What’s on at Innerpeffray
Browse the Books : Library of Innerpeffray Online Catalogue Launch
Scotland’s first, free, public lending library is delighted to invite you to an online launch for its new catalogue.
Innerpeffray’s collection includes rare books from the founding of the Library in 1680 including around 500 books from Founder’s collection and many more added in the 18th century when the new library building was established. There are novels and journals bought in the 19th century, as well as more recent additions. The catalogue will enable you to search, for the first time, the Scottish Collection of first editions donated by Janet Burns Saint Germain in 2013.
Join our team and our special guests Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian and Sir Alexander McCall Smith, Author for an introduction to Innerpeffray and its collections, a short guide to searching the catalogue and a chance to ask questions about the collection and the catalogue. The event will last around 30 minutes.
The event is free, and you can book your tickets here: 10am event | 4pm event (BST). The link to join the Zoom webinar will be sent the day before the event.
Dates for Your Diary
| Sun 27th April, 3pm | Morag Brown and Lewis Powell-Reid. An afternoon of acoustic instrumental music from Scotland to the Balkans and beyond, with sparkling improvisations and a joyful spontaneity that draws deeply from the wells of traditional repertoire. Performing in Innerpeffray Chapel is of special significance to Lewis as his grandfather, Ted Powell, was the fondly-remembered Keeper of Books at Innerpeffray from 1988 to the mid 2000s. Tickets: £15, Under-16s £5. Available here. |
| Wed 30th April, 10am & 4pm | Scotland’s first, free, public lending library is delighted to invite you to an online launch for its new catalogue. Join us for an introduction to Innerpeffray and its collections, a short guide to searching the catalogue and a chance to ask questions about the collection and the catalogue. The event is free, and you can book your tickets here: 10am event | 4pm event (BST). |
| Fri 2nd May, 6pm | Reading Forms : Exhibition Launch. Book your place for the launch of this innovative and inspirational new exhibition here. |
| Fri 2nd May – Sat 31st May | Reading Forms : Artist Exhibition. Locally-based textile artist Helen Gallogly, known for her costume textile design work on the Outlander drama series, presents a site-specific visual art project at Innerpeffray. The exhibition will display printed textile sculptures, positioned throughout the Library location, presenting new visual narratives investigating the site and the content of its collections. A launch event, artist’s talk and artist-led tours of the exhibition will take place over the course of the month of May. Dates, details and booking for tours and talk available here. |
| Wed 14th May, 7pm | The Northern Lighthouse Board : More Than Lighthouses. The Friends of Innerpeffray are delighted to welcome Mike Bullock OBE, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board, to give a talk in the Old Schoolroom. Tickets £10, available here. |
| Sun 1st June, 3pm | The White Rose of Gask – The Life and Songs of Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne with Freeland Barbour & Gerda Stevenson. Carolina Oliphant wrote some of Scotland’s best-loved songs and yet little is generally known of her life. A native of Strathearn, she is second only to Burns as a writer of Scots song. This is a chance to learn about her life and to hear some of her songs as well. Tickets £15, available here. |
| Sat 7th June, 2pm | Guided Roman Walk. Join Gavin Lindsay, author of ‘Rome’s Caledonian Corridor,’ for a fascinating walk into the past exploring Roman Innerpeffray. Tickets £10, volunteers free, but please book a place. Available soon. |
| Tues 24th June, 7.30pm | ‘Good Again’ : Viola da Gamba recital. A musical tour with a difference, Sarah Small is cycling from venue to venue the length and breadth of Britain to perform a programme of music ranging from the 17th century to the present day on the Viola da Gamba. Tickets £15, available here. |
| Thurs 10th July, 7pm | The Three Inch Fools present A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They’re back again! In their 10th anniversary year, the Fools present an outdoor performance of an audience favourite in the grounds of the Library. Tickets available here. Early Bird prices available until the end of March – book yours now! |
The Library runs events throughout the year: exhibitions from the collection, talks and workshops inspired by the Library, and music and social events to raise funds for running costs and special projects. Find all the dates for your diary and a downloadable copy of our Footnotes newsletter on this page.
If you are not able to visit us, we have a selection of videos to enjoy from your armchair on our website, bringing alive the collection with our Keeper of Books and Volunteers.
For tickets: Book online via the links given above, or tel. 01764 652819, email info@innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk.
Download our latest newsletter below:
2025 Exhibition – Book Marks
Our exhibition in 2025 celebrates books from our collection whose previous owners and readers have marked the books with their own observations, notes and drawings – adding to the history of the volumes and telling fascinating stories of their own.
Although you can’t borrow books at Innerpeffray any more, all books in the collection and exhibitions are available to read, so please do ask if you have an interest in a particular subject. Only our very fragile books are exceptions to this and our guides are always happy to assist.
In the schoolroom
Free entry, open during usual Library opening hours. Tea/Coffee available, and pre-loved books for sale (honesty box). Please note the schoolroom may be closed to accommodate private bookings and events, do call to check to avoid disappointment.
Private Events
If you would like to hold a private event at the Library, Schoolroom or both please do get in touch. We are delighted to hold book launches, weddings, birthday treats and private tours outwith opening hours.