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Delivering services
Our vision to modernise the Library's facilities and continually improve our customers' experiences of NLS has taken shape this year.
George IV Bridge Visitor Centre project
The Library's plans to improve the environment, facilities and atmosphere of its flagship George IV Bridge site were given a major boost in 2006 when substantial government funding for the Visitor Centre project was confirmed.
Patricia Ferguson MSP, former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, announced that a further £450,000 would be made available to complete extensive renovations to the building. The first phase of this project, centreing on creating engaging, interactive facilities and spaces for the interpretation of the John Murray Archive, was under way before the end of the reporting year and was completed in time for the opening of the JMA exhibition in June 2007.
The funds will be used to develop the front hall area of the building, paving the way for ambitious plans to transform this area into a fully-functioning Visitor Centre. The centre will offer PC terminals for unrestricted browsing of our collections and resources, and a new public café and bookshop, to be opened by spring 2008.
Reading room facilities
Reading room facilities at our George IV Bridge site were improved this year.
The North Reading Room was expanded into two areas for the consultation of rare books or printed music and manuscript material respectively, effectively doubling the reading spaces available for those using these collections, including the John Murray Archive.
We also were pleased to respond to customer demand by opening a new Silent Reading Room, providing readers with an environment free from the distractions caused by laptops, PCs and other electronic equipment.
Customer services
The Library's new customer charter was developed in 2007.
The charter sets out the commitments we make to our customers and the standard of service we aim to offer. It was informed by the results of our 'mystery shopping' programme, where members of the public test our services anonymously. The early results of these visits were very encouraging, with an average of over 90 per cent satisfaction reported.
Equalities
The Library published its Disability and Gender Equality Schemes in 2006-2007, showing its commitment to deliver equal access to services for all our customers. Both schemes are available online. (See our policy documents page.)
These schemes, developed in close consultation with staff and a wide range of community groups, set out our policies for ensuring we treat everyone equally and do our utmost to remove any barriers to accessing our services for our customers.
A further scheme for Race Equality is also in progress. The schemes, produced in parallel with the Visitor Centre project, are an important step towards the Library offering full access to all services in the George IV Bridge building by the end of 2007.
Developing support
The fundraising campaign for the John Murray Archive is the largest in the Library's history and continues to make good progress.
Solid foundations were laid this year, thanks to the generosity and support of several major benefactors, and one or two well-known faces.
Intrigued by the inclusion in our 'Sale of the centuries' exhibition of a payslip from his first job as an Edinburgh milkman for Scotmid, Sir Sean Connery paid a visit to NLS in August 2006 to view the item in question and learn more about the John Murray Archive first-hand. His visit prompted him to lend support to the launch of the fundraising campaign for the John Murray Archive in the spring of 2007.
The launch of the campaign was celebrated with two receptions held for friends and supporters: one in London, at 50 Albemarle Street, the historic home of the publishing house of John Murray, and one in Edinburgh's Laigh Hall, the home of our predecessors, the Faculty of Advocates, on whose foundations our collections are built.
National Librarian Martyn Wade and Trustee Lady Balfour of Burleigh were joined by Ian Rankin and actress Joanna David to announce the exciting news that £1.75 million had already been pledged towards the £6.5 million target.
Bequests
A Library supporter left a major bequest to NLS in January 2007 including his own personal archive.
The late Major-General James Frederick Junor Johnston CB CBE (1939-2006) donated his personal collection of military and political papers along with £250,000 to support their preservation and cataloguing. The funds will also be used to acquire manuscripts relating to the military history of 1939 to 2000, and to promote and encourage research on this important period.
The Library has already been able to make good use of the bequest to acquire the illustrated archive of former King's Own Scottish Borderers Platoon Commander Peter White, whose memoirs of active service in North-West Europe in 1944-1945 give a gripping and moving account of the British Army's advance into Germany during the Second World War.
Once the JMA fundraising campaign has been completed, the Library will continue to generate funds to support a wide range of initiatives to preserve and promote access to the national collections.
Thanks
Financial donors
NLS is grateful to the trusts, foundations, individuals and corporations who have made gifts, pledges or bequest commitments during 2006-2007. We would also like to thank all those who wish to remain anonymous, and those who have given time and in-kind support to the fundraising campaign.
This list does not purport to list every financial donor to NLS, but only those made before 31 March 2007. Please contact the Development Department to inform us of any omissions.
