A few weekends ago during a visit to Stirling, Scotland we went a few miles north to visit Innerpeffray, a little hamlet in Crieff that houses the oldest lending library in the country. In 1680, around 400 books from the lavish library of David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madertie were made available to the public, the oldest book being a 1502 imprint The Mirror of Final Retribution: For Good Works and Evil Ones by Petrus Reginaldetus, and other highlights of the collection including a 1613 King James Bible, a hand-coloured Mercator atlas, and extensive holdings on Scottish history and Law. When Drummond died in 1692, his bequest was formalized and funded by his will. Originally the books were stored flat in the old Innerpeffray Chapel (click here for some amazing photographs – the chapel dates to 1365), but in 1762/3 the books were moved next door to a house specifically built for the purpose by Robert Hay Drummond, Archbishop of York. The 5,000 book collection has remained there until this day, and in the library’s long history books have only been out of circulation since 1968.
In the chapel, books were originally stored flat with paper tabs for easy identification.
The library’s foundation marks a crucial distinction in Scotland’s education and literacy compared to its British neighbors: as the library’s brochure points out, “By 1750 almost every Scottish town of any size had a lending library. They served a society in which 75 per cent of adults could read and write – compared to only 53 percent in England.” When the library was first founded, it was accompanied by a school (which only closed in 1947), and the earliest Rules & Regulations for the library reflect the dedication to local children and their education:
Rules and Regulations for the Library at Innerpeffray
1st The Institution being intended for the benefit and encouragement of “Young Students” In the vicinity of Innerpeffray, it is directed by the Trustees that the Librarian shall attend every Thursday from ten oclock till two oclock thro’out the year, to deliver Books to such “Young Students” as may apply for the same, but to no other Description of Persons. –
2dly Any Person borrowing a Book shall put down in his own hand writing in a Register for that purpose his Name, his Address, the Titles of the Book, and the date at which it is taken.
3dly If any Book, or Volumes of a Book, is not returned into the hands of the Librarian by the person so borrowing the same within six Weeks from the day it is borrowed, such Person shall forfeit all future Privelege granted by the Trustees of the Institution. — The Borrower always being liable for any Damage a Book may sustain while in his possession.
4thly No Person shall have more than one Book (or Volumes of a Book) in his possession at any one time, nor shall he be at liberty to relend the same to any strange Person.
Lastly. The Librarian has Orders strictly to enforce The foregoing Rules & to report in writing to the Trustees the name of any Person who may deviate therefrom.
By Robert Hay Drummond’s time (1760s) the updated and expanded rules and regulations reflect the needs of a generation raised and educated, with persistent reading habits – it’s not all young scholars – and also an expansion from the locale to potential outsiders. Although interestingly, these rules from a hundred years later make the distinction between the practice of reading and writing – rule 3 demands the librarian make note of borrowing for those who cannot write.
Rules of the Library Of Innerpeffray The Honorable Captain Robert Drummond [erased]
1 The Librarian will be in attendance at the Library for the purpose of giving out books every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the year between the hours of 12 and 2 and 6 and 8 o’clock.
2 The Parishoners as well as the Scholars and Young Student in the district shall have the privelege of borrowing books or of consulting in the Library such works as are not allowed to be lent out but the Librarian shall be entitled to exercise at dis-cretion as to the persons to be admitted to the above privelege and as to the books to [be] lent to them.
3 A book shall be kept in which [end of page 1] each person borrowing a book shall insert his name and address the Title of the Work and the date at which it is borrowed and in the event of such person being unable to write from youth or otherwise these entries shall be made by the Librarian he being always satisfied in the case of a Scholar or Young Person that they are duly authorised by their Pa-Rish or other responsible person.
4 No person shall be allowed to borrow or have in his possession more than [left blank!] volumes at one time nor to lend the same to any second person and no book shall be retained beyond the period marked upon it
5 Any person retaining a book beyond the period allowed or in whose possession a book sustains damage shall forfeit the privelege of the use of the [end page 2] the Library for such period as the Librarian may consider proper besides being liable for the damage done.
