Loanin in the Gloamin: Supportin the Scots Language in Yer Library
by Thomas Clark, North Lanarkshire Libraries
January is aye a braw month for the Scots language. Aw roond the globe, on the chimin o the bells, fowk link their hauns and handsel in the brent-new year wi a sang in Scots aboot the mindin o the auld yin – and then, a few weeks efter, gie immortal memory tae the scriever o thon lyric wi a nicht o sang an story, poetry an public speakin. Whaurever ye bide, this wide warld ower, ye’re never faurer than the length o yersel awa frae hearin the Scots language spoken or sung, if ye’ve the mind tae hear it.
But Scots, as we’re fond o sayin, isnae jist for Burns Nicht. The 2022 census showed that mair than 1.5 million fowk in Scotland speak Scots, wi a total o nearly 2.5 million reportin some level o Scots language ability. Dependin on whaur exactly ye bide, an whit kind o library ye wirk in, it’s a fair shout that somewhaur atween a quarter an a hauf o yer customers are Scots uisers – an, whit’s mair, Scots uisers wha luve tae see their language representit an reflectit in their libraries.
In 2025, the Scottish Languages Bill is expectit tae become law, giein Scots (an Gaelic) official staunin in Scotland. Sae if ye’re still huntin efter a New Year’s Resolution, there couldnae be a brawer time tae think aboot whit yer ain library service micht be daein tae support Scots an its spikkers in yer community.
No shair whaur tae stairt? Weel, here’s a couple o wee notions that’ll mak nae odds at aw tae yer time or budget, but will mak aw the difference in the warld tae the Scots spikkers yer library serves.
Stock Scots books!
Aye, it’s obvious, but it’s no ayeweys that simple. Scots books arenae aye released tae the same cavalcade o publicity that their English-language equivalents are, an if ye’re no specifically keepin an ee oot for them, it’s easy eneuch tae miss them.
But whether ye’re luikin tae stairt up a new Scots collection, or add tae an awready existin selection, ye could dae a lot warse than get a swatch at the Scottish Book Trust’s book lists, which include a hantle o smashin suggestions o Scots books for bairns o aw ages, an for adults forby:
Book Lists – Children’s Books – Scottish Book Trust – Scottish Book Trust
An if ye’re really strauchlin for siller – an wha isnae, nooadays? – the government-fundit education body Scots Hoose Yaldi provides FREE comics an books tae libraries an schuils aw ower Scotland, which ye can order frae them here:
Aboot ScotsHoose Yaldi – ScotsHoose Yaldi
Haud Scots events!
Face it, ye’re awready haudin events aw the time. Ye ken how it’s done. An it’s as like as no that some o the events ye’re awready hostin are Scots language events, even if ye dinnae advertise them thon wey. Yer reminiscence group, yer shared readin sessions, yer craft club: if there’s Scots spikkers in yer community, the chances are guid that they’re awready uisin their Scots in yer library. An if ye’re supportin them in daein that, even if it’s no explicitly whit ye’d set oot tae dae, gie yersel a pat on the back – it’s a braw job ye’re daein.
An it daesnae tak awfie muckle tae turn somethin ye awready dae intae a Scots language event. If ye’ve a copy o The Gruffalo in Scots and the wirds tae Ally Bally Bee, ye’ve a Scots language Bookbug set an ready tae gang. If ye’ve a creative writin group that turns their hauns tae Burns stanza, a craft cless makkin Christmas cairds in local dialects, or a book group readin the Scots translation o Harry Potter, that’s you, ye’re awa, ye’re up an dancin.
An, o coorse, Scotland is absolutely hoachin wi inventive, inspirational Scots language scrievers wha wad absolutely luve tae come tae yer library an dae a wee turn, Book Week Scotland or no. The Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature database has mair than 150 authors listit the noo wha wirk wi Scots – ye can filter them by language here:
Encourage Scots spikkers tae uise their Scots!
You ken an ah ken that libraries are safe, inclusive spaces for the hale community. It’s whit we pride oorsels on.
But in mony pairts o the country, the social stigma against Scots is strang yet. Tae fowk that were beltit in schuil or cawed oot in cless for sayin ‘aye’ or ‘hoose’, uisin Scots in public or in semi-formal settins can still feel like a risky business.
Aw the same, there’s hunners o weys we can let oor uisers ken that the Scots tongue isnae jist welcome but is actively celebratit in oor libraries. We can stairt wi makkin oor wirk-places Scots-freendly, encouragin Scots-spikkin staff tae uise their Scots whaurever they ken it’ll be unnerstuid an appreciatit. We can incorporate Scots intae oor displays an signage, an no jist in the run-up tae Burns Nicht or St Andrew’s Day. We can provide Scots translations o some o oor materials, whaur appropriate. (Scots versions o activity sheets or treasure hunts for bairns, for instance, are aye braw.) We cannae dae awthin – budget an time constraints bein whit they are – an naebody wad expect us tae. But whit we can dae will aye be noticed, an aye be welcomed.
Gie it a go, how no?
Sae, listen – it’s aw stuff ye ken how tae dae, an it daesnae hiv tae cost an airm an a leg. There’s naethin tae stop ye jist crackin on wi it, noo.
Weel, except mebbe for wan thing. Mebbe ye dinnae spik Scots yersel, or ye’ve lost whit Scots ye had. Mebbe efter years o code-switchin ye still feel weird aboot spikkin Scots, or like yer ain Scots is somehow less ‘authentic’ than anither body’s. Wan wey or anither, ye’re jist no shair if it’s yer place tae be daein aw this.
