Scotland’s living memory. If you can think of it, we probably have it. https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mkb7mmugu42jTeachers and educators - we have an event for you! 🍎 Join us for a free Twilight Tour of your National Library. Behind the scenes, treasures, and a look at our schools programme. Plus biscuits 🍪 📅 5-6:30pm, Wednesday 29 April 📌 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh 🎟️ Free, book at the link below24 Apr 2026 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkb7mmugu42jhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mk2zrgwuti2wWhat do you do, in 15th-century Scotland, when the household priest behaves badly? If you're Isobel, Countess of Argyll, you might just write a poem about it. A very frank poem 😳22 Apr 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk2zrgwuti2whttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mjyrm7k4sc2gThis week is your last chance to see our 'Dear Library' exhibition - and get some knitting inspo 👀 [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Apr 2026 10:29 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjyrm7k4sc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mjvyuigdsj2kThis #MapMonday explore historic Linlithgowshire in great detail 🔎 You can now view a georeferenced layer of Ordnance Survey 25-inch mapping from the 1850s on our maps website. Explore the maps > https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14.1&lat=55.97867&lon=-3.60475&layers=275&b=GoogleSatHyb&o=10020 Apr 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjvyuigdsj2khttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mjeflopsez25Our exhibition Dear Library closes on 25 April. If you haven't yet visited, this is your final chance to experience hundreds of love letters written by visitors to Scotland's libraries – and to leave your own. 💌13 Apr 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjeflopsez25https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mj5lpsgqyd2iThis clip from 'Island of the Big Cloth' (1971) shows traditional dyeing in the Highlands 🎨 At the beginning of the clip, you can see someone scraping crottle, a type of lichen, directly from rocks.10 Apr 2026 15:02 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj5lpsgqyd2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3miyjjhbixz2aDear Library Story Sessions are back! This time with a focus on stories for children aged 6 to 10 years old 📚🚀 Come along to hear stories from fantastic, contemporary children's authors. Meet a cast of unique characters, hear about some daring adventures, and be transported to new settings!08 Apr 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3miyjjhbixz2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mivcrgquqp2dThe amazing, detailed Ordnance Survey 25-inch 1st edition mapping for Lanarkshire is now available as a georeferenced layer. maps.nls.uk/additions/#197 This allows you compare the 1850s maps with later editions in our Side by Side viewer. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.9&lat=55.67338&lon=-3.77459&layers=275&right=168 Now on to the next county...07 Apr 2026 08:00 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mivcrgquqp2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mib7346ody2xCan you spot the bunny in this 1848 zoological map? 🐇 Made by Alexander Keith Johnston, the map shows the distribution of 'rodentia' (animals with a single pair of incisors on the upper and lower jaw) and 'ruminantia' (grazing animals with a specific digestive systems) across the world. #MapMonday30 Mar 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mib7346ody2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mi2gbxlie32cTomorrow, 'Outwith: Valda, MacDiarmid and Whalsay' opens at Shetland Museum and Archives ⭐ This landmark exhibition explores the nine years that poet Hugh MacDiarmid and his wife Valda spent in Whalsay, and how the rugged landscape shaped their lives and work.27 Mar 2026 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi2gbxlie32chttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mhd5xm4atf2qNow online! Our research review 🔬📜 We have more than 50 research projects under way at any given time at the Library. For a taste of what we do, check out our Research Review 2024–25.18 Mar 2026 09:21 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhd5xm4atf2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mh6nopgkaw24Our 'Treasures' exhibition is closed and will re-open with a refreshed look and new things to see on Monday 27 April. We can't wait to welcome you back to the new space! In the meantime, the rest of our Visitor Centre remains open, including our cafe, 'Dear Library' exhibition, and shop.16 Mar 2026 14:19 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh6nopgkaw24https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mh6cmixb6n2kWe are delighted to share that our Scots Scriever, Taylor Dyson, will be hosting 'Untold Stories: Women’s Conversations' at the Webster Memorial Theatre on Friday, 28 March. This free event will celebrate the importance of amplifying unheard voices from Scotland through film, poetry, and speech.16 Mar 2026 11:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh6cmixb6n2khttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mh63wfgfl324This #MapMonday we're heading across the Irish Sea! ☘️ Our newly added OS Six-Inch maps of Ireland were printed around 1860. The 1,940 sheets update the original 1830s surveys, adding railways, new field boundaries, and more detailed place names. 