Online Access to the Robert Burns Collection
American donors are making it possible for the National Trust for Scotland to publish its unparalleled collection of Robert Burns manuscripts, objects, and ephemera online, where they can be explored by scholars and enthusiasts from around the world.
Manuscript of Auld Lang Syne in the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Image credit: National Trust for Scotland.
Responding to a challenge from an American supporter, The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA has raised a total of $208,175 to fully fund the Burns Online Access Project, which is scheduled to go live in early 2024.
Laurie Bassam was hired to head up the project in February 2023. Since then, she has made excellent progress in assessing more than 3,500 Burns-related items in the Trust’s collection and preparing to move them online. The holdings include the twelve original Burns manuscripts recently acquired as part of the Blavatnik Honresfield Library, as well as the First Commonplace Book jointly owned with the National Libraries of Scotland.
Suzanne Reid, Regional Conservator for the National Trust for Scotland, inspects the First Commonplace Book. Image credit: National Trust for Scotland.
Some of Laurie’s work has been tedious: there were roughly 11,000 images associated with over 5,000 individual records and artifacts in the Trust’s collections management database. Laurie began by matching each image to the correct record, ensuring record consistency, and adding high resolution photographs of each manuscript, object, and letter in the collection. Because this data will form the basis of the new digital platform, it is essential that each record is accurate and up-to-date.
At the same time, the project team has evaluated how to create engaging online experiences for a range of users, from academics to school children, from Burns enthusiasts to those simply curious to learn more about Scotland’s national bard. A variety of strategies, including articles, podcasts, animations, and interviews with experts, will enrich the collection images and records. Items will be grouped into thematic journeys, such as religion and politics; folk traditions and folklore; mental and physical health; 18th-century life; love, and relationships; forgery and authenticity; publication and performance; the writing process; and the memorialization of Burns.
A digital partner also has been recruited to will lead development of the digital platform which will house the collection. Cogapp are considered one of the UK’s preeminent digital agencies and regularly builds platforms that allow the public search of collections databases. They have previously worked with the British Library, MoMA, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Archives, University of Edinburgh, MIT Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Detail of the Auld Lang Syne manuscript. Image credit: National Trust for Scotland.
NTSUSA is proud to help the National Trust for Scotland achieve its goal of providing online access to this important collection, and also to test how the Trust can create online access that is scalable across all of its heritage collections. Thank you to all the American donors who are making this initiative possible. We look forward to announcing its launch in early 2024.
Support other projects and priorities at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum with a tax-deductible donation to NTSUSA.
