Friends of Aberdeen University Library

The aims of the Friends are

• to encourage donations of funds and of books, prints, manuscripts and other items of interest to the Library
• to help the Library buy special books, manuscripts and other items of interest
• to encourage interest in the Library and the potential of its collections

The Library at the University of Aberdeen is as old as the University itself. It represents a unique resource for teaching, research and scholarship. The Library operates an 'open door' policy whereby the riches of its collections are available for consultation to members of the general public. The Library is central to University teaching and research and it is also a key resource for the local community.

To visit us

To visit the Sir Duncan Rice Library you can register for an access pass at the Welcome desk on the Ground Floor. Please bring photographic proof of identity.

Our Collections

The collections are rich and diverse, ranging from manuscripts and early printed works to the most modern computer-based resources. They include:

• the MacBean Stuart and Jacobite Collection
• the Gregory Collection of Scientific and Medical works
• The O'Dell Collection of books on railways and transport
• the George Washington Wilson Collection of late Victorian/Edwardian photographs
• the Local History Collection
• the European Documentation Centre - with every official publication of the EU (held in Taylor Library)
• over a million books and journals supporting teaching, learning and research in Arts & Humanities, Medicine, Divinity, Agriculture, Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, Law etc.

View Library Resources

Many of the treasures of the University of Aberdeen's Library have been digitised. View these online or search Primo, the Library catalogue, for items of interest. Simply click on the resource you would like to see or to use.

• The Aberdeen Bestiary
• The Burnet Psalter
• The MacBean Stuart and Jacobite Collection
• The Papers of Thomas Reid
• The George Washington Wilson Photographic Archive
• Primo: The Library Catalogue

Benefits

Members of the Friends benefit from:

• A newsletter, which appears twice a year, with details of recent purchases made possible by the Friends, announcements and reports on Friends' activities, and news of the Library generally
• Meetings (usually at least twice a year with one coinciding with the Annual General Meeting). These either feature an invited speaker talking on aspects of the Library's holdings or visits to Behind the Scenes areas which members of the public generally never see (e.g. the University Bindery)
• The opportunity to become a borrowing member of the Library at special discounted rates
• The opportunity to contribute to the development of the Library and its holdings

How to become a Member of the Friends

Membership is open to anyone interested in Aberdeen University Library. If you qualify for Gift Aid, the Friends benefit additionally from your subscription.

There are two forms of membership: Annual Membership or Life Membership.

Annual Membership

Minimum donation of £20.00 per annum 
Additionally, this membership allows you to become a borrowing member of the Library. The special discounted rate, in addition to the cost of Friends' membership, is:

• Aberdeen Graduates
  ​£30.00 returnable deposit plus £15.00 annual subscription
• Other Friends of the Library
  £30.00 returnable deposit plus £25.00 annual subscription

Life Membership

Minimum donation of £200.00. This can be paid either:

• in one payment, or
• spread over up to 4 years

Life Members of the Friends are entitled to free borrowing membership of the Library.

If you would like to join the Friends of Aberdeen University Library please download 
and complete a membership application form or contact:

Honorary Secretary 
Friends of Aberdeen University Library 
The Sir Duncan Rice Library 
University of Aberdeen 
Bedford Road 
Aberdeen 
AB24 3AA

tel: +44 (0) 1224 27 2587
email: e.grant@abdn.ac.uk

Friends of Aberdeen University Library Postgraduate Research Bursaries 2024/25

Applications are invited for the Friends of Aberdeen University Library Postgraduate Research Bursary awards 2024/25. The closing date for applications is 16 August, 2024.

These awards of £4000 are offered to candidates in the early stages of a supervised postgraduate research degree (PhD or Masters by Research) at The University of Aberdeen. It is a one-off bursary payment designed to support research based on and making particular use of materials held in the University's Library, Museum, or Special Collections.

Applicants should complete the FAUL PGR Bursary Application Form. Additionally, they should attach a research proposal of 1000-1500 words explaining their project and the relevance of the University’s collections to it.

Full Details, Conditions and Criteria given below.

For further information on the scheme, contact Dr Andrew Dilley, Chair of the Friends at a.dilley@abdn.ac.uk.

Details

The Friends of Aberdeen University Library Postgraduate Bursary was established in 2017 to support University of Aberdeen postgraduate students working extensively with our collections, whether that is the rare and distinctive collections (Museums & Special Collections holdings, or other physical and digital library holdings) or delivers results of particular relevance to Libraries, Museums and Collections. The committee do not wish to be too prescriptive but expect that the proposal would go well beyond simply using Library holdings to review secondary literature for an otherwise unrelated project.

We encourage applicants whose projects that might have a lesser environmental impact, are interdisciplinary, aim to carry out public engagement, that increase accessibility, or otherwise adopt particularly innovative approaches. Applications for creative, practice-based, or community-engaged forms of research, as well as traditional research, are welcome.

We warmly encourage applications from researchers from a diverse range of backgrounds, and applications will be anonymized before the selection process. 

