Love Libraries - Taking a trip down memory lane at the library

Preventing social isolation and preserving local history are just two of the benefits of Memories Shetland group being run by Shetland Library.

The free monthly sessions – which have been running since April 2023 – encourage participants to look at old books, photos and artefacts and reminisce together about the area’s social history.

Louise Scollay, Senior Library Assistant, said:

It’s a monthly cuppa and catch-up to talk about days gone by.

It’s really fun and informal and really good for mental wellbeing and social inclusion.

We usually have people aged in their mid-60s upwards and we are a dementia-friendly group but it’s very open, everyone is welcome and it’s not a group specifically for older people.

Proud

Louise adds,

It’s for people to share their memories and we lean quite heavily into what’s happening locally, like in January we’ll talk about Up Helly Aa [the annual fire festival]. We’ve also covered winter customs, Halloween, shipping, fishing and shopping, which is universal, so anyone who isn’t from Shetland can participate too.

They always want to come back to the main street in Lerwick – what were the shops, who worked in them, what are those businesses now? In the new year [2025] we’ll do a display in the library with photos and some of the recollections because we want other people to see what we do at Memories. The group is very proud we’re going to do that.

Memories Shetland is my favourite day of the month, it gives us all such a boost. It’s really rewarding for the staff too, you really learn from the experiences people are sharing with you.

Memories Shetland group evolved from the Memories Scotland initiative, a nationwide project connecting heritage resources with reminiscence activity. Funding came from Shetland Islands Council to the library to run sessions, as part of an effort to provide warm spaces amid the cost of living crisis.

The group has proven so popular that an extra session had to be added to cope with demand. About 13 people now attend each gathering.

Image of Memories Scotland stall in Shetland.

Conversation

Catherine Jeromson, Team Leader – Library Reader Services, at Shetland Library, said:

Any more than 12 or 13 and you can’t comfortably let everyone contribute. We use photographs, books and objects from the museum to prompt conversation. We take the steer from the group. The staff love it as much as the group.

The sessions bring people into the library. Not everyone is coming for books. Libraries are community hubs, a warm space for everyone.

The library team has seen attendees come out of their shell over the sessions, with people opening up more and joining in conversations after being initially quiet.

Louise said: “One lady told us, ‘Before I started coming to the sessions I’d lost myself, now I’m starting to find myself again’. That’s the reason we’re doing it.”

Catherine added: “The group has definitely boosted the confidence of the people who attend to speak up.”

Learn more about Shetland Library and Memories by following them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shetlandlibrary/.