Librarians’ Tour of Scotland 2026

Please do not purchase non-refundable plane tickets until the tour leader has contacted you with arrangement information.

The cost for this tour is $2950 per person for a double (twin beds) room or a $4515 per person for a single room. There are a limited number of shared rooms with one larger bed at the $2950 per person price.

The price includes:

• All breakfasts
• Three dinners
• All lodgings from September 1, checking out on September 11
• All admission tickets for group tour events
• All fares for two private coach tours and tickets for most tour attractions
• Hop on/Hop off tickets for 1 day in Edinburgh and 1 day in Glasgow

The price does not include:

• Air fare to and from Scotland
• Transit costs from and to the arrival and departure airports in Scotland
• Meals that are not listed as covered above
• Beverages containing alcohol are not included for any group meals per UW policy but may be purchased at individual expense
• Admission and tour fees to any attractions that you may choose to visit during free times

Registration costs and due dates:

• The registration fee deposit ($1,000) is due upon registration. This deposit is non-refundable, except in the event that the University of Wisconsin cancels the tour for any reason at which point the entire amount paid by a participant is refunded. This deposit may be paid by credit card via our online registration system once registration opens.
• The final payment ($1950) and single room supplement ($1565 if applicable) is due sixty days after registration.

Cancellation Policy

• A NON-REFUNDABLE $1000 deposit is due upon registration for the tour.
• Cancellation requests received by April 30, 2026 : no refund of the $1000 deposit; a 50% refund of any registration amount paid past the initial $1000 deposit.

• Cancellation requests received between May 1 and June 30, 2026: No refund of the initial $1000 deposit; a 25% refund of any registration amount paid past the initial $500 deposit.
• Requests received after July 1, 2026: No refund of any registration fees paid.

Q: Who is going on this tour? How many participants are there?

Important Note: This program is not open to individuals who will be enrolled University of Wisconsin students during the dates of the tour.

We welcome any adult who is interested in libraries, but we think that this tour will be particularly interesting for library workers, librarians, those in professions related to libraries. In the past, our tour groups have been a blend of working professionals, retired professionals, as well as their friends, family, partners, and spouses. We do not require that participants be alumni or employed by the University of Wisconsin – this program is open to the general public. This tour is not able to welcome children and minors under the age of 18.

This tour is strictly limited to a maximum of 15 participants.

Q: Who is leading this tour?

Meredith Lowe is the associate director of the Information School’s Continuing Education Services office. She has led or co-led librarians’ tours to Germany (2011, 2013), Scotland (2012, 2018, 2019, 2023), and Amsterdam (2025)

Q: What is the itinerary?

Itinerary is still being developed, but we anticipate similar visits as past tours, which included stops at locations such as the Mitchell Library, the Glasgow Women’s Library, University of Glasgow, Innerpeffray Library, the University of Edinburgh, The Scottish National Library, and the Edinburgh Public Library.

Q: Can I have more information about our lodgings?

• Glasgow: Apex City of Glasgow Hotel, 110 Bath Street, Glasgow
  • The Apex Hotel is located in central Glasgow, within an easy walk or public transit ride from many cultural attractions and shopping.
  • We will be staying at this hotel starting Sept 1 and checking out Sept 6.
• Edinburgh: The Scholar Hotel 18 Holyrood Park Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5AY, UK
  • This hotel is located on the grounds of Pollock Halls of Residence, which is student housing for the University of Edinburgh. Although the property is located on a university student housing campus, this is a fully serviced hotel. This hotel is about a 30 minute walk from the city center but has good connections by public transit. Self-service laundry facilities (for a fee) are available here.
  • We will be staying at this hotel starting Sept 6 and checking out Sept 11.

Q: I would like to share a room, but I don’t have a roommate. Can you help?

Yes. We will match individual people together as roommates if they request to be matched. You can specify that you wish to be matched with a roommate of a specific gender. UW-Madison iSchool staff may contact you regarding matching. We cannot guarantee that roommates will be available for matching. If a requested match cannot be made, the requester is responsible for paying the supplemental price of $1565 for a single room.

Roommates will share twin rooms, which have two separate beds, unless a single double-occupancy bed is requested.

Q: I’m really interested in going, but I have not completely decided yet. Can you hold a space for me?

No, because this is a popular tour. To be fair to everyone, spaces are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you know that you would like to share a room and have a roommate already identified, you are both encouraged to sign up around the same time – due to the popularity of this tour and the strict limit of 15 participants, space cannot be held or reserved.

Q: Can I get more information about the day trip excursions?

Yes! These day trips are being led by Rabbie’s, a coach tour company that caters to small groups. The drivers are great tour guides and are very knowledgeable about our destinations. Our first day trip will also include a transfer between our two cities, from Glasgow to Edinburgh with stops at Innerpeffray Library and Stirling Castle in the afternoon.  This company will also guide our day trip from Edinburgh to the Western Highlands.

We will have lunch stops and rest stops during these day trip excursions, lunch is at your own expense.

Q: I have a mobility issue or health issue. What can I expect for this trip?

If you have a mobility or health issue that may affect you on this trip, please contact the CE Team as soon as possible to discuss options. It is extremely helpful to know of any considerations as early as possible so that arrangements can be made for accessible lodgings (if required) or to discuss possible options for tours in buildings with many stairs, etc.

This is a walking-intensive tour. Please make a point to discuss all health-related issues with your physician prior to this trip. We will be using a private chartered bus for our day trips; these buses are not wheelchair accessible. Some of our destinations are historic buildings that require visitors to negotiate stairs. We will walk to library appointments, often up to 30 minutes at a time. While we will be walking at a relatively easy pace, the pace is steady and sometimes you will need to negotiate uneven terrain such as cobblestones, hiking paths, and stairs. Once we arrive at our tour destinations on foot, we will be walking around the libraries we’re visiting. There are options we may have to assist you if this sounds difficult; please contact the CE Team as soon as possible to discuss if you have questions or concerns. People in a wide range of age and ability have participated in this tour in the past, and planning early is key to having a great time.

