The Nature Library
Founded in October 2019, The Nature Library is a library and reading space bringing stories of land, sky and sea to public spaces across Scotland. It will open its first physical premises in spring 2024, taking up residence in an old shipyard worker’s flat in Irvine, Ayrshire and in association with the Scottish Maritime Museum.
With stories of conservation and climate justice, memoir and essays, fiction and field guides, poetry and many things in between, each book offers new routes of knowing, experiencing and caring for the natural world at a time when it needs our attention the most.
The seemingly simple act of reading a book has the ability to create real change. Rather than offering an escape from the “real world”, both acts — spending time in nature and reading a book — are in fact the opposite. They demand our attention; a conscious choice to take the route into the world rather than escaping from it. Whether by painting dazzling scenes, introducing flourishing flora and intelligent fauna, exploring the challenges they face or celebrating their triumphs against seemingly impossible odds, the books within The Nature Library turn our eyes to the natural world, sharing stories of its complexities one word at a time.
Arran Botanical Drinks, Cladach
COAST Discovery Centre, Lamlash
CILIPS Scotland Annual Conference, Apex Hotel, Dundee
Birnam Arts, Birnam
John Muir’s Birthplace, Dunbar
Eston Arts Centre, Eston
Stills Centre for Photography, Edinburgh
The John Muir Trust Wild Space, Pitlochry
The Project Cafe, Glasgow
Civic House, Glasgow
Previous locations:
The Seabird Centre, North Berwick
CCA, Glasgow (as part of Take One Action Film Festival)
Scottish Opera Production Studios, Glasgow
Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, Lochmaddy (as part of On Sonorous Seas exhibition)
Glencairn Midsummer Gathering, Moniaive
Narture Cafe, Ayr
The Rockfield Centre, Oban (as part of Argyll Hope Spot exhibition)
Reid Building, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow (as part of On Sonorous Seas exhibition)
Ullapool Ferry Terminal, Ullapool
Press and Articles
Make Space for Nature Podcast — NatureScot
The Nature Library goes on tour — Scots Magazine
CILIPS Go Green x The Nature LibraryGlasgow Women’s Library Open the Door Podcast
'The seemingly simple act of taking the time to read some of these books is a form of activism' - List.co.uk
Wild Words: Rewilding the library - JohnMuirTrust.org.uk
The Nature Library - ScotsMagazine.co.uk
MUCK x The Nature Library: Field Notes on Adrift-ness Workshop - ShonaRobin.com
Land, sky and sea: Christina Riley’s Nature Library - gallassscot.wordpress.com
