News
Book collection described as a ‘unique asset’
fios - Friday 21, June 2002
THE Ness based Islands Book Trust, a recently formed organisation to promote the use of a unique collection of books, was formally launched at a ceremony at 10 Callicvol last Friday. The collection of books and manuscripts, assembled by Michael Robson of Port of Ness over a number of years, has been described as ‘a truly remarkable and unique asset’.
Speaking at the formal opening of the Islands Book Trust, the Chairman, John Randall, who is the Registrar General for Scotland, welcomed about 80 guests to the launch. He said: "The objectives of the Trust are exciting, challenging, ambitious and I think realistic. Maybe ambitious as we arranged the launch to time with the opening of the World Cup, but maybe realistic as we estimated that Scotland would not be taking part. Challenging and exciting, as we are trying to do some novel things."
Mr Randall then gave a brief description of the aims of the Trust: "The book collection which Michael has is a resource for using history to achieve a future for Ness and the Western Isles. We are doing that through bringing together people from Ness and from outside - that is one of our biggest challenges - we will have failed if this venture is not seen as being owned by the people of Ness. So it is absolutely critical that the people of Ness see this resource as theirs. Equally we are bringing in people from the outside, such as myself.
"We want the highest standards of scholarship and again we will have failed if the book collection and the Trust is just for internal use and not taken up by the outside world - the Celtic Gaelic world and the Nordic world. Ness is ideal, being in that breach between the Gaelic and Nordic world.
"The Trustees that we have I think reflect that attempt - half of them are from Ness, half are from other parts of the Western Isles, Shetland, Orkney and mainland Scotland. We have a wide range of people who are determined to make this a successful venture and in the process help the community of Ness."
There is potential for tremendous economic benefits to Ness, along with social, cultural and educational advantage, according to Mr Randall: "What we are planning to do is two things: first of all to organise a series of events over the coming years built around the book collection. For example, our next meeting in August will be an evening meeting where we will be having two talks - one from one of theTrustees who lives on Foula in the Shetland Isles about the history of Foula, and Michael Robson will be talking about the history of St Kilda. A major event we are planning next year is a three day conference to mark the 300th anniversary of Martin Martin’s seminal work, Description of the Western Isles, published in 1703."
Mr Randall concluded by thanking the various people and organisations who are supporting the work of the Trust and the sponsors of the launch event, MacTv and Iomairt Nis.
The Vice-Chairman of the Trust, Iain Gordon MacDonald, then spoke: "It’s appropriate that we are launching the Book Trust in this ‘barn’ - the site of which used to belong to Alasdair Ruadh na Criadh and his sister Eirig Ruadh. Alasdair was in America for a short time and he was a bit of a free spirit. A bit of an intellectual - perhaps an amateur intellectual - he had lots of controversial views.
"For example when my father and his brothers in Eorodale were growing up in the 30s, the boys of Eorodale and Adabrock used to come down on Sunday to a spot about 500 yards to the south of here. Alasdair would turn up and give them lectures about all sorts of topics. Alasdair was a very interesting charactar and I think he would have approved of the Book Trust."
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