Edinburgh University Library
Encyclopedia
Edinburgh University Library is one of the most important libraries of Scotland. It is located in Edinburgh
. The University Library was moved in 1827 to William Playfair's Upper Library in the college building. The collections in Edinburgh University Old College were moved in 1967 to the purpose-built eight-storey Main Library building at George Square.
The University was founded by Royal Charter from King James VI in 1582 and opened in 1583, but the library pre-dated this by three years. The initial collection was a bequeath from Clement Littill (Finlayson, 1890). Until 1708, the teaching staff consisted of four regents and the Principal, the former taking each class through a year's part of the whole arts curriculum of logic, metaphysics, ethics and physics, which included the elements of mathematics and astronomy. Until the middle of the 17th century, by which time the library must have exceeded the 2 400-odd vols listed in Robert Lumsden's shelf catalogue of 1637, the teaching tended to be commentaries on Aristotle
.
The Special Collections Department has about 200 000 items in all branches of knowledge. There are 1 200 incunabula, about 9 000 printed books from 16th century, 35 000 from the 17th and 18th centuries, and 60 000 from the 19th century. An important part of this collection is German Reformation tracts.
Among the many fine collections of the library are two which were formerly in the possession of the great 19th-century Shakespearian
scholar James Halliwell-Phillipps. The first collection was acquired by the library between 1872 and 1889, including a Shakespearian collection. The second collection was acquired in 1964 by purchase from Sotheby's
.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The University Library was moved in 1827 to William Playfair's Upper Library in the college building. The collections in Edinburgh University Old College were moved in 1967 to the purpose-built eight-storey Main Library building at George Square.
The University was founded by Royal Charter from King James VI in 1582 and opened in 1583, but the library pre-dated this by three years. The initial collection was a bequeath from Clement Littill (Finlayson, 1890). Until 1708, the teaching staff consisted of four regents and the Principal, the former taking each class through a year's part of the whole arts curriculum of logic, metaphysics, ethics and physics, which included the elements of mathematics and astronomy. Until the middle of the 17th century, by which time the library must have exceeded the 2 400-odd vols listed in Robert Lumsden's shelf catalogue of 1637, the teaching tended to be commentaries on Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
.
The Special Collections Department has about 200 000 items in all branches of knowledge. There are 1 200 incunabula, about 9 000 printed books from 16th century, 35 000 from the 17th and 18th centuries, and 60 000 from the 19th century. An important part of this collection is German Reformation tracts.
Among the many fine collections of the library are two which were formerly in the possession of the great 19th-century Shakespearian
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
scholar James Halliwell-Phillipps. The first collection was acquired by the library between 1872 and 1889, including a Shakespearian collection. The second collection was acquired in 1964 by purchase from Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
.
Further reading
- Finlayson, Charles P.: Clement Littill and his Library: the origins of Edinburgh University Library. Edinburgh 1980.