National Library of Scotland
A bookshelf full of books and Halloween-themed decorations.

A centennial spine-chilling journey through the Library's collections. To celebrate our centenary we have selected a scary book published in each year of the Library's existence. This diverse selection of titles includes a mixture of classics and hidden gems.

About Open Shelves

Open Shelves is a changing display of reference material in the General Reading Room. This space is dedicated to showcasing under-represented topics and provides access to the Library's collections as a source of inspiration and learning. 

Please note you need to be a member of the Library to access this display. You can sign-up to become a member at George IV Bridge or on our website .

You may be interested in

Creative writing: Transformations

Workshop
2 December 2025, 3:00PM to 5:00PM
A book open with all its pages splayed out.

Dear Library

Exhibition
20 June 2025 to 18 April 2026
Yellow background with a sticker on it that reads "Dear Library".

Open Shelves: The remarkable world of trees

Display
17 September to 29 November 2025
A bookshelf full of books about trees.