Book investigating - Book Detective Toolkit

Here are some valuable resources if you want to keep investigating the Private Lives of Books.

Research

• National Library of Scotland – You can become a reader of the NLS, or use our services to find out more about a wide range of subjects. For more information, see
  http://www.nls.uk/info/index.html
• NLS Rare Book Collections – Information about the Library’s collection of rare books and frequently asked questions about using our services.
  http://www.nls.uk/collections/rarebooks/index.html

Books and Bindings

• Scottish decorative bookbinding - Fine Scottish bookbinding from the National Library of Scotland’s collection.
  http://www.nls.uk/bookbinding/index.html
• Library and Archival Exhibitions on the Web – An index of online exhibitions of rare books and other collections, compiled by the Smithsonian Institute.
  http://www.sil.si.edu/SILPublications/Online-Exhibitions/
• Bookbinding for Beginners – A commercial site offering a practical guide to bookbinding.
  http://www.bookbindingfb.com/

Events and People

• Spartacus Educational – Online history resources for schools, including the online Encyclopaedia of British History, 1500-1980.
  http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/
• Virtual Learning Resource Centre Biographical Resources – Allows comprehensive searching and browsing of a number of online biographical resources.
  http://www.virtuallrc.com/
• The Free Dictionary.com – Online reference tool, including dictionary, encyclopaedia and thesaurus.
  http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/

Investigating old documents

• Scottish Archives Network Research Tools – Includes a Glossary, Gazeteer, Scots Currency Converter and a Family History Guide.
  http://www.scan.org.uk/researchrtools/index.htm
• Scottish Handwriting.com – Online guide to reading Scottish handwriting, 1500-1750.
  http://www.scottishhandwriting.com
• Thys Boke is Myne – Online highlights of the Folger Shakespeare Library exhibition about books and their owners.
  http://www.folger.edu/public/exhibit/boke/boke.asp

Armorial devices and heraldry

• International Heraldic Atlas – Browse pages of illustrations of heraldic devices.
  www.heraldica.org/topics/glossary/atlas.htm
• International Heraldic Glossary – Search for the meanings of heraldic terms.
  http://www.heraldica.org/topics/glossary/index.html
• Play a simple online heraldry game, as a young 13th-century English aristocrat. http://www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldrygame/
• Fleur de Lis Designs – A simple guide to the symbolism of heraldry on a commercial site.
  http://www.fleurdelis.com/meanings.htm