The Scottish Poetry Library: A Haven for Scottish Poetry in Edinburgh’s Heart
The Scottish Poetry Library (SPL) is a hidden gem for poetry lovers and enthusiasts alike, located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town on the iconic Royal Mile. The Scottish Poetry Library (SPL), founded in 1984 by poet Tessa Ransford, has grown into a premier destination for all things Scottish poetry, offering a wealth of resources and opportunities for lovers of the art form.
The SPL is located at 5 Crichton’s Close, just off the Canongate, in a beautiful glass and stone building designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects. This structure, described as a “poem in glass and stone,” has been recognised as one of the best modern Scottish buildings, having been included in Prospect magazine’s 2005 list of the 100 best modern Scottish buildings and being shortlisted for Channel 4’s “Building of the Year” in 2000. The structure not only exemplifies the beauty of poetry, but also the significance of the SPL in Scotland’s cultural landscape.
The SPL is a charitable limited company supported by a talented team of librarians, specialist staff, and volunteers. The SPL is at the forefront of promoting the arts in Scotland, with its mandate to support audience development, literacy through reader development and creative writing classes with diverse groups, schools, and public libraries, and to promote opportunities for writers and performers to showcase their talents at home and abroad.
The SPL’s work in the area of wellbeing has included reminiscence activities for people with dementia in care settings, as well as the “Tools of the Trade” anthologies, which are given to every graduating doctor, teacher, nurse, and midwife in Scotland. In 2020, the SPL led a mapping project of Scotland’s Creative Words for Wellbeing practitioners, which resulted in the commissioning of reader development and creative writing workshops for people experiencing long-term COVID, as well as classes for teachers and mothers, and a COVID-recovery and renewal partnership programme with Lapidus Scotland.
The SPL has made a name for itself on the international stage, collaborating with Literature Wales and Poetry Ireland, as well as the cultural programmes of the Scottish Government Hubs in Dublin, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and London. The British Council has even commissioned the SPL to work with cultural organisations and artists in Quebec.
The Satire Literary Awards and the Callum MacDonald Memorial Award for Scottish Poetry Pamphlets are also supported by the SPL. In 2021, the library will sponsor the Best Poetry Book category in the Gaelic Book Awards, demonstrating its continued dedication to promoting and supporting Scottish poetry. The SPL is also represented on a number of advisory and advocacy groups, such as Literature Alliance Scotland, the Scots Language Resources Network, and the RIVAL network for librarians and information professionals, emphasising its significance in Scotland’s cultural landscape.
The SPL is a truly unique and valuable resource for the people of Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole, with its focus on promoting and supporting Scottish poetry. However, to keep its beautiful building looking its best and welcoming visitors from near and far, it requires a significant amount of maintenance, including window cleaning services.
Window cleaning is an important part of building maintenance, and the SPL’s glass and stone structure is no exception. The building’s many windows necessitate regular cleaning to keep it looking its best and allowing visitors to enjoy the view of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh’s Old Town. Window cleaning services are also important in ensuring the safety of visitors and employees.