Q: I have special dietary needs. What should I do?

There is a space on the online registration form to describe any special dietary needs. The tour leaders may contact you with questions, in order to arrange dining options for our group meals that accommodate dietary needs. It is generally easy to find vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and options for other diets, especially in bigger cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow. Many restaurants have allergen and ingredient lists available to their customers. Participants with dietary restrictions have also been able to purchase snacks and meals from grocery stores (if desired for day trips). If you have questions, please contact the CE Team.

Q: What should I pack?

Pack as lightly as possible. We will have a charter bus to transport us between Glasgow and Edinburgh, but the bus luggage space is limited. Participants must be able to manage their own luggage. There are self-service laundry facilities at our Edinburgh lodging to help facilitate light packing.

The weather in Scotland is notoriously unpredictable, and temperature/precipitation can vary greatly even within a day. Rain is likely during this tour. Bring sturdy, waterproof shoes and rain gear. It’s helpful to plan to dress in layers, as you may be cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and cool again in the evening.

Here are items that past tour participants have found helpful to bring:

• An electrical plug converter and adapter for electronic devices
• A travel-sized white noise machine and/or ear plugs
• A travel fan
• Smartphone with international data plan or personal WIFI hotspot (generally it’s easy to find WIFI at our hotels or restaurants/cafes if you want to do that!)
• Shower poof/scrubbie or washcloth, which is not always provided
• Travel umbrella and/or packable rain jacket
• Waterproof shoes
• Insect Awareness: A fine mesh insect head net can be a neat piece of gear for even brief stops in the highlands. Although you won’t find them much in the cities, we may encounter Scotland’s (in)famous midgies in the highlands. The highlands are also home to ticks. This page has a lot of info about insect protection.

Q: How should I organize my flights?

Please do not purchase plane tickets until you hear from the tour leader with travel information.

The first day of the tour is September 1. Please plan to arrive at our lodgings in Glasgow that day (check in is 3:00pm). You may choose to fly in and do some private traveling on your own prior to that date, or after the tour concludes. The last day of the tour is Friday, September 11, which is departure day from our Edinburgh hotel. Tour participants are responsible for booking their own travel between the airports and our lodgings. Information about airport transit options are below (please check the transit services’ sites for the most up-to-date information).

Glasgow Airport transit options into the city of Glasgow:

• More expensive: Taxi or ride share (Uber/Lyft) from airport.
• Least expensive: Glasgow Airport Express Bus, exact cash on bus or with a contactless (tap) credit card or smartphone, or the First Bus app on your smartphone. You can also purchase electronic tickets in advance. Walk to the hotel from the Bothwell and Hope Street stop (about 5 mins).

Transit options from city of Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport

• Take a taxi/rideshare (split with others in the group as desired), about 25 minutes.
• Other options

Other flight considerations

• You may decide to fly into Glasgow Airport and depart from Edinburgh Airport. However, if you wish to fly in and out of the same airport, here are your options for transit between airports and cities:
  • Flying in and out of Edinburgh airport, you would need to get from EDI to Glasgow. The easiest way to do this is by taking CityLink bus. These buses leave frequently from the EDI airport and terminate at the Buchanan Street bus station in Glasgow. You can then choose to walk about 10 minutes, or take a taxi or rideshare.
  • Flying in and out of Glasgow, you would need to get back to GLA airport from our final stay in Edinburgh. The quickest way to do this is to take a train from Edinburgh’s Waverly Station (accessible by bus or taxi/rideshare from our hotel). You will disembark at Glasgow’s Queen Street station and then take the Airport Express bus from its St Vincent Place stop. The entire trip will take about two hours. You can plan your travel on the First Bus website.

Q: What is the cancellation policy?

• A NON-REFUNDABLE $1000 deposit is due upon registration for the tour.
• Cancellation requests received by April 30, 2026: no refund of the $1000 deposit; a 50% refund of any registration amount paid past the initial $1000 deposit.  
• Cancellation requests received between May 1 – June 30, 2026: No refund of the initial $1000 deposit; a 25% refund of any registration amount paid past the initial $1000 deposit.  
• Requests received after July 1, 2026: No refund of any registration fees paid.
• In the case of the tour being cancelled due to low participation rates, all registration funds will be refunded, including the $1,000 deposit.

Q: Can I earn academic credit for this tour? What about non-credit education?

This is a non-credit tour only.

This tour is worth 1.0 CEUs/10 LEUs, or 10 contact hours of non-credit education. CEU/LEUs are not eligible for academic credit.

Q: How does the waiting list work?

The tour is limited to 15 people, and registrations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Once we reach that number of registrations, a waiting list is started. The waiting list is limited to 10 people. If one of the original 15 participants cancels their registration, that spot will be offered to a person on the waiting list. Being on the waiting list does not obligate participation in the tour – waitlisted persons may choose to decline the spot. Being on the waitlist does not guarantee a spot on a future tour. If you know that the 2026 tour dates won’t work for you, please consider joining the email list for information about future tour activities.

Q: Who can I contact with any other questions about this tour?

Please contact the CE Team with any questions you have.

• Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). All tour participants must have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization for the duration of the tour. The application and fees are the responsibility of each participant. The ETA is a requirement to enter the United Kingdom (which includes Scotland).
• Conditions and General information
• Statement of Responsibility (coming soon)