National Library of Scotland

"You shan't make canticles of my cantos. The poem will please if it is lively – if it is stupid it will fail – but I will have none of your damned cutting & slashing." 📜 When Lord Byron sent the 1st canto of 'Don Juan' to publisher John Murray II, his friends declared it "impossible to publish."

The reviews were scathing. But the scandal boosted sales, and the anonymity left the field wide open for pirate copies, one of which finally put Byron's name on the title page.

"You shan't make canticles of my cantos. The poem will please if it is lively – if it is stupid it will fail – but I will have none of your damned cutting & slashing." 📜 When Lord Byron sent the 1st canto of 'Don Juan' to publisher John Murray II, his friends declared it "impossible to publish."

An unexpected visitor arrives at the Library, searching for books he believed lost to time 🧙‍♂️ In 'The Magician's Memoir', an original illustrated short story by Sam Fern from our Visitor Services team, Merlin navigates membership registration, reading rooms, archive requests & special collections.

Blending gentle humour, fantasy and genuine details of how people engage with our collections, the story explores themes of memory, preservation and the enduring value of books.

Before the broomstick, there was the oven fork 🧹🍴 This woodcut is the earliest known printed image of witches in flight, and it offers a glimpse into a dark chapter of Scottish history.

From the 16th to 18th centuries, a moral panic swept the nation, leading to nearly 4,000 people - predominantly women - being accused of witchcraft.

"I shall always try and stay a Murray author." ✍️ Noni Jabavu was a Black South African author, broadcaster and editor whose career unfolded across Britain and Africa. Her two memoirs, 'Drawn in Colour' and 'The Ochre People', brought reflections on African life to readers around the world.

'The Ochre People's life extended well beyond its printed pages. In Washington, D.C., a reception hosted by the Liberian Ambassador drew over 200 people. Yet in South Africa, that same book faced the threat of censorship, with one publisher warning that copies were likely to be banned.

"I shall always try and stay a Murray author." ✍️ Noni Jabavu was a Black South African author, broadcaster and editor whose career unfolded across Britain and Africa. Her two memoirs, 'Drawn in Colour' and 'The Ochre People', brought reflections on African life to readers around the world.

In our latest long read, correspondence preserved in our John Murray Archive reveals the story behind her books. Drawing on letters between Jabavu and her editors, Dr. Siyabonga Njica explores the relationships, experiences and global journeys that shaped her literary career.

Standing more than a metre tall and filled with illustrations, 'Description de l'Égypte' is one of the most ambitious books ever produced 📖 Published in Paris between 1809 and 1822, it attempted to record Egypt's landscapes, ancient monuments, wildlife, culture and people in detail.

But its story is also a complex one. The achievements of the scholars cannot be separated from the circumstances in which they took place. Their research was carried out during a military occupation and formed part of a wider European imperial project.

Standing more than a metre tall and filled with illustrations, 'Description de l'Égypte' is one of the most ambitious books ever produced 📖 Published in Paris between 1809 and 1822, it attempted to record Egypt's landscapes, ancient monuments, wildlife, culture and people in detail.

Born from Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, the work brought together the research of hundreds of scholars, artists and engineers. Around 400 engravers worked for two decades creating the copper plates used to print its pages. At the time, it was the largest printed work ever produced.

How do we save our stories when the format keeps changing? 💾 From the 8-inch floppy discs of the 1970s - once costing a fortune in computer terms - to the ubiquitous USB drive, the way we store our memories has transformed.

Choosing what to save on a floppy disc was a deliberate act. Today, cloud storage feels limitless, but what does that mean for the stories we choose to tell? And will future generations even be able to read the formats we use today?

How do we save our stories when the format keeps changing? 💾 From the 8-inch floppy discs of the 1970s - once costing a fortune in computer terms - to the ubiquitous USB drive, the way we store our memories has transformed.

Did you know that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress? 📖 Join us for the Wee Read this Wednesday! Drop in to hear six minutes of a book read by Library staff in our Rain exhibition. Readings every hour from 10:30am to 4:30pm.

Happy World Teacher Day! 🍎 From online workshops that guide Advanced Higher students through using our catalogue for their dissertations, to self-guided visits and staff-led tours, we offer a range of ways to bring the Library into your classroom - or your classroom into the Library.

Students can explore historic treasures from our collections, learn about conservation, discover the history of our buildings, and practise independent study in our Discovery Room.

Rain can signal hope, danger, romance, freedom or atmosphere ☔ In our new long read, Library staff explore rainy moments in cinema and what they mean to us.

Drawing on treasures from our Moving Image Archive and personal reflections, this piece dives into the many meanings in a downpour on screen. It can obscure, reveal, isolate, or actively drive a story forward. Sometimes it simply falls in the background, shaping the mood and atmosphere.

Rain can signal hope, danger, romance, freedom or atmosphere ☔ In our new long read, Library staff explore rainy moments in cinema and what they mean to us.

We're hiring! We're looking for passionate, skilled people to help us preserve and share Scotland's cultural heritage.

Content Designer (maternity cover) – £37,439, fixed-term maternity cover (9 months initially, with the possibility of extension). Develop engaging, accessible and user-centred content across our websites, helping people discover and connect with our collections and services. 📅 Closes: 06/10/26

We're hiring! We're looking for passionate, skilled people to help us preserve and share Scotland's cultural heritage.

Ever wanted to see how a street looked 100 years ago - right where you're standing now? 🗺️ Our georeferenced maps let you do exactly that. We've got over 600 layers freely available online, with tools to filter, measure, draw, compare and export them.

Before William Hamilton’s ‘Campi Phlegraei’ (1776), public understanding of volcanic activity was hazy at best 🌋 Hamilton, Britain’s ambassador to Naples, had a front-row seat from his villa as Mount Vesuvius began to stir.

His meticulous observations, brought to life in stunning hand-coloured engravings by Pietro Fabris, changed everything. Published in English and French, these beautiful plates kindled a cultural obsession, cementing Vesuvius as a must-see destination on the Grand Tour.

We were delighted to welcome Uachtarán na hÉireann (President of Ireland), Catherine Connolly, to the Library today.