In Praise of Special Libraries

When I’m travelling within the UK I tend to look for somewhere historical en-route to break my journey, whether it’s a castle or stately home or ruin or some other interesting place. If there is a tea room and gift shop that’s a bonus. So when I was driving from the east coast of Scotland back to Glasgow a couple of weeks ago I got out the map to help me decide where to stop. The whole area is absolutely packed with castles so it was more a case of trying to whittle it down than find somewhere. Then I spotted an intriguing dot on the map at Innerpeffray, near Crieff in Perthshire. “Historic Library” it said. Well, that was enough to lure me in.

It was a bit of a bleak day when we reached Innerpeffray. The wind was whistling across the fields and the little collection of buildings we approached felt
as though they were all alone in the middle of nowhere. It seemed a curious location for a historic library but that just added to the interest. We scurried inside out of the wind and were met with the warmest welcome in Scotland. What can I say – a personal tour of the oldest free public lending library in Scotland is like my idea of heaven and Innerpeffray is a very special place indeed.

The library has a fascinating history. It was founded in 1680 by David Drummond, 3^rd Lord Madertie, who was the friend and brother-in-law of the famous Marquis of Montrose. The original books in the library were from Lord Madertie’s own collections. Later Robert Hay Drummond, who had the present library built in 1762, also donated his collection. The library now has over 5000 books, many of them rare and unusual, many also published before 1800. Lord Madertie’s collection showed his broad interests, from history and religion, law and politics to hunting, fishing and gardening.

The library was originally housed partly in the chapel (more on that later) and also in an additional building at the end of the churchyard. Lord Madertie specifically wanted the library and school to be a resource for the community not only at the time but also into the future. It’s wonderful to see that the library is still fulfilling his wishes over 300 years later.

Our tour started in the shop and ticket office, from where we went out of the main door, up a spiral stone stair and took a left turn…  I was already very excited to see what the library would be like! The room itself is relatively small but the most perfectly-formed library I’ve ever seen. Being surrounded by such old, beautiful and significant books literally struck me dumb. I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t speak for about 15 minutes.

There are so many treasures at Innerpeffray. One of the most fascinating documents is the “Borrowers’ Ledger” which gives details of every loan of a book from 1747 to 1968. A huge variety of borrowers came to Innerpeffray, not just students and scholars but also members of the local community who gave their addresses and occupations as well as their reading choices so you can see the broad appeal the library had and the eclectic mix of users from clergymen to stonemasons.

Things started to get really personal though when we were shown the little pocket bible that belonged to James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, inscribed with his signature. We’d recently discovered the genealogical connection between my husband’s family and the Grahams and it was quite emotional to see how they all felt when they were allowed to hold such a precious book that connected them directly to their ancestors. It gave me goosebumps just to see it.

At Innerpeffray you are able to take out, touch and read any book that you would like, which is a true privilege and incredibly exciting if you enjoy books and history. It felt the closest I had ever come to the past, turning the pages of documents 300 years old that had also been touched by historical figures I’d researched. The maps in particular were full of information; comparing a map of the English counties from 1637 to one now you could see, for example, the rise and fall of towns and cities, the places that had not yet been built and the places that were later lost.

Downstairs as well as a shop with the best literary souvenirs you can find, there is the Scottish Collection donated in 2013 by American bibliophile Janet Burns St Germain. An exhibition of Robert Burns’s work completed our brilliant tour and left us all breathless.  We’d barely had the chance to see a tiny amount of what Innerpeffray Library has to offer. I’ll have to go back, preferably for a week!

Outside in the cold wind I was determined to see something of the setting, which is very pretty. The River Earn runs along the bottom of a nearby valley and there is a viewpoint for the ruin of Innerpeffray Castle close by. A Roman road passes through the village, adding to the sense that you are literally stepping back in time, a feeling that is emphasised when you visit the ancient St Mary’s Chapel and graveyard. The Chapel was built in 1507 by John, 1^st Lord Drummond. It’s empty today other than for the Drummond family tombs and monuments and the original 14^th century altar, but this only adds to the atmosphere and palpable historical presence of the place.

So – history and books. What could be finer? If like me you are a fan of both, especially together, I recommend a visit to Innerpeffray on your next trip to
Scotland. It’s magnificent to see the survival of such a special library upholding the traditions of free access to books that we all support. As it says on the library’s excellent website: “Do you love books? You’ve come to the right place.”

Do you have a favourite library you’d like to give a shout out to?  From the converted telephone box at the end of our road to my local Swindon Library, I love them all, and the people who keep them open for all. Let’s celebrate libraries!

Comments

[Teresa Broderick]

This sounds like absolute Heaven Nicola!!! You are so lucky to be able to visit these places. I was in Scotland many years ago and would love to go back again.

