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Library Services Scotland
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Recent Library Projects

The Law Room

The Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh

The Faculty of Advocates is located in Parliament House adjacent to St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. This historic building is most famous for the signing of the Act of Union between Scotland and England in 1707.

The Advocates Library is widely regarded as the finest working law library in the British Isles. A comprehensive range of materials built up over the last three hundred years, and a modern library management system utilising the latest technology, ensure that the Advocates Library is able to meet the increasingly complex needs of members of the Faculty of Advocates. In addition, the library's stock is made available to others via the National Library of Scotland - see Using the Library for details.

The Library was formally inaugurated in 1689. From the start the collection was a general one. In 1709 the status of the collection was confirmed when Queen Anne's Copyright Act gave the Keeper of the Library the right to claim a copy of every book published in the British Isles. The collection was enhanced by purchase and donation, particularly of continental imprints and of manuscripts. The Advocates Library came to be recognised as the natural depository for literary materials of national importance. By the 1850s the Library had become in effect Scotland's national library. In 1925 the National Library of Scotland was established when the Faculty gifted to the nation its whole non-law collections comprising 750,000 books, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps and sheet music. The Advocates Library has retained the copyright privilege for law publications.

The Law Room within the Library was formerly a courtroom which has been converted into a library and study area. Most famously this courtroom was used for the trial in 1829 of the notorious grave robbers Burke and Hare. The brief for this project was to provide up to date study facilities for the Advocates whilst maintaining the traditional feel to the space.

All the books were removed during the summer recess of the courts and the shelving cleaned and repainted to the original specification. New lighting and power was installed.

The brief for Library Services Scotland Limited was as follows :-

Design and build 50 study places allowing 120 x 80cm per position.
Each position to have its own power and lighting with plenty of storage for reference material.
Desktop and seating to have matching leather finishes
Provide a full design proposal and liaise with professional advisors and contractor
Provision of blinds to windows to be in keeping with traditional nature of the room

The six special desks were manufactured to specification by a British company with special attention being made to the services section in the centre. The angled repository for reference materials was divided by a power block which provides each study place with their own socket and light switch for individual lighting. Lamps were also provided at the end of each upper flat surface.

There was also provision of a central service point for the librarians.

The Italian seats were manufactured to a special size to match the nature of the desking.

Wooden slatted blinds were provided to all windows