View from the library

I went through to Glasgow Uni to attend an event marking the 300th anniversary of Robert Simson's appointment to the Chair of Mathematics (and also the 250th anniversary of his retiral - that was some tenure).

The librarian had extracted some of the books from Simson's extensive collection for us to look at; amongst them a copy of Newton's Principia from 1686 with various crossings-out, corrections and annotations; his family copy of Plato that dated from 1556; a book of his notes; a 1509 copy of Euclid given to him by the third Earl of Bute and a vast book on conics by Appolonius that was a gift from Edmond Halley (he of comet fame). It was a rare treat to see these precious and beautiful old books. After that there were a series of talks and discussions - all fascinating stuff.

The reading room for the special collections is on the 12th floor of the library. I don't know if I would get much reading done with this view out of the window. Pointing approx north-east, I think, so those hills may well be the Campsie Fells.