{"id":4808,"date":"2025-09-02T14:57:47","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T13:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/?p=4808"},"modified":"2025-09-02T14:57:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T13:57:47","slug":"dear-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/09\/02\/dear-library\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Library<\/h1>\n

A love letter to library institutions all over the world\u2026<\/em><\/h2>\n

To commemorate the 100th<\/sup> anniversary of the National Library of Scotland, the NLS has curated a special exhibition called \u2018Dear Library\u2019, which runs from June 20th this year until April 18th,\u00a02026. It is free to attend and was put together in collaboration with partners across the UK. Each display within this wonderful exhibition ultimately represents how libraries can help and support their patrons, and equally, how you can also support them. As a library worker myself, I was instantly drawn to visiting this exhibition when I saw it advertised on the National Library of Scotland\u2019s webpages and would like to share some of the highlights of this intriguing and galvanising experience.<\/p>\n

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The Love Letter Display Board\u2026<\/em><\/h2>\n

The exhibition itself is essentially advertised as one giant \u2018love letter\u2019 to libraries across the world and the library sector altogether. It was also inspired by the works of Jackie Kay and her poem \u2018Dear Library,\u2019 which the exhibition was also named after. Libraries serve as vital community hubs and public spaces where the pursuit of knowledge, reading and digital access is accessible and free to all. In addition to bridging the digital divide, libraries also host programs that promote community, connection, and well-being worldwide. They are also seen as safe spaces by many, and one where individuals do not feel pressure or obligation to spend money to access resources or simply spend time there. As part of the \u2018Dear Library\u2019 exhibition, a display board was put up by National Library of Scotland staff for patrons to stick a post-it note with their own love letters to the library sector, including what libraries have done for them and the positive impact they have had on their lives. To see so many of these post-it notes displayed on the board expressing people\u2019s love for the library sector truly warmed my heart. I decided to leave my own little love note to the library sector, which expresses both my own love for both being a patron and regular customer of local libraries in my area and for working in the library sector itself.<\/p>\n

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The Library Marathon Display.<\/em><\/h3>\n

Now here is a very passionate patron of the library sector! From 2019-2023, author and poet Joseph Coelho commenced a four-year-long mission where he became a member of a library in all the local authorities throughout the UK. Altogether, he visited a total of 213 libraries during his \u2018library marathon\u2019 – some of the cards he collected on this UK-wide expedition are displayed on the wall photographed below. His primary goal was to promote libraries as vital public and community spaces in the UK as well as to inspire a love of reading in young people \u2013 a mission us library workers can definitely get behind! It was also essentially a call for everyone to join their local library within their catchment area. Below you will see a photograph of the breathtaking wall of library cards he accumulated during this expedition.<\/p>\n

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The Bookshelves with recommendations from the public and famous Scottish figures…<\/em><\/h3>\n

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At the centre of one of the exhibition rooms was an open reading room of bookshelves stacked with a variety of genres, all of which are recommendations put forward by widely-known Scottish figures as well as the general public. In each of these novels was also a note left by individuals expressing their love for the book, the impact it had on them and sometimes even how it shaped them in years to come. I saw many well-known titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, as well as many which I had not heard of but was intrigued by \u2013 several were most definitely added to my Goodreads reading list! One patron even noted that a book they put forward as a recommendation had inspired them to pursue a career in the library sector. It was a truly incredible and heart-warming display \u2013 it not only gave me some great recommendations to look forward to but also highlighted the joys of reading and the positive impact reading can have on individuals, as well as how significant of a role libraries can play in fostering this love of reading.<\/p>\n

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The Save our Library Display…<\/em><\/h4>\n

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Despite libraries being widely viewed as essential community and support hubs, they usually end up being at the frontline of any government funding cuts in the UK, which can result in closures (usually of small, localised institutions), hours being cut and reduced staffing. This can have a detrimental impact on deprived areas where many patrons may rely on libraries in terms of open access to resources, digital access or even access to a safe and \u2018warm\u2019 space. A powerful quote is framed within this display, reading \u2018A library card in your hand is your democracy.\u2019 This statement essentially advocates for libraries as vital community hubs where information, literacy skills and digital access are all free and accessible to all. This significantly aligns with freedom of access to information and freedom of information laws in society and helps to ensure that everyone can access information held by public authorities. Ultimately, it reveals how important it is to have publicly accessible institutions like libraries as it aligns with various principles regarding freedom of information and access to it. Part of keeping libraries accessible can also involve having localised institutions located in as many different vicinities as possible within a single catchment area. I therefore felt that the \u2018Save Whiteinch Library\u2019 banner featured in this display was particularly relevant in reflecting the importance of small, localised library institutions, and a powerful attribute within this display overall.<\/p>\n

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Recommendations…<\/em><\/p>\n

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Here are some recommendations from us if you would like to read more about libraries…<\/p>\n

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