John Murray Archive Major Donors
- Dunard Fund
John Murray Archive Sponsors
- B H Breslauer Foundation
- J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust (UK)
John Murray Archive Benefactors
- Professor Michael Anderson OBE FRSE FBA
- Mr and Mrs James Buxton
- Dr Helen E C Cargill Thompson
- The Rt Hon Lord and Lady Coulsfield
- Mr Stephen W Dunn
- Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
- Mr James G D Ferguson
- Friends of the National Libraries
- Mr and Mrs Malcolm Offord
- Robin Leith Trust
- Dr Susan Shatto and Dr John Cruikshank
- The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
- The John S Cohen Foundation
- The P F Charitable Trust
- The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
- Dr William Zachs and Mr Martin Adam
John Murray Archive Patrons
- Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh
- Bliss and Brigitte Carnochan Fund
- Mr Geoffrey C Bond DL and Mrs Bond
- The Rt Hon the Earl and Countess of Elgin and Kincardine KT CD
- Professor Sir Kenneth Calman and Lady Calman
- The Rt Hon The Lord Cameron PC QC FRSE and Lady Cameron of Lochbroom
- Sir James Cayzer Bt
- The Rt Hon the Lord Clyde PC and Lady Clyde
- Cruden Foundation Ltd
- Ms Laura J Dunlop QC
- Professor Sir David Edward KCMG QC FRSE and Lady Edward
- Mr and Mrs Christopher Forbes
- Dr Robert O Gould and Dr Sheila Gould
- Dr and Mrs J M Haldane of Gleneagles
- Sir Raymond Johnstone and Lady Johnstone
- Dr Christine Kenyon Jones
- Mr Nick Kuenssberg OBE and Mrs Sally Kuenssberg CBE
- Mr and Mrs Roy S Leighton
- Logie Charitable Trust
- The Most Hon the Marquis and Marchioness of Lothian
- Ms Elspeth MacArthur
- Mr and Mrs Peter Mackay
- Miss Mary E Mackenzie
- Mr Robert J O'Riordan
- Dr Alex Paton
- Sir William Purves CBE DSO and Lady Purves
- Sir Lewis Robertson CBE FRSE
- Mr Peter Saint Germain
- Professor Sir John Shaw CBE and Lady Shaw
- Mr and Mrs Robert D Sutherland
- The Rt Hon the Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT FBA FRSE and Lady Sutherland
- Ms Marjorie Wynne
John Murray Archive Supporters
- Mr Michael Belfourd
- Mr William Berry WS and Mrs Elizabeth Berry
- Mr Julian D Birchall and Mrs Rosalind Birchall MBE
- Miss Ruth Boreham
- Dr Sheila M Brock OBE
- Professor Ian Campbell
- Mr and Mrs J A Cochrane
- Mr and Mrs George J Davidson
- Sir William Kerr Fraser GCB FRSE and Lady Marion Fraser
- Mr and Mrs Conrad K Harper
- Dr Richard Holloway FRSE and Mrs Holloway
- Dr Gillian Hughes
- Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight KCVO WS and Lady Innes
- Ms Joan Lingard MBE and Mr Martin Birkhans
- The Right Hon Lord MacFarlane of Bearsden KT
- DL and Lady MacFarlane
- Martin Currie Investment Management Ltd
- Mr Alan W D McLean
- Dr Brenda Moon FCILIP FRSE
- Dr Patrick Mullin
- Mr John P L Ratzer
- Professor Emeritus and Mrs John S Richardson
- Mr and Mrs Malcolm C N Scott
- Sir David Smith and Lady Smith
- Dr Jane Stabler
- Ms Valerie E Stacey QC
- The Rt Hon Lord David Steel of Aikwood KT KBE PC
- DL and Lady Steel
- Miss Moira Stratton
- Mrs Anna Sweet
- Mr Mark Tennant of Balfluig and Lady Harriot Tennant
- Mr Fergus C M Thomson
- Professor Sir David P Tweedie and Lady Tweedie
- Dr Judith Vincent
- The Rt Hon The Lord and Lady Waldegrave
- Mr Leonard Wallace
- Mrs Joan H Winterkorn
- Mr Eric Wishart
John Murray Archive Donors
- Mr J S Coduri
- Mr Alistair Duncan
- Mr Nat Edwards
- Mr and Mrs Edward Enfield
- Mr Barry Haniford
- Mr and Mrs Daniel Kelly
- Mr and Mrs Bill F Lamb
- Mr and Mrs N N Lewis
- Dr Gordon M Wyllie WS
Befriend-a-Book
- Mrs Cate Newton
Callum Macdonald Memorial Award
- Mr and Mrs James Barr
Medical History — The India Papers Collection
- The Wellcome Trust
The Curator's Chest
- Mrs K R Barclay Bowley
- Historic Libraries Forum
Collection donors
The Library is extremely grateful to the many individuals and organisations, who in donating a wide range of material have uniquely enriched the collections. While space allows only a selection to be listed, the Library values all of its 500-plus donors for their generosity in the past year.
