IFLA Webinar: "Librarians Inspire Engagement in Cultural Heritage"
The Thursday, April 22, 2021 session by IFLA: "Librarians Inspire Engagement in Cultural Heritage" was a pleasure for those of us interested in archival records, material culture, and family history research.
The first panelist, Laura Haggerty, Innerpeffray Library Keeper of Books in Scotland, spoke how the three disciplines intersect when she spoke of the great-great-great-great-great(?) grandson of James Roby who traveled from another country and found his grandfather in the library's Borrowers’ Register. Laura was able to find the book that his grandfather had read hundreds of years ago and place it in his hands! That touching experience caused the library to put together a display and they now have a permanent "Borrowers Lives" exhibit. This came about because of the services of a genealogist who researched the names in the Borrowers’ Register.
As family historians looking for context for our ancestors' lives, think of the value of touching the actual books that your ancestor borrowed -- gaining an insight into what they read that influenced how they thought! This truly is a blessing for us as we try to bring their lives to light.
Innerpeffray is the oldest lending library in Scotland. Visit https://innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk/ to learn all that they have to offer. I am watching their virtual walk "The Walk to Innerpeffray" and it is lovely.
And make sure that you check out their upcoming event on library history on Saturday, May 22, 2021. This event has been organised in conjunction with the project Books and Borrowing 1750-1830, based at the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow (borrowing.stir.ac.uk).