[Mary T]

First off - thank you for the interesting tour. I am quite envious. I also always liked to find some interesting place to stop during a road trip. It made the journey so much more interesting.

As for libraries - I have always loved them. When I was a kid, I would visit the school library during the winter months, but in the summer my friends and I would walk the 10 or 12 blocks to the local library. Kids had more freedom back then. We would have as much fun on the journey as we did in the library itself. Always stopped for an ice cold Coke on the way home.

The first thing that I did when I retired was renew my library card. It's where I first met many of you ladies. My days of touring libraries are over. I do know that I'm fortunate to live in a time when I can go to the library on-line. But it is just not the same as walking up and down the aisles choosing books at random to check out.

[Nicola Cornick]

I had no idea it was there, Teresa, and was so happy to come across it! Such a wonderful place. I hope you get the chance to re-visit Scotland just as I hope tore-visit Ireland one day!

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Mary! It's lovely that your childhood memories are all tangled up in the trip to the library all the stuff you and your friends did on the way! I understand what you mean about online libraries - it is great to be able to access so much stuff this way and to be part of a community like the Wenches but there is something special about visiting a real library and holding a book in your hand!

[Kareni]

What an enjoyable post, Nicola! I'm another longtime library lover, and my husband and I routinely stop in at libraries when we're traveling.

[Mary Jo Putney]

What an amazing place, Nicola! And I love the way you described touching books that had been held by historical figures you know of, and who are even connected to your family! Beyond words.

[Sue McCormick]

I adored this virtual tour.

I have loved libraries all my life. I'm pretty sure I never met a library i didn't love. But I don't remember much by the way of specific visits. Not even the central branch of the New York City library nor the Library of Congress have left much in the way of special memories.

I'm pretty sure I would have felt as you did in that library.

Family story: The St. Louis Library System was building a new branch library near-by. In the meantime they opened a storefront block at the foot of our street. Our family has always owned lots of books, and in that house they lived in shelving in our basement level (which I called "stacks." So my children eagerly visited the store-front library — a library they could walk to, any time they wanted. At first they were dreadfully disappointed. "We have more books at home!" I had to point out that none of our books were on loan, while those stored at this branch library were mostly out on loan. They would need to visit often to find their new book, but indeed, this library would share many new-to-them volumes.

[Nicola Cornick]

What a lovely thing to do, Kareni. It hadn't occurred to me before to include libraries on my travelling list and now I'm wondering why on earth not!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you, Mary Jo. Yes, my m-i-l was so excited her eyes were shining and she said it gave her the happy shivers! I think that she and her sister really connected with the family history - they'd been so excited to see it on paper but this was another thing entirely.

[Nicola Cornick]

I love that you called your basement shelving "stacks", Sue. I am going to do the same with mine! That's so funny that your children pointed out your "library" was bigger than the local one!

[Mary M.]

Like Mary T, I'm envious at this moment, Nicola. What a lovely treat, especially the personal aspects of your visit. I would find it frustrating, though, to have only a brief visit at such a treasure.

Also like Mary T, I have many fond memories of my childhood access to books, in my case at the local Carnegie-endowed library. (It even had 'Carnegie Public Library' carved into the stone above the entrance. Great clue, though I didn't understand its significance at the time. Don't know about Carnegie and his libraries? Worth Googling!)

How fortunate we were to have this marvelous haven where I whiled away so many childhood afternoons. Life today moves too quickly for handwritten checkout and browsing of card catalogs, and I adore my area-wide digital library, but we've lost that personal, visceral experience you found in Innerpeffray. (Wonderful name, BTW, is there an Outerpeffray, I wonder?)

And like you, Nicola, I love to find the quirky, offbeat experiences when I travel. Even if I'm on a tour, I always locate something interesting to do in case there's downtime. Never found such a sweet one as this, though. Thanks for sharing!

[Maryellen Webber]

What a wonderful post! I love libraries too. How amazing that must felt holding that pocket Bible. It is amazing that this library still exists!! Thanks for sharing this!!

[Donna H.]

Mary M. I live in a small town and we have a Carnegie Library here as well. I have been to quite a few and they all seem to be on a hill - to be more prominent maybe? - and to have imposing columns in front. When we moved here forty years ago I made a point of going to the library and signing up. Did not feel that i belonged to the town until I did. Then I had the absolute pleasure of working there for over 17 years. Just wonderful. We always seek out the library when we travel and go to a new town. There are no two alike and they are all marvellous!

[Patricia Franzino]

The New York Society Library is on the Upper East Side of NYC. I participated in a tour of this historic library founded in 1754. It's the first library open to the public.

Herman Melville used the space as well as other writers over the centuries.

There is an entire floor for writers to work. There is another area of children's books.

