Westerkirk Parish Library today is one of the oldest lending libraries in Scotland still lending books. It also still purchases a few books annually The library is a treasure trove of old books. If you are interested in local history or tracing your family connections back to this area then this is a great place to lose yourself for a few hours, days...or years!

The Library was founded in 1793 for and by the workers at an antimony mine in Westerkirk. It moved to the village school when the mine closed in 1799-1800, and expanded rapidly after a bequest from Thomas Telford, civil engineer, born in Westerkirk, on his death in 1834. The Library moved again in 1840 when a new village school was built but ran out of space and a new, separate library building was needed. Designed by architect J. Habershon of London, the building was completed in 1863 at a cost of just over £600 and remains the home of the Library today.

The Library has some 8,000 books, ranging in age from the middle of the 18th century to the present day. Until about 1920 all books were bound in leather before being taken into library stock. A project started in 1992 and completed in 1997 restored the building and book stock.