Archives & Special Collections

Item reference: DC 240/5/2/5. Image of close-up of a gender-ambiguous character in black and white reading an oversized book sitting down in a child-like way with a mischievous grin on a dark blue background. The image is a close-up from the cover of the Queen Margaret Union Yearbook for 1960/61 - reference number is DC 240/5/2/5. There are two small white birds at the character's feet which are underneath the oversized check-patterned book.

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Discover online: Search our catalogues or view our collection overview pages and subject guides to get started.

Book an appointment: Make an appointment to visit our reading rooms in-person or view items through our virtual reading room service.

Still have a question for us? Please read on to find out more about our enquiries service and how we can help you.

General Enquiry

To help you answer your research question, we can:

  • Provide more detailed finding aids for our collections
  • Advise on the suitability of our holdings for your research or try to direct you to other repositories with relevant collections 
  • Undertake targeted and specific research on your behalf, including sharing some images of collection items (quick snaps and not publication standard)
  • Recommend an alternative service, such as visiting our reading rooms in person or arranging a virtual reading room appointment.

Get in touch: For general enquiries about our collections, please email library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk.

Please provide the name of the collection or item you are interested in, its reference number, and briefly outline your specific research question.

We are happy to answer enquiries about the collections we hold, or about the history of the University.

For other ways to get in touch please see this page: Contact Us.

Ancestor Enquiry

We can undertake a search for ancestors you think may have been students at the University of Glasgow. We will respond confirming their years of study and any qualifications your ancestor received, or telling you that we have no record of your ancestor.

If we have been able to find your ancestor, you are welcome to visit our reading room to see the records in person. 

You can search for details of graduates of the University up to 1921 through the University of Glasgow Story free of charge. If your ancestor attended the University during this period, please search this site.

To enquire about your ancestor, please complete our Ancestor Enquiry form:

Submit an Ancestor Enquiry

Permission to Publish

For information on publishing images of the collections please see the details and application form available on this page: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/archivespecialcollections/publishingrequests/.

Enquiry Service Standard

We aim to answer enquiries from the public within 20 working days where possible.

If your enquiry requires more than 30 minutes of research time, we will provide an overview of our findings and point you to relevant resources and services for you to continue your search, for example through visiting our reading rooms. We can share up to 20 quick snaps as part of our free research service. We are unable to undertake extensive research on behalf of others.

If you are unable to visit our reading rooms in person you may wish to have a friend or colleague visit on your behalf, or commission a researcher to undertake research for you. We do not recommend specific services though sites like asgra.co.uk, for example, can help you find a suitable researcher.

We are unable to provide valuations of your books or collections but you can contact reputable antiquarian booksellers or auction houses for assistance. For example, see: https://aba.org.uk/book-search.