A College project to bring new audiences to one of the world’s rarest library treasures – The Birds of America by John James Audubon – has been highly commended at the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) awards.
The Maximising Audubon project enabled two volumes of the precious book to be conserved and digitised before a permanent exhibition was opened in the College library in May 2026.
In its first four months, the exhibition was featured in national media including The Sunday Times, the BBC and Country Life, and resulted in a surge of visitors from around the world, as well as a three-fold increase in enquiries to the College Heritage team.
The project also enabled more engagement with the community, including bringing Glasgow artist Helen Kellock to a local primary school where pupils created their own version of book, The Birds of Anderston.
The annual SLIC awards, which celebrate projects that have enhanced learning, wellbeing and community engagement, took place at The Barracks in Stirling on Friday 6 November 2026.
.jpg)
Claire McDade, Heritage Lead, said: “It’s been such a privilege to be able to bring our two first edition volumes of The Birds of America to new audiences – and to people of all ages. Being highly commended in the SLIC Project Excellence Awards is the icing on the cake.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our project funders, Museum Galleries Scotland and the Baillie’s Institution, who have made it possible for us to engage with new audiences and open up discussions about conservation and biodiversity.”
The Birds of America was first published between 1827 and 1838, and features 435 hand-coloured, life-sized paintings of birds, at least five of which are now extinct. The book enhanced scientific understanding of birds, their behaviours and natural habitats, and its influence can still be felt today.
The College is home to two first-edition volumes of the series, covering the first 200 plates. It purchased them in 1838, a time when medicine, science and the study of the natural world were closely connected.
Entry to the exhibition is free and visitors are advised to contact library@rcpsg.ac.uk in advance.