William Kirk Dickson: Scotland's first National Librarian
Schedule
Thu Oct 23 2025 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm
UTC+01:00Location
National Library of Scotland | Edinburgh, SC

About this Event
William Kirk Dickson (1860 to 1949) was Keeper of the Advocates Library until 1925 when he became the first Librarian of the National Library of Scotland.
Almost 100 years after the day Dickson was made National Librarian, join Neil Mackenzie KC, the present Keeper of the Advocates Library, to learn about Dickson's professional life in Parliament House and his essential role in the foundation of the National Library.
Dickson was a careful recorder of life in Parliament House during his time there from the late Victorian era to before World War One. He described the struggle to find the right home for the cherished collections that the Advocates could no longer afford to keep. Dickson understood the fragile and timeless nature of the collections. This informed his actions to preserve and develop them for the benefit of the nation and academia.
Dickson's enduring influence persists beneath the surface of both the Advocates Library and the National Library of Scotland.
About the speaker
Neil Mackenzie KC is Keeper of the Advocates Library. He was admitted as a member of Faculty in June 1999, took silk in 2019, and became Keeper in 2022. As Keeper, Neil is dedicated to preserving the Library’s best traditions while also meeting the contemporary needs of members to serve the administration of justice in Scotland.
When you book an event, your personal information will be held and used by the National Library of Scotland and our third-party suppliers for the purposes of allowing you to attend the event and for audience research. For more information, visit the National Library of Scotland privacy pages, in particular the events notice and feedback and complaints notice. We expect attendees to behave respectfully towards presenters, guests and other audience members.
Where is it happening?
National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
