Visitor Information

Opening Hours

The Family History resources at the Mitchell Library are made up of records from the Glasgow City Archives, the Registrar's Service, the library's Special Collections and the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Archives. These services currently operate the opening hours listed below.

Glasgow City Archives​
The City Archives is open by appointment. To request an appointment, please complete the Archives Appointment Booking Form and email to archives@glasgowlife.org.uk. Further information and other frequently asked questions are available below. Please also see The Mitchell Library’s FAQs.

Day Time
Monday Closed
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday Closed
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

Special Collections
If you have a specific enquiry or wish to pre-book an appointment please email specialcollections@glasgowlife.org.uk or phone 0141 287 2988.

Day Time
Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday Closed

Registrars
UPDATE: APRIL 2022

We are happy to announce the re-opening of our Family History centre based within the Mitchell Library.

The centre will open Monday and Tuesday only from 9 May 2022. It will also be open one Saturday per month from 2 July 2022, with the exception of public holidays.

The booking diary will re-open on Monday 11 April. Spaces will be by strict appointment only and bookings can be made by calling 0141 287 8364.

For more information and updates, please see the Registrars website.​​

Plan your visit

Bus

First Bus 9, 11, 16, 18, 42/a, 44/a, 57, 62, 118.

Underground

St George’s Cross is the nearest Underground station to The Mitchell Library - about a 10 minute walk.

Train

Charing Cross Station is close by the Library.

Turn left at the Bath Street exit and the Library is directly on other side of bridge over M8 motorway.

Anderston Station is a 5 minute walk away.

Take the entrance on to North Street and turn right.

Car

Travelling Westbound on M8, take the Charing Cross exit (Junction 17), cross over Sauchiehall Street and The Library is to the right.

Travelling Eastbound on the M8, take the City Centre exit (Junction 19) and follow signs for Charing Cross or Mitchell Library.

On-street metered parking is available outside the Library or there is a NCP Car Park on India Street next to Charing Cross Train Station.

Facilities

Free WiFi & Internet access
Herald Cafe Bar
Reprographic service
Photocopying
Baby change
Disabled access via Granville Street Lifts to all floors
Disabled toilets located at Granville Street & North Street entrances​​

Mitchell Access

Full details of disabled access can be found on DisabledGo.​

Frequently Asked Questions about Glasgow City Archives

To book an Archives session appointment, please complete the Archives Appointment
Booking Form and email to archives@glasgowlife.org.uk. If you do not have access to email,
please call Glasgow City Archives during opening hours on 0141 287 2910.

Please book at least one week and a maximum of four weeks in advance.

Archives appointments will be for a maximum of three hours per session with customers
limited to one appointment per day, and a maximum of one visit per week.

Four places will be available for general researchers and two for those using architectural
drawings/large plans. You will be assigned a table and your order will be placed there in
advance of your arrival.

You will be sent Reader’s Registration and Test & Protect forms to complete in advance of
your visit.

You can either email these in advance to archives@glasgowlife.org.uk or bring
them on the day.

You will be advised in advance on any specific conditions on access to Archives materials
and we will confirm all appointments by email where possible. You should be ready to show
this email on the day.

Customers can request up to six items in advance of an Archives session. Materials are only
available for use during your appointment. All documents will be quarantined for 72 hours
after use.

We will provide a remote advice service in advance, offering assistance, some searching of finding aids and suggestions on sources to consult.

We can provide some in-person assistance and you can approach the searchroom desk which has a Perspex screen in place to protect you and the staff.

If you need to consult the catalogues, index cards etc, please ask the Duty Archivist who will
do the search for you.

To help us ensure the safety of our visitors and staff and preserve the records for future
generations, we ask you to observe guidance for using the search room including the wearing of a mask, and rules regarding handling documents.

You should only bring what you need with you:

  • You may take two items from the following list into the reading room with you: laptop,
    tablet, mobile phone or camera (all on silent). You can bring in one notebook.
  • You may not bring in pencils, pens or research material. A pencil will be provided for
    you.
  • No coats, bags or umbrellas – please leave in the lockers provided in the Archives
    foyer.

Everyone visiting the City Archives has a responsibility to preserve the documents in our
care. We do not allow gloves to be worn in the search room, in line with long-standing
guidance relating to the preservation of our collection.

There are some general practices that should be followed by everyone:

  • No sanitiser or hand cream is allowed in the searchroom. You should wash your hands before you start working or after any use of sanitiser or hand cream outside the searchroom. There are toilets on each floor of the building, including adjacent to the Archive search room.
  • Use powder-free nitrile gloves (we will provide these) when handling photographs,
    and hold them by the edges (the only exception to our gloves rule – the natural oils in
    skin can damage the surface of photographs).

We will permit you to use a hand-held camera, phone, tablet or laptop, to take still images of documents, where this is in line with our policy on self-photography. Fees will be remitted during the current situation.

We can, if required, provide copies for you. All documents will be quarantined for 72 hours
before and after copying.

Customers will enter from the Granville Street entrance only. The North Street entrance will
remain closed. Please follow signage for Archives appointments and queue towards Berkeley Street.

If you have any further questions regarding your Archives session appointment, please email
archives@glasgowlife.org.uk or call Glasgow City Archives during opening hours on 0141
287 2910.

Contact Details

Family History at The Mitchell
The Mitchell
North Street
Glasgow
G3 7DN

Phone: 0141 287 2988
Fax: 0141 226 8452​
Email us