- Mrs Frances Abbot
- Darlene Tranter Anderson
- Frank R Andrews
- Executors of the late Mrs A A Baillie-Scott
- Dr Malcolm Baird
- Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
- Frances Bingham
- John Birch
- Book of Me Group
- Keith S Bovey
- Mrs Marianne Bowman
- Hamish M Brown
- Mrs J M Campbell
- Alistair Campsie
- Mr R E Cato
- Patrick N R Cave-Browne
- John Chalmers
- Piotr P Chruszczewski
- Professor Euan Clarkson
- Henry Curran
- The Dag Hammarskjold Foundation
- Dr Carolina d'Arpa
- Mrs William Davey
- Isabela Denize
- Dr Cristina Dondi
- Estate of the late Dame Jean L A Conan Doyle
- Embassy of India in Poland, Warsaw
- Friends of Robert Fergusson
- Alec Finlay
- Roy Fisher
- Laurie Flynn
- Professor Martin Ged
- Genealogical Society of Queensland, Scottish Interest Group
- Major John Getley
- Girlguiding Scotland
- Glasgow School of Art
- Alasdair Gray
- David Haig
- Esther Turnbull Henry
- Susan Hunter
- Islamic Foundation
- George Jamieson
- Penelope Jardine
- Antony Kamm
- Paul Latcham
- Ludwig Galerie Schloss Oberhausen
- Donald MacCormick
- A A MacDonald
- W McIlwraith
- Lt Col Brian Mackenzie
- Patricia McKenzie
- Toru Maruyama
- Anne Meikle
- Dr Phoebe M Meyer
- Iain Milligan
- Professor Isobel Murray
- John R G Murray
- Roderick Murray
- Museo Nacional de Colombia
- Dr J D Nicholson
- Norwegian Petroleum Directorate
- John Park
- Rose Pipes
- Mr E J Plumb
- Dr Lucina Prestige
- Marilyn Mackay Ballard Rabakukk
- Professor Thomas C Richardson
- Robert Louis Stevenson Club of Edinburgh
- Jenny Robertson
- Professor George J Romanes
- Royal National Institute for the Blind
- Royal Society of Edinburgh
- Julian Russell
- St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh
- Scotland-UN
- Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Scottish Poetry Library
- Scottish Screen Archive
- Scottish Society of Louisville Inc
- Robert S Shiels
- Dr A D C Simpson
- Dennis Smith
- Ronald Bishop Smith
- SMS Books
- Miss Henrietta Somervell
- Executors of the late Dame Muriel Spark
- Stanley Foundation
- The late Adèle M Stewart
- J E Tomlin
- Jack Tully-Jackson
- Turku University Library, Exchange Department
- Alexander Tyrrell
- Universitatea Lucian Blaga din Sibiu, Biblioteca Centrala
- University of Oklahoma, University Libraries
- University of South Carolina, Thomas Cooper Library
- Dr Peter Urbach
- The family of the late Robin Welsh
- Peter Westwood
- Helen White
- Professor Stephen White
- Donald Whyte
- Dr Karina Williamson
- Dr Herbert Zemen
Depositors
- Rt Hon The Earl Cathcart
- Donaldson's College
- Edinburgh Saltire Gaelic Choir
- Findhorn Foundation
- Alec Finlay
- George Watson's College
- Diana Hendry
- Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
- Leith Cricket Club
- Luffness New Golf Club
- Scottish Mountaineering Club
- Southern Light Opera Company
- Dr Christopher Whyte
The Board of Trustees
Chairman
- Professor Michael Anderson OBE MA PhD FBA
Ex-officio
- The Lord President of the Court of Session
- The Lord Advocate
- The First Minister, Scottish Parliament
- The Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Central
- The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates
- The Minister of the High Kirk (St Giles'), Edinburgh
- The Crown Agent
- The Lord Provost of Aberdeen
- The Lord Provost of Dundee
- The Lord Provost of Edinburgh
- The Lord Provost of Glasgow
Appointed by the Crown
- Professor Michael Anderson OBE MA PhD FBA FRSE
- Lorraine Fannin BA DipEd
Appointed by the Faculty of Advocates
- Richard Keen QC
- Malcolm G Thomson QC
- The Hon Lord Coulsfield QC
- Malcolm C N Scott QC
- Stephen Woolman QC
Appointed by the Universities
- Professor Graham D Caie MA PhD FRSA FEA FRSE
- Ivor G Lloyd BA DipLib MLib ALA
- Peter Kemp MA PhD
- Dr Judith Vincent BA PhD
Co-opted
- Lady Balfour of Burleigh MA DPhil FSAScot FRSE
- Andrea Batchelor
- Ishbel Maclean MA
- Moira Methven MCILIP
- Professor Jane Ohlmeyer MA Phd FRHistS
- Dr Willis Pickard