Robert Burns' Complete Works Released On I-Phone App

Submitted by edg on Tue, 18 Jan '11 9.09pm

Anyone giving the Address to the Haggis on Burns Night next week might well be reaching into their sporran for their iPhone after the recent release of a new app with the complete works of poet Robert Burns.

The written works of Robert Burns (1759-96) have long been in the public domain in a variety of electronic versions for computer, phone, e-reader, tablet, or other device.

Burns AppArchives like the Gugenheim Project and online stores such as Google Books carry numerous versions of the complete works of Burns in different file formats - .epub, Amazon Kindle, PDF, HTML, and even plain text.

The new app for Scotland's National Bard, developed by the Scottish Government, harnesses the built-in utility of the iPhone with a searchable database of every poem written by Burns, a summary of facts about the poet's life and a guide to hosting a Burns Supper. The app (download) is also free of charge.

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop believes the iPhone app will make his poetry available to a whole new audience.

"Robert Burns is Scotland's greatest cultural icon, recognised and celebrated all around the world. His legacy is of incalculable value to Scotland and the country's image abroad," she said.

"This app uses the very latest technology to bring Burns firmly into the 21st century, with his enduring messages of human equality and international brotherhood now available to iPhone users the world over.

Burns Night on January 25 marks the end of Scotland's Winter Festivals.

The launch of the app comes ahead of the opening of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ayrshire, this week.