Orkney Library & Archive
@orkneylibrary
Books and Archives since 1683. Website: orkneylibrary.org.uk Linktree: linktr.ee/orkneylibrary
'Excuse me, but do you have any books about TELEPHONES? Specifically STANDARD telephones, AND their CABLES? I don't want anything before 1883...or after 1983.' #NicheBookMonday
Dough Ray Mears Fat Solar Tito. Our book trolleys are alive with the sound of music.
We have an announcement. Tomorrow is Dounby Show Day which is a local public holiday in #Orkney. Orkney Library & Archive will be CLOSED ALL DAY so the staff can dress in their finest outfits and stroll around the park looking at all sorts of bullocks. 🐂 See you on Friday.
This year's Edinburgh International Book Festival kicks off shortly and for the first time ever Orkney Library & Archive is delighted to be holding several FREE events where you can come along to the library and watch LIVE STREAMS of the events as they happen! 🎉
Good to be back from our important research trip exploring the balls of other libraries.
From the deserts of Sudan to the gardens of Japan. From Milan to Yucatan, or the wilds of Borneo to the vineyards of Bordeaux. Hit me with your library card. Hit me. Hit me.
Look who came wandering on to #BookyMcBookface in Quoyloo this morning. 🐈 At this point it feels like we're running a Mobile Library service for cats. 🐾
It's a grey, overcast day in #Orkney but we've just been sent a lovely sunny holiday photo of the bright white balls in Bexhill-on-sea! ❤️⚪⚪⚪
Good afternoon to everybody but ESPECIALLY to Cathy who came to visit recently all the way from Maine in the U.S. and brought us this beautiful handcrafted tote bag from L.L. Bean! Embroidered especially for #BookyMcBookface to carry on his travels! ❤️ #BoatAndTote #LoveLibraries
THERE IS A CAT IN THE CAR PARK 🚨 THIS IS NOT A DRILL 🚨 THERE IS A CAT IN THE CAR PARK 🐈
Happy #SaturdayMorning everyone. This week we would like to introduce our lovely *checks notes* KIDNEY VETCH. ❤️ Also known as woundwort, this is one of the flowers planted in our Coastal Habitat raised bed, as part of our Interactive Flora Trail. 🌼🏵 orkneylibrary.org.uk/interactive-...
For the last couple of weeks our #LEGO display cases have scored some record-breaking results with our superbly sporty #OrkneyLibraryLego SUMMER OF SPORTS theme! ⚽️🎾🚴♂️ All made by library users using our #Lego collection. ❤️ Our next theme is ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS! 🗿🕳🪨
To join in the online session just sign up for FREE via the registration link below. Date: Tuesday, 21st July 2026 Time: 10am (UK time) bolinda.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Our friends at BorrowBox are hosting an exclusive online event with author David Baldacci on the 21st of July - and you are all invited! The award-winning author will be discussing his many best-selling thriller novels, followed by a live Q&A that the online audience are invited to join in with. 👇
This is your occasional reminder that Agatha Christie wasn't just the bestselling crime writer of all time but also she had a surfboard called Fred
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We would like to interrupt your #SaturdayMorning doomscrolling to show you our beautiful Viper's Bugloss ❤️ Planted last year as part of our Interactive Flora Trail. Go to our website at: orkneylibrary.org.uk/interactive-... to find out more and to hear poems about the various flowers. 🌼
Last month our #LEGO display cases were a breath of fresh air, filled with wild and wonderful LEGO models for our #OrkneyLibraryLego GREAT OUTDOORS theme! 🗿🌴⛰️🌄 All made by library users using our #Lego collection. Thanks to everyone who made us a model! ❤️ Our next theme is A SUMMER OF SPORTS! ⚽️🎾🚴♂️
Someone just asked us which book ended with the best cliffhanger so we told them it was definitely #InternationalJokeDay
And for comparison, here's a modern photograph of roughly the same view. 160+ years later.
A bit like this legendary piece of kit from back in the day, if you're old enough to remember.
When viewed through a device called a stereoscope the two photographs merge together to create the effect of a single 3D image. Or you can just try putting a piece of card between your eyes (or just let your eyes go out of focus a bit) and move closer to the image.
Today is #NationalCameraDay so here is a very old and unusual item from our Photographic Archive. It's a stereoscopic card featuring St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, and it was created by C. Hubbard in the 1860s, which makes it one of the earliest known photographs of #Orkney.