Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Library and Archives

The College Library's collection of printed books has been built up over the past three hundred years. The collection of printed books spans the 15th to the 20th Centuries, and includes many of the key medical, anatomical and surgical texts of the 16th and 17th Centuries, being particularly strong in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, botany and materia medica in the 18th, 19th and early 20th Centuries.

The Library also has a long tradition of adding works relating to the history of Glasgow and the West of Scotland, particularly the areas over which the College held jurisdiction by virtue of its charter of 1599, granted by James VI. This includes Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and parts of Lanarkshire. This has resulted in a fine collection of works pertaining to this area. The College Library also houses the Library of Dr William Mackenzie, founder of the Glasgow Eye Infirmary, and, as a consequence has good holdings in historical material relating to the diseases and surgery of the eye.

The archives of the College date from the early 17th Century. The first minute book starts in 1602 and the minutes run with just one gap (from 1688-1733 when a minute book was lost in a fire) up until the present day. The majority of the material dates from the 19th and 20th Centuries and includes examination registers, papers relating to College committees and records relating to property including plans of College Hall designed by J. Burnet in 1892. There is a large collection of photographs containing portraits of many 19th Century Members and Fellows as well as covering more recent events. The archive is not a static entity and is being added to regularly so that the history and events of the College are preserved for future generations.

Collection details

Archives, Medicine, Natural Sciences, Science and Technology, Social History, World Cultures

Key artists and exhibits

• Dental archives
• Medical and surgical instruments
• Key medical, anatomical and surgical texts of the 16th and 17th Centuries
• Dr William Mackenzie, founder of the Glasgow Eye Infirmary

Collections services

• Public access available to collections information
• Specialist publications on collections available