the last hundred years: an exhibition space, a circus venue, a transport museum, and – since 2016 – home to our moving image and sound collections.
A wide shot of the front of Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
His private library of polar books was given to the Library in 1959 and forms the heart of our polar collections. Wordie's bookplate appears in most of the volumes in his collection. It reads 'He yt tholis overcomis' - he who endures, overcomes.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Geologist on Shackleton's 'Endurance'. Survivor of ten months trapped in ice. Avid book collector ⛵❄️📚 Although best known for being the geologist on Shackleton's ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Sir James Mann Wordie was an academic, an avid book collector, and a keen mountaineer.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Interested? Find out more and apply on our website > www.nls.uk/about-us/job...
White text on a dark blue background reads: 'Apply today! Use the link in the post, or visit our website at www.nls.uk/about-us/jobs-and-opportunities/'
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Director of Collections Management – £77,843, full-time, permanent Lead the teams responsible for cataloguing, conservation, preservation, acquisitions, legal deposit, and collections logistics. 📅 Closes: 02/08/2026
Image of a person returning items from Alasdair Gray's archive to the shelves at the National Library of Scotland with text reading: 'Director of Collections Management'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Head of Public Programmes – £53,853, full-time, permanent Lead the development and delivery of our public engagement programme – covering exhibitions, events, outreach, and learning. 📅 Closes: 26/07/2026
Image of two people looking into an exhibition case at the National Library of Scotland with text reading: 'Head of Public Programmes'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Outwith Producer – £48,643 (£29,185 pro rata), part-time (21 hours), temporary contract (23 months) Develop and manage our partnership-led national outreach and engagement programme. 📅 Closes: 23/07/2026
Image of a map jigsaw puzzle at the National Library of Scotland with text reading: 'Outwith Producer'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Head of Access – £53,853, full-time, permanent Lead the development and delivery of the services and spaces that shape how people access our collections. 📅 Closes: 19/07/2026
Image of the Welcome desk at the National Library of Scotland with text reading: 'Head of Access'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
We're hiring! We're looking for passionate, skilled people to help us preserve and share Scotland's cultural heritage. #Jobs #LibraryJobs #HeritageCareers #ScottishCulture #EdinburghJobs
Image of the National Library of Scotland's George IV Bridge building with text reading: 'We're hiring'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Then we had to get our reading in! We though we'd start with Sam Usher's children's book 'Rain'! What else should we get up to? 🤔
Octopus plushie sits on a bookshelf next to Sam Usher's book 'Rain'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
We also took our new friend on a trip to the Nau(tical) shelfmark - lots of books about the sea 🌊
An octopus sitting on a bookshelf between lots of books!
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
First, we had to introduce octopus to Eeyore and Sadness, who are a part of the family storytelling section of the 'Rain' exhibition!
An octopus plushy sitting on a couch between an Eeyore and Sadness plushie. Behind them on the wall is text reading 'Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed.' from 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' (1994).
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Missing octopus alert! ⚠️ Someone seems to have left their cuddly friend in our 'Rain' exhibition. Recognise them? Let us know! While we wait for octopus to be picked up, we thought we could take little octopus on an adventure... 🐙
A Octopus plushie sitting on top of the entrance banner for the 'Rain' exhibition at the National Library of Scotland.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The origin story of Penguin Books has become legend, but what really happened, and how does Agatha Christie fit into it? 🔎 As the legend goes, it all began in the autumn of 1934. Publisher Allen Lane was on a train when he came up with the concept of what would become Penguin Books.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Dreich, smirr, smugrach, and everything in between 🌧️ From Burns's 'Tam O'Shanter' to James Hutton's 'Theory of Rain', from artwork by Raasay Primary School to a documentary from 1975, our curator Sarah Mackay explores nine objects that capture how rain has soaked into the nation's imagination.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
John Francis Campbell of Islay travelled across the Highlands and Islands, recording Gaelic stories, songs, and traditions at a time when they risked being lost. Born on Islay in 1821, he grew up speaking Gaelic with his family's piper.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Scotland's national film archive holds 26,000 films – from Clyde shipyards to St Andrews parades. But half are on decaying formats, and time is running out. This year's Annual Appeal is raising funds to digitise and restore them, before they're lost > auth.nls.uk/support-us/w...
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Come see Hutton's work in person at our new exhibition, 'Rain', open now 🌧️ #RainAtNLS #Scotland #Edinburgh
A wide shot of James Hutton's 'Theory of Rain'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
His 'Theory of Rain' explored the relationship between air temperature and humidity, helping us understand why clouds form and what causes them to produce rain. Today, scientists at The James Hutton Institute continue his work, tracking rainfall patterns and studying how our climate is changing.
A close up of James Hutton's 'Theory of Rain'.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
250 years ago, one of Scotland's foremost scientists took a close interest in what is arguably our most famous feature: rain ☔ In 1784, the father of modern geology, James Hutton, sketched out the key principles for the "condensation of aqueous vapour contained in the air."
A portrait of James Hutton from the National Gallery of Scotland.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Looking for a ticket to Scotland v Brazil? 🎟️⚽ Here's a ticket to our last World Cup match against them in '98, which we keep safe at the National Library in Edinburgh.
A ticket to the 1998 Scotland v Brazil game at the World Cup.
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National Library of Scotland @natlibscot.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Did you know that Edinburgh is one of the driest cities in the UK? 🌧️ This 1967 map from our collection shows the variations in rainfall across Scotland, with the west coast getting noticeably more than the east. Come see it in person at our new exhibition, 'Rain', open now! #RainAtNLS
A 1967 Ordnance Survey map of rain fall in Scotland from 1916 to 1950.
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