ADOPT A BOOK

Abbotsford’s jewel in the crown is Sir Walter Scott’s Library, quite simply one of the best examples of a writer’s library anywhere in the world.

Caring for a conservation library is a complex process that never ends. Now you can be part of the story, supporting our ongoing work to preserve Abbotsford’s books for future generations.

We have made great leaps forward since the establishment of the Abbotsford Trust and the Faculty of Advocates Abbotsford Collection Trust, including stabilising environmental conditions in the house that had long been centred on domestic comfort rather than preserving historical material. We have also implemented robust access protocols for handling and consulting our books. Despite this, the list of items requiring sensitive repair and restoration is always well stocked with titles. As the collection of just one man and a leading literary luminary, the Abbotsford Library is of great interest to researchers and academics from around the world. We want to ensure that our books are available to members of the academic community who could work with us to enhance our knowledge and understanding of Scott’s reading and book collecting, in order to better understand how these activities fuelled his writing. These are stories we want to share with the general public as we develop our exhibition spaces and the stories we tell. At present, the books on our Adoption list are too fragile for consultation to take place, or for them to be displayed in our Exhibition spaces for members of the public to enjoy. You can help us change that.

The items in our Adopt a Book Catalogue offer a cross-section of Scott’s areas of interest, from travel accounts to witchcraft, civil war and topical events. The costs of conservation vary depending on the level of intervention required and include transportation to a specialist bindery and administration associated with the adoption process. As you will see from the catalogue, each volume or work has its own story to tell about Scott’s network and his passions and motivations. If you want to find out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us using the link below.

So, whether you’re a reader, a writer, an academic or an enthusiast, adopt a book today.

See our Adopt a Book Catalogue.