It's a great resource of books that cannot be found in other libraries. The history is astounding. It's wonderful to walk in to such a place.

[Joanna]

I spent a lot of time in the library when I was a child. My favourite library is the Lit & Phil in Newcastle which dates back to 1825 when it was opened to house the Society founded 1793

[Annette N]

Thanks for this tour.

I started going to a bookmobile when I was a child. I moved on to larger libraries when I moved around. I was blessed to work in a brand new big city library for a time. It was heaven. Then, I was the entire staff when our small town was starting a library. We got donated books, and I cataloged and shelved and got us certified by the state. I moved away, and shortly after that the small town built a beautiful library.

I have loved books and libraries for as long as I can remember.

[Alice Mathewson]

Hi Nicola. I have spent a lot of time in Scotland and never heard of this library. But the next time we go, it will the top of the list of places to visit. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Libraries are my favourite buildings - if I didn't have access to one, I would be broke from having to buy books, there would be no room in my house because I find it difficult to give books away and I would be VERY grumpy! The librarian in my local town says I am her best customer and that is a title I am very happy to hold.

[Denise Morris]

What a treat! I also visit libraries on my travels, always a friendly face to greet you. For several years I worked at the England Library at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. I did interlibrary loans, but really loved the Rare Book Room. There were wonderful treasures there and I particularly enjoyed the colonial era botanicals, exquisitely hand colored illustrations of plants used in early pharmacy studies.

[Nicola Cornick]

You describe it so well, Mary. That experience of browsing amongst the stacks, checking the card catalogues, and the smell of the paper and the sounds of pages turning (and shushing!)

I can't find an Outerpeffray!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you, Maryellen! Yes, it felt remarkable that the library had been established there in the first place and that it still survives!

[Nicola Cornick]

The Carnegie Library is such a special thing - and I love that they are all over the world. There is one about 20 miles from here. Very generous indeed!

[Nicola Cornick]

Wow! I would love to visit, Patricia. I find libraries like that so awe-inspiring.

[Nicola Cornick]

Co-incidentally I'd seen the Lit & Phil on the TV recently, Joanna, and thought it looked amazing. Next time I'm in Newcastle I'm definitely going to visit!

[Nicola Cornick]

That is a wonderful "life in books," Annette and I love that the libraries you've been associated with have taken so many different forms.

[Nicola Cornick]

Haha! Yes, giving books away makes me very grumpy too, Alice, and the library is a blessing in so many ways. I'm glad to have been able to introduce you to Innerpeffray and hope you enjoy visiting in the future!

[Nicola Cornick]

Just the name "rare books room" sends a tingle down the spine, doesn't it, Denise! The illustrated books and maps are extraordinary.

[Elf Ahearn]

The tiny Hotchkiss Library in Sharon, Ct. has the most charming layout: the shelves are all L-cornered, creating nooks and crannies through out, but especially in the balcony, which runs three-quarters of the way around the main floor. Everything is dark wood and stained glass. I've always imagined that the characters from Dickens, Austin, Thackery, and Walter Scott, etc., would whisper from the pages late at night, emboldened by the library's familiar atmosphere.
The Norfolk Library in Ct., was, I believe, designed by the same architect and has a similar ambiance, but it's the quiet in Sharon's library that lends itself to its secretive inhabitants. Love that little place.
And Nicola, what an extraordinary experience to be able to touch those ancient pages without gloves. Did you feel them welcome you?

[Nicola Cornick]

That sounds wonderful, Elf! I love the idea that you are stepping into some sort of historical story when you visit the Hotchkiss Library. You conjure up such an intimate description of the place.

Yes, it was a very curious experience to be able to touch such old books. I'm not sure that they felt welcoming but I did get a great sense of the arc of time when I touched them.

[Gail Radford-Ross]

What a wonderful find, Nicola, and thank you for sharing it! I was born in Scotland and if I ever get back there again, that library will be one of my first stops.

I, too, have always loved libraries. When I was very young, we lived in a small village about 120 miles northwest of Winnipeg, the province of Manitoba's capital city, in Canada. Staff at a library in Winnipeg chose age-pertinent books and mailed them to me about once a week. Usually I had read all the books within a day or so.

Over the years I lived in five Canadian provinces and almost the first thing I did in every town and city was to join the library.

Later in life I became a researcher and writer, investigating government agencies, private and public organizations, and working for private individuals and families, 'helping people to obtain justice'. Amongst others, two of the libraries that I used constantly were the Legislature Library in Edmonton, Alberta and an oil and gas library in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Legislature libraries are fascinating places and true history, both present and past! And as book lovers already know, librarians always have prodigious amounts of information which they happily provide to anyone interested.

[Elf Ahearn]

Old books can be temperamental--don't take it personally, Nicola. ;-)