About this attraction
Scottish Borders Council Library and Information Services
Scottish Borders Library & Information Services have a network of twelve public libraries which provide a full range of information services and free internet access throughout the Scottish Borders.
Visitors to the Scottish Borders are welcome to use our libraries. You can have free access to computers or consult materials in the library. If you would like to borrow items, or will be using the library regularly for a few weeks you can join as a Visitor Member for up to 3 months. (This can be renewed further in necessary). To join as a Visitor you will need to pay a £5 deposit (refundable when you return your card) or you can leave an existing library card from your home library as a deposit.
Junior Visitors, under 16 years of age, will require their parent or guardian to complete a membership form and return it to the library in person.
Public Libraries can be found in
Peebles, Innerleithen, Galashiels, Melrose, Selkirk, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Earlston, Duns, Coldstream and Eyemouth. Contact information on these libraries and their opening times can accessed at
http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/life/educationandlearning/libraries/libraryservices/index.html
Local Studies Collection - Scottish Borders Council Library and Information Services hold a wide collection of published works which are of interest to anyone researching their Border ancestry or Borders history.
The main collection of local studies books and periodicals is held at Library Headquarters in Selkirk, under the supervision of the Local Studies Librarian, and access to these is by arrangement. Smaller collections are held at local libraries throughout the Scottish Borders.
In addition to published books of monumental inscriptions and indexed transcriptions of census returns 1841-1861, the Library and Information Service holds a large collection of books on the Scottish Borders which illustrate the way of life in the Scottish Borders, including how people lived, their work, recreation and culture. The Local Studies Collection at Library Headquarters also includes the transactions of local learned societies e.g. Hawick Archaeological Society (also held at Hawick Library) and Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club. Galashiels Library, Hawick Library, Duns Library and Jedburgh Library also hold collections of local newspapers on microfilm. The collections held by the library service compliment the collections held at the Heritage Hub. For information on accessing the Local Studies Collection contact:-
Local Studies Librarian
Library Headquarters
St Mary’s Mill
Selkirk
TD7 5EW
Telephone 01750 20842
E-mail: hdarling@scotborders.gov.uk
ScotlandsPeople Public Library Scheme
ScotlandsPeople is one of the largest online sources of original genealogical information. Operated on behalf of the General Register Office for Scotland, the National Archives of Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon by Scotland Online there are over 50 million records to access including statutory records of births, deaths and marriages, old parish records, census records and wills and testaments in Scotland.
To widen access to the site public library services in Scotland and the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) are now able to offer access to information held on ScotlandsPeople to library users at a preferential rate.
A charge is made for some of the ScotlandsPeople services and other are free of charge. The charging system uses a system of “credits” which can now be bought through public libraries at preferential rates for searching and viewing information on births, deaths and marriages. A special Starter account offers a 50% discount at £6 for 60 credits. Top up credits have a 20% discount at £4.80 for 30 credits.
These credits also remain valid for an extended period of time.
For more information on the ScotlandsPeople Public Library Scheme go to
http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/life/educationandlearning/libraries/24948.html
Price
Special Facilities
Opening Times
Please contact us for more details