£2m facelift for library storage site

The National Library of Scotland’s storage site at Causwayside in Edinburgh, home to more than two million maps, atlases, reference books and periodicals, is to get a £2 million external overhaul.

The Scottish Government has pledged cash to transform the site into a low-energy space, significantly reducing energy consumption, and extending its capacity to safeguard more resources for the nation to 2020 and beyond.

Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Our National Collections are a rich resource for promoting Scotland’s unique heritage and distinctive culture, as well as enhancing our learning.

“The NLS provides free access to over 14 million items, and around two million maps, atlases, gazetteers, and cartographic reference works and periodicals are stored in the Causewayside Building, which opened in two phases, in 1989 and in 1995.

“The collections continue to expand, but this investment will avoid the need for new storage until at least the 2020s.

“There have been long-term problems with the external fabric of the Causewayside building.

“Although no items in the National Collections have so far suffered damage, it is clear that re-cladding is vital.”