The Mitchell Library's Special Collections Department looks after a wide variety of collections which are deemed to be ‘special’ because of their content, their date of publication or their rarity.
These include:
medieval manuscripts, including Books of Hours
Incunabula (books printed before 1500)
17th and 18th Century printing and manuscripts
rare books and manuscripts from the 19th Century
Robert Burns Collection
Scottish Poetry Collection
early Glasgow printing
chapbooks and broadsides
modern limited edition Artists’ Books
late 20th Century literary manuscripts
Edwin Morgan’s Working Library
Other collections (very often named for the donor) cover a wide range of subjects such as Scottish Literature, Music, Architecture, Railways and Shipping, Maps, Photography, Prints and Illustrations, Children’s Books and Private Press items.
To access Special Collections material, you will need to bring proof of identification, showing name, address and signature e.g. driving licence or electoral registration plus credit/debit card.
Please note: with effect from Monday 7 November 2011, access to any Special Collections material will now be available on:
Monday-Friday 9.00am-4.45pm
Tuesday 9.00am-7.45pm
Access on Saturday may be possible but is by prior arrangement only.
We would request that, wherever possible, anyone wishing to access material that may be part of a Special Collection should contact us in advance, particularly if you are travelling from a distance.
This revision of access is in line with national best practice recommendations for Special Collections. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Please contact us for more information.