Central Library, Lending Department

Category

Library Item

Item no

34727

Title

Central Library, Lending Department

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1929

Size

10.7 x 15.4 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Copyright

The copyright status of this item is unknown. If you have information related to the copyright holder please contact us.

Edinburgh's Central Library opened in 1890. It was built using a gift to the city of £50,000 from Andrew Carnegie, the famous Scot's born philanthropist. Architect George Washington Browne won the competition to design the building and he created a French Renaissance style based on chateaus that he had seen during a trip to France. The building originally had four departments: Lending; Reference; Juvenile and Newspaper departments. In the 1930s Ernest Savage, the then librarian, added specialist departments covering Music, Fine Art and the Edinburgh Room. A further specialist department was added in the 1960s with the opening of the Scottish Library. The Central Library continues to evolve today to make better use of the Victorian building and to embrace an electronic presence as well as a physical one.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Communication > Written > Signs

Furnishings > Furniture > Shelves

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Activities > Reading and books

Sport and leisure > Culture > Libraries

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