Join the National Library of Scotland
Membership is free! Join to access millions of books, manuscripts and more to discover a world of knowledge, culture, and history.
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Benefits of joining
Request items from our collections
We have over 61 million print and digital items in our collections. Explore rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, music, moving images and official publications.
Use our reading rooms
If you find something in our collections you want to look at in person, you can consult it in our reading rooms.
Browse thousands of eResources from home
If you have a residential address in Scotland you'll get remote access to online journals, newspapers and reports for free through the Library's subscriptions.
Who can join?
Anyone can join the Library. If you have a residential address in Scotland, you'll also get immediate access to some of our eResources.
See our joining procedure for under 18s.
How to join
Register online (5 to 10 minutes)
Fill in a short form with your details.
If you plan to visit in person and view items in our Reading Rooms, you will also need a physical Library card. After registering online, show evidence of identity at the registration desk at our George IV Bridge building and collect your card.
Our terms and conditions cover use of our spaces, reading rooms, eResources, and your membership details.
Contact us
For any questions or support with joining, get in touch.