About the Moir Library

The Association has an extensive private library of books and periodicals, housed at a central location in Edinburgh but available to members across the country through a variety of methods.

The History of the Moir Library goes back to 1912, and is a classic example of how one man's enthusiasm eventually led to the establishment of a valuable resource which is now available to benefit many others. Use the Quick Link to download a history of the Library.

Under normal circumstances books may only be borrowed by fully paid up members of the Scottish Beekeepers Association. Details of membership rates are available on the membership page. Books are not normally sent to readers outside Scotland, although applications for bona fide research or study will be considered on their merits.

The Moir Library is housed at the Fountainbridge Library, Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH11 1BG. Tel 0131-529-5616. Current opening hours are as follows:

• Monday and Wednesday 1p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Miss Frances Scott, Hon. librarian, will be in attendance every Thursday, 10 am.

Entry is via Nelson Hall, Murdoch Terrace. Visitors to the library are advised to telephone in advance. A current SBA membership card must be presented when requesting loan of books. Books may also be requested by post; in this case, the membership card must accompany each request for books - it will be returned with the books required.

Library Boxes of Selected Books

Boxes of selected books from the library are available for Local Associations to borrow. Please contact the Library Convener. Lists of the contents of each box are available to download using the Quick Links at the top right of this page.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from the Library Convener: Mrs. Una A Robertson, 13 Wardie Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 2AB.

The duties of managing the Moir Library and its collections are varied and demanding:

• Purchase, preparation cataloguing and classification of new and existing stock of books and periodicals
• Correspondence, enquiries and telephone calls
• Purchase of new books
• Reading and requesting reviews
• Postal loans service
• Bindings and repairs
• Displays to promote the library

Borrowing Items From the Library

• Read the rules printed on the red issue label in each book
• Take great care of the books while they are in your possession and return them punctually and carefully packed.
• Give alternative authors and titles where possible.
• Address all correspondence and return books to the Hon. Librarian, Moir Library, Fountainbridge Library, Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH11 1BG.
• Books published before 1900 and certain scarce books can only be borrowed by special permission of the Convener of the Library Committee.

The library welcomes gifts of books and pamphlets, particularly rare or hard to obtain publications, but subject to prior consultation and agreement with the Library Convener.

The Moir Library Catalogues

Catalogues of the Moir Library are available by post from the Library or Convener (addresses as above) at a cost of £5 each.

• Original Catalogue 1950
• First Supplement 1950 - 1962
• Second Supplement 1963 - 1984
• Third Supplement 1985 - 1999
• Fourth Supplement 1999 - 2005
• Fifth Supplement 2006 - 2010
• The third, fourth and fifth supplements are also available on-line for you to download and browse via the Quick Links.

The Moir Library Rare Books Collection

The Moir Rare Book Collection, held at the National Library of Scotland, is separate from the lending collection held at Fountainbridge Library. It contains books on beekeeping, mostly published prior to the year 1801, although there are a few published a little later than that. It was placed on long-term deposit by the SBA  in November 2002. Please use the Quick Link to take you to all the relevant information, including a link to a complete list of the Moir Rare Book materials arranged by shelfmark.

Library Enquiries

Please address all general enquiries about the library and book collections to the LIbrary Convener. You will find contact details on the Executive page in the 'About' section of the main menu.