A FAUL PGR Bursary Award cannot be held concurrently with a FAUL Research Award.

Conditions and Criteria

• The award is a one-off bursary payment of £4,000.
• The award is designed to support University of Aberdeen postgraduate students working extensively with our collections, whether that is the rare and distinctive collections within our Museum & Special Collections holdings, or other physical and digital Library holdings. The committee do not wish to be too prescriptive but expect that the proposal would go well beyond simply using Library Holdings to review secondary literature for an otherwise unrelated project.
• The award may be held in conjunction with other awards so long as the total received in the academic year granted does not exceed the cost of fees and the current stipend awarded by UKRI PhD Schemes.
• Applicants must hold an offer of study from the University to begin in September 2024 or be less than 50% through their period of study at that time. They must be engaged in postgraduate research (PhD or Masters by Research).
• Decisions will be taken by the Friends of Aberdeen University Library Committee based on the following criteria:
  • The academic merit of the proposed project
  • The feasibility of the proposed project
  • The strength of the connection to the materials held in the University’s Library, Museum, or Special Collections
• All decisions by the Committee shall be final.
• Should the scholar receiving the award leave the University of Aberdeen, or fail to successfully complete their degree, we reserve the right to seek that a portion of the scholarship will be refundable to the Friends of Aberdeen University Library.
• The bursary can only be held by students of the University of Aberdeen and cannot be transferred to another institution.

Conditions of Bursary Award

• Successful candidates are normally expected to attend any events related to the Bursary Programme or to participate in other appropriate public engagement activities.
• Successful candidates are expected to write a report at the end of the academic year which is to be submitted to the Friends of Aberdeen University Library and which may be published on the FAUL webpages. This should detail the progress of your studies. FAUL will provide further details about this towards the end of the academic year.

FAUL PGR Bursary Application Form

The closing date for applications is July 31, 2024. 

General Funding

The Friends will consider applications for funding, usually up to £4,000, to acquire materials or support projects which enhance the Library’s collections and promote their use. These might include:

• Acquiring rare and valuable books and others items which the University may not be able to purchase from other resources
• Building and equipping exhibition areas within the Library
• Providing research facilities for scholars studying the Library’s special collections
• Providing other facilities which promote the Library and its use
• University staff, research students and independent scholars are invited to apply.

To apply, please complete the undernoted form and send to Ewan Grant, Administrative Officer of the Friends of Aberdeen University Library at e.grant@abdn.ac.uk

• Download form for Friends of Aberdeen University Library Application for Funding.

Please describe the nature of your project, stating how your request will benefit the Library collections and other users, and explaining why alternative funding is unavailable or insufficient. Applications are welcome from students and staff of the University, Friends of Aberdeen University Library and other users of the Library.

Friends of Aberdeen University Library Annual General Meeting

Craig Suite, Seventh Floor, The Sir Duncan Rice Library

Wednesday 5th June , 6.30pm-8.30pm

The Friends of Aberdeen University Library (FAUL) Committee are delighted to invite Members, and prospective Members to the 2024 Annual General Meeting which will be held in the Craig Suite situated on the seventh floor of the Sir Duncan Rice Library on Wednesday 5th June 2024 from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. 

We are pleased to be able to welcome you to this AGM where we will update you on work undertaken by the Committee over the last year. This year’s AGM will focus on the Library’s role in promoting wellbeing.  Simon Bains, University Librarian, will give a talk along with Lisa Collinson from Museums and Special Collections. There will be an opportunity to tour the library and see some of the innovative changes of the last year.

Please let us know if you would like to attend by emailing - Ewan Grant, FAUL Membership Secretary on  e.grant@abdn.ac.uk. On the evening, please come to the ground floor reception at the Library to sign in and be guided to the Craig Suite. 

If you are unable to attend in person, we will also be delivering the meeting in an online format. Please use this link to join the FAUL 2024 AGM via Microsoft Teams.

AGM Timings
6.30PM – 7.00PM Gather in Craig Suite, Seventh Floor, Sir Duncan Rice Library – Drinks and Nibbles
7.00PM – 7.30PM Friends of Aberdeen University Library AGM 
•    Welcome
•    Chair/Secretary Update
•    Finances
•    Office Bearer/Membership
•    FAUL Going Forward
•    Thanks and introduction to speaker

7.30PM – Simon Bains– Talk One
8.00PM – Lisa Collinson - Talk Two
8.15PM – Tour of Second Floor (TBC)
8.30PM – End of AGM

The Friends of Aberdeen University Library newsletter is available in PDF format from 2003 to 2018. If you would like to request a specific edition please email ewan.grant@abdn.ac.uk.

Join the Friends of Aberdeen University Library

The Committee meets about 6 times a year.

Current Vacancies

There are currently no vacancies available on the FAUL Committee

Please direct informal enquiries to the chair of FAUL, Dr Andrew Dilley (a.dilley@abdn.ac.uk).

Please send expressions of interest in Committee membership to the FAUL Administrative Officer Mr Ewan Grant, (e.grant@abdn.ac.uk)