Page updated: 18 January.
When you book an event, your personal information will be held and used by the National Library of Scotland and our third-party suppliers for the purposes of allowing you to attend the event and for audience research. See our privacy pages, in particular our events privacy notice for more information.
We expect attendees to behave respectfully towards presenters, guests and other audience members.
See also: Workshops and tours; Events at Kelvin Hall
Festival of Broadcasting
Celebrating 100 years of Scottish broadcasting with this programme of free events, talks and workshops.
The Festival of Broadcasting will run from January to April at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.
Find out more about what's on at the Festival of Broadcasting.
Open Book
Join us for these free, weekly drop-in sessions.
We'll be reading stories and poems aloud and talking about them.
Just ask for Rachael or Anna when you arrive.
Every Monday
10am to 11am
George IV Bridge. Sessions take place in the George IV Bridge café located in the Visitor Centre.
Bookbug
Join us for weekly Bookbug sessions at the National Library of Scotland. We'll share songs, rhymes, and stories for children aged five and under.
Please note:
- Spaces are limited and booking is essential.
- Please only book tickets for adults attending.
- Bookbug sessions are intended for children five and under, but older siblings are welcome.
If you need to cancel, please either do so via Eventbrite or by contacting our Learning team for assistance.
Every Monday
10:30am to 11am
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Bookbug' via Eventbrite.
Eemis Stane Presents: No Yer Usual Burns Nicht
Join Scotland's newest Scots language literary zine, Eemis Stane, for an alternative look at our other national language.
Featuring performances from contributors, a blether with the editors, plus songs, poems, and stories.
Thursday 26 January
5:30pm to 6:30pm
George IV Bridge and live-streamed.
Free. Book 'Eemis Stane' via Eventbrite
'Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots'
Rosemary Goring discusses her new book, 'Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots'. The book tells the story of Mary's Scottish years. Whether or not Mary Stuart emerges blameless or guilty, in this evocative retelling she can be seen for who she really was.
Thursday 2 February
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Homecoming' via Eventbrite
'Pen Names', the exhibition
Curators Kirsty McHugh and Ian Scott delve into the Library's current exhibition: Pen Names, open until 29 April 2023. In this one-off talk, Kirsty and Ian share their deep knowledge of pen names.
They will explore how ideas of gender, genre, privacy, reputation, authorship, and authenticity influence authors' use of pen names in the past and today.
Thursday 9 February
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Pen Names' via Eventbrite
Timothy Pont: Scotland's first mapmaker
Timothy Pont was a pioneering mapmaker who created the first detailed maps of Scotland between 1583 and 1614. In this talk, Maps Curator Chris Fleet examines Pont's work and why his maps continue to fascinate and inspire us today. An example of Pont's work is featured in the Library's Treasures exhibition.
Thursday 16 February
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Timothy Pont' via Eventbrite
'Blue Scotland': Mollie Hughes
Record-breaking adventurer Mollie Hughes is in conversation with Amina Shah, Scotland’s National Librarian.
Mollie will discuss her new book 'Blue Scotland'. Her book leads us into the mountains and onto the waters of Scotland to enjoy the benefits of blue health. She will introduce her favourite blue places and how best to enjoy them.
Thursday 23 February
5:30pm to 6:30pm
George IV Bridge and live-streamed.
Free. Book 'Blue Scotland' via Eventbrite
A library of multitudes: The stories of Scottish Book Owners in the NLS
To celebrate World Book Day, researcher Mhairi Rutherford uncovers the stories of the Scottish Book Owners between the 16th and 18th centuries. Their libraries make up some of the Rare Book Collections at the National Library of Scotland.
Mhairi will discuss how bindings, inscriptions and bookplates can help us reconstruct a book's journey and ownership history.
Thursday 2 March
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'A library of multitudes' via Eventbrite
How do we talk about knives?
Contemporary poets and writers in Scotland explore personal experiences (current or ancestral) around naming, name-choosing and name-changing. These explorations will feature in a forthcoming anthology.
The anthology's editors, Rebecca Sharp, Marcas Mac an Tuairneir and Samina Chaudhry, will perform readings and share new work.
Thursday 9 March
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge and live-streamed.
Free. Book 'How do we talk about knives?' via Eventbrite
Archives of Tomorrow
Discover how we archive the internet.
The Library has led a 1-year pilot project to explore archiving and cataloguing health information and debate online.
Meet the team carrying out this ground-breaking work and find out how we capture the shifting sands of the world wide web.
Thursday 16 March
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Archives of Tomorrow' via Eventbrite
Altitude with attitude : The mountain adventures of Fanny Bullock Workman
Fanny Bullock Workman was an adventurer, writer, and lecturer who held the women's altitude record several times.
Workman climbed in the Alps and Himalayas in the early 20th century. Explore the adventures and writings of this impressive mountaineer with Maps, Mountaineering and Polar curator Paula Williams.
Thursday 23 March
2pm to 3pm
George IV Bridge
Free. Book 'Fanny Bullock Workman' via Eventbrite
Burns and Scott back in Scotland
A handwritten manuscript of 'Rob Roy' by Sir Walter Scott.
In 2022, Friends of the National Libraries saved the Honresfield Library for the nation after more than 100 years in private hands.
Join Ralph McLean from the National Library, Kirsty Archer-Thompson from the Abbotsford Trust and Sarah Beattie from the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. They will discuss the Honresfield items that have returned home to Scotland, including manuscripts by Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott.
Thursday 30 March
5:30pm to 6:30pm
Attend in person at George IV Bridge or watch the 'Burns and Scott' live-stream on YouTube.
Free. Book 'Burns and Scott' via Eventbrite
Additional
Watch recorded events
Online events and filmed talks are available on the Library Player
Visitor Centre Edinburgh
A café, our shop, and our exhibitions are open to everyone who visits our George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh