This arrived today from Margaret Bennett

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You may not have heard the alarming news that the University of Edinburgh is about to dismantle (even disperse) the holdings at the School of Scottish Studies. Students are stunned by this news (as are the general public) and though it has not been widely publicised yet, we must do our best. I'm sure there are many supporters in the AFS so I wrote yesterday to Timothy Lloyd.

The summary is below, I'm sure you understand just what a loss this would be.

With warmest wishes,
Margaret

'Grange of Locherlour'
Ochtertyre
Crieff, PH7 4JS
Perthshire
Tel: (44-0)1764 655 979

Mobile 07786 964 300 (UK only)
Website: www.margaretbennett.co.uk


------ Forwarded Message
From: "Lloyd, Timothy"
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2013 14:24:49 +0000
To: Margaret Bennett
Conversation: Petition to save the School of Scottish Studies
Subject: Re: Petition to save the School of Scottish Studies

Dear Margaret,

I will circulate this later today. Would an official letter (to whom?) from the AFS President and Board be of help?

Best wishes,
Tim Lloyd

Timothy Lloyd, PhD, Executive Director, American Folklore Society, Mershon Center, The Ohio State University, 1501 Neil Avenue, Columbus OH 43201-2602 USA; telephone 614/292-3375; fax 614/292-2407; e-mail lloyd.100@osu.edu

The American Folklore Society, founded in 1888, is an association of people who study folklore and communicate knowledge about folklore throughout the world. Our more than 2,200 members and subscribers are scholars, teachers, and libraries at colleges and universities; professionals in arts and cultural organizations; and community members studying and conserving folk traditions. Join us in Providence, Rhode Island, on October 16-19, 2013, for our 124th annual meeting, on the theme of "Cultural Sustainability." For annual meeting details and membership information, or to learn more about folklore, the Society, and the work of folklorists, please visit our web site (www.afsnet.org ).


On Feb 4, 2013, at 4:11 PM, Margaret Bennett wrote:
As a member of the AFS, I would like to ask the Society to forward this petition from students at the School of Scottish Studies.
It seems almost unthinkable that the University of Edinburgh has taken the decision to dismantle the flagship of Scottish Folklore.

The School was founded in 1951 with two great folklorists: Hamish Henderson and Calum Maclean.
Among the first tapes to be deposited were Alan Lomax fieldwork recordings and for over six decades there have been strong links to many Folklore Departments in the USA and Canada. One of the best known scholars to study there was the late Kenneth S. Goldstein whose fieldwork in Scotland inspired his Guide for Fieldworkers in Folklore.
The decision to remove 90 percent of the library may indicate the drastic measures proposed by the Edinburgh University's decision makers.

Please forward this to folklorists who would share our concern.
With thanks,
Margaret Bennett


STUDENT LETTER:

Dear Friends,

Students at Edinburgh are greatly concerned by University plans to disintegrate the School of Scottish Studies, home of the Scottish Folk Revival and internationally renowned centre for research in Ethnology and Celtic Studies, by separating ongoing teaching from its resources - the world famous archive collection and its associated libraries. As a result of these plans, the School of Scottish Studies is likely to lose 90% of its books and the future of the fragile archival material remains uncertain. A student campaign is under way to persuade the University that the School of Scottish Studies and its resources must remain intact and accessible to researchers and the wider public.   

Please follow this link and sign our petition to support this cause: https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/university-of-edinburgh-preserve-the-school-of-scottish-studies-gl%C3%A8idh-sgoil-e%C3%B2lais-na-h-alba

Best regards,
M. F. Piotrowska

School of Scottish Studies Campaign