Advocates Library team hosts successful Doors Open Day

THE Advocates Library participated in Doors Open Day 2024 on the last Saturday in September, opening its doors and hosting tours for the public for the first time in five years.

The new Head of the Advocates Library, Iain Young, provided introductory remarks and guided tours of the Corridor, the Law Room, and the Laigh Hall were led by Library team members Helen Robinson, Beth Fraser, Sara Berry, Tasha Aburrow-Jones and Andrew Fall. Each tour was fully booked before the event and the team conducted 12 tours for around 200 people in total. 

The Courts also participated in Doors Open Day and recorded over 1500 people coming into Parliament Hall. The Advocates Library staged an exhibit in the hall which included a timeline of its history, designed by Library team member Jessika Ross. The timeline, a fascinating dive into years gone by, can be viewed here.

The accompanying exhibition case displayed books which tie into significant moments from the Library’s history, including the Queen Anne Copyright Act of 1709 and a copy of George Mackenzie's inaugural address. Library team members Jane Condie identified some of the books for the exhibition and Angela Schofield arranged the display cases. Visitors also enjoyed a fun photo opportunity using wigs and gowns organised by David Inglis from Facilities. Matthew Cwikowski from Facilities gave the Library team invaluable assistance in setting up for the event.

The second exhibition was inspired by the Books and Borrowing project, which analysed borrowers' registers from 1750 to 1830, including those from the Advocates Library. This exhibition, which was in the Laigh Hall, provided insight into how the Library was used in the late 18^th and early 19^th Centuries. It featured some of the most popular books from that era and Boswell's Faculty thesis, as he was the most prolific borrower of the period. Special thanks are due to Abbotsford for lending two books for display.

“I was delighted that the Advocates Library was included in the programme for Doors Open Day 2024,” said Mr Young. “My thanks to everyone in the library for their engagement with this event, preparing displays and conducting tours on the day. Parliament Hall was full of activity and our tours proved very popular, with many appreciative visitors who would not otherwise get to experience our wonderful library. I know I learned things about the Advocates Library which I didn’t know before, and I look forward to further opportunities to engage with the wider community,” he added.

Miss Fraser, who project-managed the Doors Open Day event, said: “We are grateful to all the staff who dedicated their time and expertise to making Doors Open Day a success and to our members for allowing access to the Library for the tours. It was exciting to see how much public interest there is in the Advocates Library, and we are already looking forward to Doors Open Day 2025!”