Annual Review 2025-26

Welcome

Connection at the heart of centenary celebrations

When a big birthday is coming up, we tend to wonder whether we should celebrate it at all. If we put on a party, will people turn up? Do people care enough? These were the questions we were asking as we were planning a programme of activities to mark our 100th birthday in 2025. As we reflected on what it means for Scotland to have founded and built a National Library over the past 100 years, it became clear that a National Library does not stand alone. It is a connected part of an interwoven tapestry, and those connections are a critical part of what sustains it. It seemed obvious that we should take the chance to celebrate all things library – all parts of the connected community that we are part of in Scotland. And we did manage to throw a brilliant party on the day of our actual birthday, with thanks to Dennis the Menace.

It turned out our pre-big birthday jitters were just that; we were blown away by the support we received throughout the year. Our amazing centenary champions, Val McDermid and Damian Barr, helped us spread the word in style. Our 'Love Libraries' campaign was celebrated in every region of Scotland, and we got so much out of working with our partners in the libraries sector that we intend to build upon this crucial advocacy partnership in the years to come. Our centenary exhibition, 'Dear Library', received touching and heartfelt messages from library fans and librarians from all around the world. Evidently, the challenges libraries are facing in Scotland are not unique.

Our 'OUTWITH: National Library around Scotland' programme of special loans and events took place in Aberdeen, Perth Shetland. We were thrilled with the response from local communities and people travelled from far and wide. We had a feeling that there was something about Mary and our instincts proved correct – the surge in visitors to Perth for the display of the last letter of Mary, Queen of Scots far surpassed our expectations. The complementary display, in honour of both Robert Burns and one of Scotland's most renowned contemporary writers, former Makar Liz Lochhead, thrilled visitors to AK Bell Library. Such was the response to activities outside of the Central Belt that we are committed to continuing our 'OUTWITH' programme in the coming years. We go into more detail about these activities in the pages ahead, as well as details of all the work we do every year to ensure the collections are preserved for future generations and available for people today. We continued acquiring new items for the national collections, the highlights of which are featured in this publication.

We also have a new website – making it easier for people to access the collections or discover more about Scotland's history and heritage through a range of features.

'The Next Chapter', the Library's strategy for 2026 to 2030, which was co-produced with partners across Scotland, lays out three key priorities: Responsible Stewardship, Connection and Sustainability. You will notice that this review is shaped around those themes. Some of you helped us in the development of this strategy and many of you helped fund our centenary programme and more. I know I say this every year, but we cannot thank our partners, donors and supporters enough – without you and those who have gone before you, much of what we achieved in the past year, and indeed that past 100 years, would never have happened.

Amina Shah
National Librarian and Chief Executive