6 The Librarian shall have a discretionary power To point out which books as are to be lent out but which may be consulted in the Library and he shall afford every reasonable opportunity to those who may wish to peruse such books. He shall also put over From time to time such as books as require binding or repair and these shall not be again lent out until put in proper order.
7 No person but the Librarian shall take down or put away books or otherwise interfere with the books upon the shelves.
8 The foregoing rules to be in force until altered or [erased]
The most amazing resource from this library, from a perspective of the history of reading, is the borrowers’ registers, which exist from 1747 until 1968. The register makes note of books borrowed, for how long, by whom, and often their very varied occupations: blacksmiths, shoemakers, farmers, school children. The librarian told me that she had noticed books of sermons to be the most popular (and I noticed not a few instances of Newton’s Principia being lent). Between the crossing out and the poor quality of my iPad images, I have had more trouble transcribing these, although I’ve been told we can look forward to a digital edition of the registers at some point in the future.
Sept 2nd 1751. I William Drummond in Middle [place name?] grants me to receive out of the library of the first and second vols of Greenhill on Ezekiel which I oblige myself to return within three months of this date. August 20 th received Greenhill. William Drummond
Other entries on the page lend Scottish histories to an Anthony Murray of Dullary, and John Swann’s 1635 Speculum mundi to a Gardener named Martin in Crieff. Into the 19th century the format changes from oaths and pledges to accounting columns:
If this isn’t a resource that gives us both the depth and breath of information to really answer most criticisms in the history of readership, I don’t know what is. But I do hope to visit again, and to hear more about the workings of the library in the future.
Today the library is maintained by an incredibly friendly & knowledgeable librarian (Lara Haggerty) who has curated wonderful exhibits on its history and treasures, and you can even visit for a musical performance in the chapel, or occasionally a book-binding class. So despite ending circulation the library serves no less of an active community role, which is only going to expand – the latest annual report notes plans to convert the first floor of the library into further exhibition space, with a reading and coffee area and internet access. They’re adapting their own historical paradigm, and I can’t help but feel that they provide an even more vital template to copy in the present climate, riddled as it is with tax-cuts, hard feelings, and shutdowns. Innerpeffray was a sight for sore eyes and inquiring minds to the utmost – and you can check out their official page here (and here is information about a book on the library).
UPDATE 08/01/2012:
SHARP has covered a project featuring the Library of Innerpeffray and the University of Sterling here. I feel lucky to say I am able to help transcribe the register!
Thank you for linking to Dancing Beastie in this article. It was interesting to read your impressions of the library, and a treat to be able to browse through some of it again thanks to your photos! The borrowers’ registers really are an extraordinary resource, aren’t they? One could write a thesis on literacy, social mobility and rural society etc. based almost entirely on the registers, I think.
Oh, it’s my pleasure – it was really surprising to me after coming home from Innerpeffray that there wasn’t more around the web singing its praises, your coverage is the best! If only I had known about the bookbinding earlier!
And I so agree with you about the registers – again, it was surprising to me how understudied they have been, especially given the vogue with patterns of readership throughout history. It’s something that’s SO difficult to deduce from individual books often times, and here we are with a readymade cultural study of immense proportions right under our noses! In some ways I blame the very Anglo-centric (in the sense of ‘British’) bias toward ‘English Literature’ – but it is not surprising to me that Scotland is ahead, given the affinities with continental learning and the relative backwardness of the Oxbridge curriculum in the 17th-18th centuries. I am from Philadelphia, and have done some work on the early curricula and student notebooks at the University there, and let’s just say Ben Franklin is MASSIVE fan of what’s happening in Scotland – so the influence is sweeping…it just needs better representation!
Wonderful comments, and great photographs. Thank you so much.
We do our best!
Councillor Ann Cowan