The People Behind the Philanthropy: An Investigation into the Lives and Motivations of Library Philanthropists in Scotland between 1800 and 1914

Abstract Examines Scottish library philanthropists in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a key period in the development of the public library service. Utilizing the technique of prosopography, which goes beyond recounting basic biographical details and considers individuals as part of an identifiable group, the article provides an insight into the lives of eleven people (nine men and two women) who were involved in gifting money, land or support towards the establishment and maintenance of public libraries in eight towns and hundreds of villages throughout Scotland.