The Dorothy Dunnett Archive at the National Library of Scotland

After Dorothy Dunnett’s death, many of her personal papers and manuscripts were donated to the National Library of Scotland by her family. All these papers are available for viewing at the NLS’s main building on George IV Bridge in Edinburgh, six days a week. Anyone may apply for a reader’s card to use the NLS by providing proof of address. Here is some general information about how to apply for a reader’s card and view items in Dorothy Dunnett’s archive.

Know before you go: The Dunnett Estate holds the copyright on all material in the NLS archive produced by Dorothy Dunnett, including notes, manuscripts, letters, speeches, etc. If you intend to publish photos of or quotes from any material you view in the archive, e.g., on social media, consider carefully whether you need to seek permission first. Neither the NLS nor the DDS can authorise publication of any archive material, only the Dunnett Estate can. Contact Curtis Brown Heritage for permission requests.

Useful links:

1. See information for how to join the NLS and apply for a reader’s card here.

Again, this is open to everyone, not just residents of Scotland.

2. Browse the catalogue of Dorothy Dunnett’s papers here:

See the expandable dropdown menu to the right on this page under ‘Collection organization’, where it is also possible to search by keyword and date.

It is also possible to download a PDF version of this catalogue by clicking on ‘Inventory’ under ‘External Documents’ at the bottom of this page.

Note: the amount of information in the catalogue varies widely, so it is worthwhile to spend some time looking through it. Some folder content descriptions are quite detailed while others are not. The PDF version likely has the least information. The catalogue descriptions of some folders have been greatly expanded recently to aid research: these are folders 526–537 and 538–549.

3. Request form to view items

All material you wish to view in the reading room must be requested in advance. Make note of the folder number of each item you wish to view and then fill out this form:

Note: you can only request 6 items at a time, so you have to request items in batches of 6. Library staff also only process these requests at specific times each day, so if, say, you view 6 items in the morning of your visit and submit a second request form when you’re done, you may have to wait until the early afternoon before your second batch is ready to view. Processing times and submission deadlines are posted in the reading room, and you can also view these here:

Planning your visit:

Many Dunnett fans live outside Scotland and may like to fit a visit to the NLS into a trip to Edinburgh. Here are some tips to help you plan your visit so you can maximise your time viewing the archive material.

1. Register online for a reader’s card prior to your visit. This isn’t necessary but may speed things up because it will get you into the system prior to your arrival.

2. Look through the catalogue of Dunnett’s papers and make note of all the things you want to view. Note the folder numbers and also, if possible, the particular items within them you want to view, as it is easy to get distracted and lose track of what caught your eye in the first place! If you have more than 6 folders or think you may have limited time to visit, rank the items in order of importance so you don’t have to decide on the fly which ones you may have to leave for a future visit.

3. Shortly before your visit to the library, fill out the manuscript request form. This can be done a day or two before your visit, or even first thing in the morning on the day. Be sure to select ‘Acc.’ from the Prefix dropdown list and then enter ‘12135’ as the Reference number. The folder number you want is then added under ‘Part reference’, usually with the solidus (‘/’), but forgetting the solidus won’t mess things up. Double check everything for typos, especially the reference number! ‘Acc. 12135’ is the number for the Dunnett archive, so if it is typed incorrectly it may lead to delays or cancellation of your request.

4. On the day of your visit, follow signs for Readers’ Registration. Be sure you have identification and proof of address with you to show at Registration. Your photo will be taken and reader’s card printed while you wait, and then you will be ready to go to the reading room.

5. Store any belongings in one of the lockers available next to Reader’s Registration. You will need a £1 coin to use the lockers, so be sure you have change. Follow all instructions regarding what types of materials are allowed in the reading room, and leave everything else in a locker. Laptops and mobile phones are allowed.

6. Upon entering the Special Collections Reading Room, go to the circulation desk, show your reader’s card, and they will bring out the folders you requested. You may view one folder at a time, and staff will advise you where to sit. If you wish to take photographs, ask for permission from the staff member who hands you the folders. Note that taking photos of photographs in the Dunnett archive is prohibited, but in general it is possible to take photos of everything else. Again, ask permission first. Any photos taken must be for your personal use only; seek permission from the Dunnett Estate for any other use.

7. If you wish to submit another manuscript request form, you can use the computers within the reading room to submit your request. Be sure you’ve noted down your username and password to log in! Otherwise, it will be possible to access this form on your own device within the reading room. Just be sure to make note of the submission deadlines and time your next request accordingly. You may need to have a coffee in the café downstairs or take a short walk while waiting for your next request to be processed.

Enjoy your visit to the NLS Dunnett archive, and happy exploring! Please feel free to get in touch with the DDS Archive Liaison Officer if you have any questions, or contact the NLS directly.