Heriot-Watt opens restored 18th century Edinburgh library with collection of influential Adam Smith books

Panmure House’s programme executive spent months finding the books from all over the world.

Funds were donated for Panmure House to buy replica copies of 84 books with the same print year, publisher and edition from more than 3,000 titles that Adam Smith owned.

Heriot-Watt University has officially opened a restored 18th century library featuring replica copies of more than 80 books that economist and philosopher Adam Smith was known to have owned.

The library is located inside Edinburgh’s historic Panmure House - the former home of the man credited as the “father of modern economics” that is now part of the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt. Raja Easa Al Gurg, chairperson of the Dubai-based business conglomerate Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and honorary pro-chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Dubai, donated funds for Panmure House to buy replica copies of 84 books with the same print year, publisher and edition from more than 3,000 titles that Adam Smith owned.

Panmure House programme executive Blair Barrows has spent more than three months researching and finding the books from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Belgium. He said: “Smith’s original library contained a very wide range of subjects including drama and the arts, sciences or natural philosophy, classic philosophy, history and nature, amongst many others. Even the husbandry of horses makes the wider catalogued collection Adam Smith once had in Panmure House.

“We have looked to reflect that across the titles we currently own, by not only selecting those titles directly influencing Smith in areas such as economics and philosophy, but also contextual works on the theatre, art, history, Scottish culture and literature and natural history.”

Edinburgh Business School and Heriot-Watt rescued Panmure House from dereliction in 2008 and invested £5.6 million over ten years restoring it. As part of the business school, the building now hosts a year-round programme of events, debates, research projects and education focused on urgent economic, political and philosophical questions in the 21st century.

Professor Richard Williams, principal and vice-chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, said: “Adam Smith’s former home is an outstanding piece of Scottish heritage and restoring the library is a hugely important milestone in its restoration. We are immensely grateful to Dr Al Gurg for her generosity in helping us assemble this fantastic collection of books.”

Saving Panmure House: Podcast on the rich history, sad decline and remarkable renewal of Adam Smith’s final home