Spoiler alert – it is. Scots belangs tae you, tae aw o us. Throughoot hunners o years o institutional neglect, it has been libraries that hae kept Scots alive as a written language, libraries that hae providit the periodic transfusions o literary tradition that hae stopped Scots frae dwynin awa, first tae an oral anomaly, an then, like Burns’s snaw upon a river, tae naethin at aw. But if they’re still singin Auld Lang Syne on Hogmanay a hunner years frae noo, if they’re still jynin hauns o freendship frae Adelaide tae Montreal, frae Dunedin tae Denver, ye can be gey shair o wan thing – that it’ll be doon tae decent library fowk, much like yersel.
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Loaning in the Gloaming: Supporting the Scots Language in Your Library
January is always a great month for the Scots language. All around the globe, on the chiming of the bells, people link their hands and welcome in the brand-new year with a song in Scots about remembering the old one – and then, a few weeks later, lend immortal memory to the writer of those lyrics with a night of song and story, poetry and public speaking. Wherever you live, the wide world over, you’re never further than the length of yourself away from hearing the Scots language spoken or sung, if you’re minded to hear it.
But Scots, as we’re fond of saying, isn’t just for Burns Night. The 2022 census showed that more than 1.5 million people in Scotland speak Scots, with a total of nearly 2.5 million reporting some level of Scots language ability. Depending on where exactly you live, and what kind of library you work in, it’s a fair guess that somewhere between a quarter and a half of your customers are Scots users – and, what’s more, Scots users who love to see their language represented and reflected in their libraries.
In 2025, the Scottish Languages Bill is expected to become law, giving Scots (and Gaelic) official status in Scotland. So if you’re still looking for a New Year’s Resolution, there couldn’t be a better time to think about what your own library service might do to support Scots and its speakers in your community.
Not sure where to start? Well, here’s a couple of wee ideas that’ll make little impact on your time or budget, but will make all the difference in the world to the Scots speakers your library serves.
Stock Scots books!
Yes, it’s obvious, but it’s not always that simple. Scots books aren’t generally released to the same cavalcade of publicity that their English-language equivalents are, and if you’re not specifically keeping an eye out for them, it’s easy enough to miss them.
But whether you’re looking to start up a new Scots collection, or add to an already existing selection, you could do a lot worse than have a peek at the Scottish Book Trust’s book lists, which include a heap of brilliant suggestions of Scots books for children of all ages, and adults too:
Book Lists – Children’s Books – Scottish Book Trust – Scottish Book Trust
And if you’re really struggling for cash – and who isn’t, nowadays? – the government-funded education body Scots Hoose Yaldi provides FREE comics and books to libraries and schools all over Scotland, which you can order from them here:
Aboot ScotsHoose Yaldi – ScotsHoose Yaldi
Hold Scots events!
Face it, you’re already holding events all the time. You know how it’s done. And it’s as likely as not that some of the events you’re already hosting are Scots language events, even if you’re not advertising them as such. Your reminiscence group, your shared reading sessions, your craft club: if there’s Scots speakers in your community, the chances are good that they’re already using their Scots in your library. And if you’re supporting them in doing that, even if it’s not explicitly what you’d set out to do, give yourself a pat on the back – you’re doing a grand job.
And it doesn’t take much to turn something you already do into a Scots language event. If you have a copy of The Gruffalo in Scots and the words to Ally Bally Bee, you’ve a Scots language Bookbug set and ready to go. If you’ve a creative writing group that turns their hands to Burns stanza, a craft class making Christmas cards in local dialects, or a book group reading the Scots translation of Harry Potter, that’s you, you’re away, you’re up and running.
And, of course, Scotland is absolutely chock-full of inventive, inspirational Scots language writers who would absolutely love to come to your library and do a wee turn, Book Week Scotland or not. The Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature database has over 150 authors listed right now who work with Scots – you can filter them by language here:
Encourage Scots speakers to use their Scots!
You know and I know that libraries are safe, inclusive spaces for the whole community. It’s what we pride ourselves on.
But in many parts of the country, the social stigma against Scots is strong yet. To people that were belted in school or pulled up in class for saying ‘aye’ or ‘hoose’, using Scots in public or in semi-formal settings can still feel like a risky business.
All the same, there’s loads of ways we can let our users know that the Scots tongue isn’t just welcome but is actively celebrated in our libraries. We can start with making our workplaces Scots-friendly, encouraging Scots-speaking staff to use their Scots wherever they know it’ll be understood and appreciated. We can incorporate Scots into our displays and signage, and not just in the run-up to Burns Night or St Andrew’s Day. We can provide Scots translations of some of our materials, where appropriate. (Scots versions of activity sheets or treasure hunts for children, for instance, are always brilliant.) We can’t do everything – budget and time constraints being what they are – and nobody would expect us to. But what we can do will always be noticed, and always be welcomed.
Why not give it a go?
So, listen – it’s all stuff you know how to do, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There’s nothing to stop you just cracking on with it from here.
Well, except perhaps for one thing. Maybe you don’t speak Scots yourself, or you’ve lost what Scots you had. Maybe after years of code-switching you still feel uncomfortable with speaking Scots, or like your own Scots is somehow less ‘authentic’ than the next person’s. One way or another, you’re just not sure if it’s your place to be doing all this.
Spoiler alert – it is. Scots belongs to you, to all of us. Throughout hundreds of years of institutional neglect, it has been libraries that have kept Scots alive as a written language, libraries that have provided the periodic transfusions of literary tradition that have stopped Scots from fading away, first to an oral anomaly, and then, like Burns’s snow upon a river, to nothing at all. But if they’re still singing Auld Lang Syne on Hogmanay a hundred years from now, if they’re still joining hands in friendship from Adelaide to Montreal, from Dunedin to Denver, you can be sure of one thing – that it’ll be down to decent library folk, much like you.