Libraries Department

The initial deposit of records is contained in D-LB1 to D-LB3. Each additional accession has been catalogued as a separate series and are listed in D-LB4 onwards.

The series are:

D-LB1 - Glasgow Public Libraries

D-LB2 - Mitchell Library

D-LB3 - Professional interest

D-LB4 - Accession 6198 (received May 2013)

D-LB5 - Accession 6365 (received from Townhead Library, February 2016)

D-LB6 - Accession 6587 (received from Elder Park Library, June 2019)

D-LB7 - Accession 6146 (transferred from Special Collections, unknown date)

D-LB8 - Accession 6641 (located January 2020)

D-LB9 - Accession 6724 (Barlanark Library Visitors Book, transferred from Special Collections, August 2022)

D-LB10 - Accession 6758 (Mitchell Library annual/general reports, 1881 - 1891)

D-LB11 - Accession 4204 and previously accessioned but uncatalogued material (located February 2023)

The Libraries Department originated in a bequest to the city by the tobacco manufacturer Stephen Mitchell (1789-1874). Funds made available by his trustees enabled the building of the first Mitchell Library in Ingram Street (1877). It moved to Miller Street in 1891, but by the 1890s was being partly funded by the council.

An older public library had already been established under a gift by Walter Stirling in 1791. Stirling’s Library was administered by a board of directors partly appointed by the council.

In 1899 the Corporation obtained powers to acquire the Mitchell Library, to negotiate for the acquisition of Stirling’s Library, and to provide local branch libraries (Glasgow Corporation (Tramways, Libraries, etc.) Act, 1899, 62 & 63 Vict., c.166). The provision of branch libraries was greatly expedited by a gift to the city of £100,000 by Andrew Carnegie in 1901. In 1911 the present Mitchell Library in North Street was opened (subsequently much extended).

The department continued until 1975, when it transferred to Glasgow District Council.

Open

Open with certain items subject to closures under data protection legislation. See Notes field and archivist for details

Application for reproduction should be made to the Archivist

Additional materials have been transferred since original listing (accessions 6146, 6198, 6226, 6365 and 6587). These have been appended to the list under a separate series for each accession unless otherwise stated. Further accruals possible.

Glasgow City Archives, TD2129, Papers of Fred Mitchell (Mitchell Librarian)