Special Collections in Edinburgh Central Library

Special Collections highlight many aspects of Edinburgh and Scotland’s Cultural Heritage

The literary legacy of Scotland is explored by collections featuring material about the works and lives of celebrated authors

• Robert Louis Stevenson
• Sir Walter Scott
• Arthur Conan Doyle

Collections that record Edinburgh and Scotland’s changing rural and urban landscapes in illustration and photograph

• Collection of Thomas Keith paper negatives
• D O Hill and Adamson prints
• James Skene’s watercolours of nineteenth century Edinburgh
• Photographs of F M Chrystal recording changes in Edinburgh’s urban landscape

Scotland’s cultural connections

• Dyer Collection of Japanese prints
• Dance of Death
• Collection of Contemporary Artists books
• Jiddu Krishnamurti Collection
• Concert programmes

Exploring Scotland’s Past

• Jacobite Pamphlet Collection
• Collection of Historic papers including Caledonian Mercury and Edinburgh Evening Courant
• Chapbooks

Visit these websites to see highlights from the Collections

Scran

A resource with over 300,000 images from libraries, museums and galleries including many images for the Special Collections of the Central Library

Pencils of light

The two albums of the Edinburgh Calotype Club the first photographic club in the world.  The Edinburgh Room holds volume two of this collection

Am Baile

Discover the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands through photographs, illustrations and documents.  Photographs from the Grant Collection of Highland Life held in the Scottish Department are featured.