Central Library, Edinburgh
Central Library in Edinburgh, opened in 1890, was the first public library building in the city.[1] Today there are 26 public libraries in the Scottish capital[2] but, as the first, the creation of Central Library was funded with £50,000 from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.[3] At the opening ceremony a telegram from Carnegie was read out stating: "We trust that this Library is to grow in usefullness year after year, and prove one of the most potent agencies for the good of the people for all time to come."[3]
Carnegie's funding was initially an offer of £25,000 in 1886 which was doubled, overcoming prior opposition to the establishment of a public library, the city—last of those to do so in Scotland—adopted the Public Libraries Act and on 9 July 1887, Carnegie laid the foundation stone of architect George Washington Browne's French Renaissance-styled building.[3]
Records for 1890, the first full year the library was open, show that over 440,000 book loans were issued;[3] current records indicate that today, over a century on, the library issues over 500,000 book loans annually[4]
As with all public libraries in Edinburgh, adult collections are organised using the Library of Congress Classification system.[5] Since Wigan dropped the system during a 1974 local government reorganisation, Edinburgh is the only municipality in the UK continuing to use it. Children's books are organised under the more-widespread Dewey Decimal Classification scheme.[6]
References
- ^ Edinburgh Public Libraries 1890–1950, p.2
- ^ Central Library City of Edinburgh Council
- ^ a b c d Armstrong & White, p.3
- ^ City of Edinburgh Council
- ^ Bowman, J. H. (November 2005). "Classification in British Public Libraries: A Historical perspective". Library History. 21: 161.
- ^ Edinburgh Public Libraries 1890–1950, p.4
- Armstrong, Norma; White, Alan (1990). Lum hats in paradise: Edinburgh City Libraries, 1890–1990. Edinburgh: Edinburgh City Libraries.
- Edinburgh Public Libraries 1890–1950: A Handbook and History of Sixty Years Progress. Edinburgh Public Libraries Committee. 1951.
External links
- City of Edinburgh Council page for the library
- Central Library - Facebook page
Media related to Central Library, Edinburgh at Wikimedia Commons
