Contents 
| Introduction 
| Institutes of learning 
Parochial libraries
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In 1705 the Church of Scotland adopted a plan to establish libraries in the Highlands. This plan was itself a reduction on an original proposal to establish libraries in every parish - but that happened anyway over the next two centuries. Most were 19th century foundations. Ministers and kirk sessions influenced the content of parochial libraries. Most held that works of theology were important, education and reference less so, and entertainment was virtually forbidden. They were often kept on Church property - a few are still there.
By 1820 there were many circulating and subscription libraries in the Lothians and Fife. But East Lothian leapt ahead again when Samuel Brown of Haddington began a scheme for itinerating libraries. This meant everyone in East Lothian was at most only a couple of miles from a small library.
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Find out more about different kinds of library in the 19th century:
Circulating libraries | Subscription libraries | Itinerating libraries | Free public libraries
Contents | Introduction | Institutes of learning