Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal June 2007 Volume 5(3)

Special collections

All about bees

Una A. Robertson describes a unique library devoted to material about beekeeping.

The Moir Library is a specialist collection of printed material dedicated to the interests of beekeepers. It is owned and run by the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association for the benefit of its members. Nowadays ‘The Moir’ is split: the Moir Lending Library is currently housed in the Fountainbridge Public Library while the Moir Rare Books, some 230 or so, have been kept separately for a number of years due to their monetary or rarity value. In 2002 they were deposited on long loan with the National Library of Scotland.

The collection is named after John Moir who started collecting books on bees and beekeeping shortly after the formation of the national association in 1912. Within four years he had acquired 167 books and by 1933 had amassed over 1200 items. The collection was still housed in his own home and he was still the SBA’s Hon. Librarian despite his considerable age and, at this point, contact was made with Edinburgh’s Public Library.

The Moir is both a reference and a lending library. The range of subject matter is spectacular and covers every aspect of the craft: the natural history of bees generally and of honey bees in particular; bees in literature and folklore, in history and archaeology; works on botany, biology and bee anatomy; on bee breeding and queen rearing, diseases and pests; books specifically aimed at children or beginners or those setting up a beekeeping business; on the production of honey and other hive products and their uses; the medicinal and nutritional values of honey – the list is endless. There are books on beekeeping by classical authors; books dating from the 16th century; publications in French, German, Italian and other languages, written by notable beekeepers of their time; and much material from America; also innumerable pamphlets from research stations and government departments. New material is constantly added to keep the collection up-to-date and relevant to the needs of beekeepers.

After 1924, once the SBA was publishing its own magazine The Scottish Beekeeper, John Moir instituted a scheme whereby our magazine was sent to interested associations or institutions around the world while their magazines arrived in the Moir. These magazines, dating back across the years, are accounted one of the glories of the collection. The scheme operates to this day.

Members can borrow books by visiting the Library in person, by writing in, or by contacting the SBA’s Library Convenor. The Library also goes out to members by means of “Library Boxes”. Each box contains 10-15 books and they circulate among the local beekeeping associations affiliated to the SBA.

The story of John Moir is as unusual as the collection itself. In 1878, John and his brother were appointed as joint managers of a newly formed trading company and sailed away to East Africa to follow in the steps of Livingstone. Their mission was to trade with the local people, open up routes into the interior and to abolish the slave trade.

Their methods of management and fair dealing won the confidence of the locals but brought them into conflict with the Arab slave traders. It came to war, which they won although John was severely wounded; thereafter he settled down to farming in the Shiré Highlands which was when beekeeping entered his life as bees were needed to pollinate the crops. Ill health forced his return to Edinburgh where he continued his beekeeping and became a founder member of the newly-formed SBA.

Both the Association and the Library are approaching their centenary; they have witnessed many changes in that time but mankind’s perpetual fascination with honey bees will surely continue for many years to come.

Una A. Robertson is SBA Library Convenor and Immediate Past President.

This article first appeared in TACIT, the journal of ELISA: Edinburgh Libraries & Information Services Agency.

Information Scotland Vol. 5(3) June 2007

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