ELISA Libraries Fair – Beyond the bookshelves

Tales of One City

Central Library is delighted to be hosting the Edinburgh Libraries and Information Services Agency (ELISA) Libraries Fair on the mezzanine level on Saturday 23 March, 1.30 – 4pm.

Come along and find out about the wide and diverse array of libraries in Edinburgh and to discover how you can get an ELISA library passport to enable you to gain access to these other libraries across Edinburgh.

There are many different libraries in Edinburgh and the Libraries Fair invites you to meet representatives from a range of libraries all under one roof. Libraries taking part include:
Edinburgh City Libraries
Edinburgh Zine Library
French Institute Library
National Library of Scotland
Royal Botanic Garden Library and Archive
Scottish Poetry Library
University of Edinburgh including the Centre for Research Collections.

There will be a free (but ticketed) family-friendly storytelling session with Janis Mackay, live music, a mini drop-in zine workshop and badgemaking.

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Read Your Free Daily Newspaper

Tales of One City

Most people have a smartphone, tablet, or computer these days. One of the best uses you can put it to is accessing your daily newspaper for free. Edinburgh Libraries PressReader service has over 3000 full-spread online newspapers from all over the world, including 350 UK papers. Use your library card and PIN to login to the app or website from anywhere and read up to 20 newspapers a day for free.

 

Read today’s Scottish Daily Mail, Edinburgh Evening News, Scotsman, Guardian, Herald or TheEdinburgh Reporter amongst hundreds of others.

 

As an added bonus you’ll find thousands of magazines available too so whether you’re in to cars or cookery, computers or crafts you’ll find a wide range of magazines to suit you.

Find full instructions for getting started at our Your Library website.

 

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Orenda Roadshow in Edinburgh

An evening of international crime fiction

doug johnstone

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Job vacancy at Advocates Library

Library Support Assistant	Fixed Term until 31 October 2019
Ref	19.04
Hours	15 hours per week Mon – Fri: 3.15pm to 6.15pm
Salary Scale	Grade 6b – £16,531 – £18,226 (pro rata – FTE 35 hours)

The Library Support Assistant is an administrative role and the post holder will be part of a team responsible for maintaining the resources of the Library, in order to assist in the provision of an efficient service to the users of the Advocates Library.

Closing Date: 5pm on Friday 1 March 2019
Full details here: 19.04 Library Support Assistant

Coworking business hub opens at Central Library

Tales of One City

The Scottish Coworking Network is a new network of business hubs within Scotland’s public libraries, with Edinburgh Central Library being one of the first to join the network. The hubs offer dedicated, business-focused space for aspiring entrepreneurs, sole traders, start-ups and small businesses to work, meet, collaborate and grow.

The space in Central Library has 15 fixed desks and 15 hot desks to choose from. The space also offers a breakout area equipped with comfy sofas, coffee table so you can relax and unwind, or chat and collaborate with other hub members.

The hub offers free wifi and printing facilities and is equipped with basic catering facilities.

Exclusive business workshops, seminars and networking events will be held at Central Library throughout the year.

When you sign up for hot desk or fixed desk membership, you become a member of the Scottish Coworking Network, giving you free access to desk space at…

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February art exhibition: Dispossession

An exhibition of paintings by Karen and Mel Shewan runs from 1st till 27th February in the Art and Design Library.
The artworks are a complex exploration of themes related to the Highland Clearances

Tales of One City

Dispossession, an exhibition of paintings by Karen and Mel Shewan runs from 1^st  till 27^th February in the Art and Design Library.

The artworks are a complex exploration of themes related to the Highland Clearances, and the artists describe the exhibition like this:

Our exhibition Dispossession, developed from our interest in the Highland Clearances, the mass eviction of tenants, by their Lairds, to make way for large scale sheep farming. We stay for much of the year at our house near Edderton in Easter Ross at the foot of Struie Hill, overlooking the Sutherland Hills and the Dornoch Firth. It is a beautiful setting and yet to remark on all that is striking and lovely around us seems sometimes almost a violation of the lives of those dispossessed of their homes and livelihoods by the Duke of Sutherland. His controversial statue, rising spike-like from the summit of…

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The people who helped shape Edinburgh Libraries: the tradesmen who built Central Library

“The contractors began operations on the 17 Nov [1887]…. excavating area of site and carting away stuff”.
So began the building of Central Library.

Tales of One City

When the doors of Edinburgh Central Library were formally opened on Monday 9 June 1890, it was the fulfilment of many years preparation.

Selected design for Edinburgh Public Library, elevation to George IV Bridge and plans for third and fourth floors, by George Washington Browne, 1887

In our collections, we have two volumes of handwritten ledgers kept by the then Clerk of Works, William Bruce, which record in detail the building works as they progressed.

Clerk of Works’ record books for Edinburgh Public Library

We know from the record books that preparation work had begun as early as 1879 when it was recorded that “Official tests of Pentland Cement” were being methodically undertaken. The pages are filled with neat notes with details such as the amount of cement used, how many days the cement had been set for, and the amount of shrinkage.

On the 18 November 1887, the…

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