🔗: https://maps.nls.uk/os/6inch-ireland/16 Mar 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh63wfgfl324https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mgwxbcb4fx2pToday we're celebrating World Sleep Day by raiding our shelves for fairy tales! But be warned, the path to dreamland isn't always peaceful - especially for one fairy tale princess 🧵👑 Have a look at some depictions of 'Sleeping Beauty' from our collections.13 Mar 2026 12:49 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgwxbcb4fx2phttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mgoz3bhm4i24Did you know that we run a Carbon Literacy for Libraries course? ♻️ The course is designed to provide librarians with an introduction to carbon literacy and empower them to support climate action. It celebrates the sustainable model of libraries and how they can support others to cut emissions.10 Mar 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgoz3bhm4i24https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mgminaqohj2nThis #MapMonday, book your place for our 'Maps for Family and Local History Workshop' to learn about different types of historic maps and how to view them on our maps website 🗺️ 📌 Online 📆 Wednesday 11 March, 10-11am 🎟️ Free Book your tickets > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/maps-for-family-and-local-history/09 Mar 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgminaqohj2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mgcxgfl34e2tFor #WorldBookDay, we thought we'd take you on a tour of some of our fictional maps 🗺️ Can you work out which book each of these are from? 🤔05 Mar 2026 13:59 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgcxgfl34e2thttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mg7wcu4bau2gWe’re taking over the AK Bell Library on Saturday for a free day-long celebration of stories, libraries, and history! 🎉 Don’t miss the chance to see Mary Queen of Scots’ last letter on display at Perth Museum, then pop in to see us for a day packed with talks, games, storytelling, and more.04 Mar 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg7wcu4bau2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mg5zvxpgq62qHow much have our coastlines changed in the last century? 🌊 Our georeferenced map viewer allows you to directly compare maps from history with the present day. In this example, you can see Great Cowden on the Yorkshire coast, where the shoreline has receded around 200 metres over the last century.03 Mar 2026 15:00 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg5zvxpgq62qhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mg2vdwef6v2bThis #MapMonday we have even #MoreMaps for you! 🗺️✨ We've georeferenced the 1,329 first edition Six-inch maps of England and Wales we added in November. Now you can use a special toggle button in our viewers to compare these maps side-by-side. Explore the new tool > maps.nls.uk/additions/#19402 Mar 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg2vdwef6v2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mftdx7euws2lComing to see Mary Queen of Scots’ last letter at Perth Museum next Saturday? Make a day of it by visiting us at AK Bell Library too! 👑 There's something on for everyone: 🪙 10:30am: Scotland's tourist treasures at the National Library 🎥 11:30am: Scenes and sounds of Scotland's ancient capital ...27 Feb 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mftdx7euws2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mfr5wxi7in2dWhat if the Jacobite cause had a queer history we were never told about? 🌈 In our new long-read, researcher and writer Indigo Dunphy-Smith takes us on a journey from Aberdeenshire’s estates to the art circles of Rome.26 Feb 2026 12:08 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr5wxi7in2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mfk4euhyvg2bCelebrate Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) with us! 🗣️ ...through our collections 🏛️ We're currently showing items that tell the story of Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (Alexander MacDonald, c.1698–c.1770), a schoolmaster, poet, and Jacobite captain.23 Feb 2026 16:51 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfk4euhyvg2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mdzja2urx222Ever wondered what secrets lie in a map? 🗺️ Join us for a day dedicated to all things cartographic. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our map collections, attend talks, and get hands-on with our drop-in activities! 📅 6 February 2026 ⏰ 10:30am-4:00pm Plan your visit > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/map-festival/04 Feb 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdzja2urx222https://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3md434265xa2hWhat? Exploring the Legacy of Mary, Queen of Scots But really, what? A display of original material from Robert Burns and Liz Lochhead exploring Mary’s story and legacy Where? AK Bell Library, Perth When? From today, Friday 23 January How to visit? https://www.culturepk.org.uk/library/ak-bell-library/ How much? Free23 Jan 2026 16:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3md434265xa2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3md3q5uvqg22lWhat? The Last Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots Where? Perth Museum. When? From today, 23 January Why? A rare chance to see an evocative treasure and a legendary piece of Scottish history. How? https://perthmuseum.co.uk/plan-your-visit/ 📷 Julie Howden23 Jan 2026 12:45 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3md3q5uvqg22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mcs5nx6oea2bWe were delighted to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to the Library today. The Queen was here to officially launch the National Year of Reading in Scotland. Led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust, the UK-wide campaign aims to help people rediscover the joy of reading.19 Jan 2026 17:20 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcs5nx6oea2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mcjtqricpx2h📜 A queen's final words. In one week, Mary, Queen of Scots' last letter, written just six hours before her execution, goes on public display in a once-in-a-generation exhibition at Perth Museum.16 Jan 2026 10:01 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcjtqricpx2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/natlibscot.bsky.social/post/3mc7oi753jf2uThis #MapMonday we're taking you back in time ⌛ We've just added over 9,000 out of copyright Ordnance Survey maps published in 1975 to our Map Images website. What did your neighbourhood look like fifty years ago? 🗺️ 🔗: maps.nls.uk/additions/#191 #MoreMaps12 Jan 2026 09:00 +0000at://did:plc:gs476v4bua2ejb3vbqymu6yw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mc7oi753jf2u