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The Gallery of Benefactors commemorates gifts to the Library and those who gave them. Visitors to the University in the 17th and 18th centuries record having seen donated collections on separate shelves in the Library with their donors' names inscribed gold above them in gold. Duncan Macmillan, Director of the Talbot Rice Gallery, recalls that
'On 1st August 1863 the Senatus set up a committee to report
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'In March 1864 an advertisement was placed in "The Scotsman", and in
the Calendar for the 1864-5 there appeared a catalogue of the Portraits and Busts in the Senate Hall, Library, and Court Room ... A note added to this first list reads: "In order to honour and perpetuate the names of individuals who have founded scholarships, bursaries, and new chairs in the University, the Senatus Academicus has made arrangements for placing busts or portraits of them in the library and the University Court Room."'
Today in the 21st century, it is important that gifts of books and manuscripts are placed in the Library where they can be best used and looked after. This often means giving donated volumes special bookplates to commemorate their donors, and shelving them among other volumes on the same subjects so that they will readily be found by Library users. The Gallery of Benefactors recreates the spirit of how the University used to be able to celebrate its benefactors and their gifts. It combines pictures and words to display portraits of donors themselves or, where portraits are not available, images of the gifts themselves. Where appropriate, the Gallery provides links to other Web pages that give further information on the collections, including lists where these have been compiled. We hope that you enjoy your visit to the Gallery
of Benefactors, and that you will wish to return in the future. New benefactors are added from time to time. If you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact
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Friends of EUL | Recent Donations | Islamic & Middle Eastern 1500-1699 | 1700-1799 | 1800-1899 | 1900-1949 | 1950-1999 | 2000- Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all material © The University of Edinburgh |