Archive Centre

The Archive Centre is home to the University’s archives and special collections. As a service we aim to preserve the past, to inform the future.

The University started accumulating collections not long after its inauguration in 1993; the University is a merger of Glasgow Polytechnic and the Queen’s College, Glasgow. The institutional records of our predecessor bodies, and a special book collection from Queen’s College, were our first inherited resources. The Archive Centre, situated in the ground floor of the Sir Alex Ferguson Library, was built in the summer of 2016 and hosts a permanent display of objects from Sir Alex’s life.

The subject strengths of our archives and collections are Scottish left-wing politics, trades unions, campaign and pressure groups; Scottish social work, social policy and child welfare; Scottish public health; Scottish social enterprise; Scottish creative industries, and our contribution to the development of Scottish higher education from the late 19th century onwards (dating back to 1875 and the formation of the Glasgow School of Cookery). There is an overriding theme of Scottish social history and social justice present in our archives and special collections.

Our collections sit well with the mission of Glasgow Caledonian University as the University for the Common Good, providing resources to enhance the learning, teaching and research experience within the broad social justice arena. Our service is strictly apolitical and for research purposes only. We hold no responsibility for the political views expressed in material held in our collections.

Use of the Centre’s resources is open to all and is free of charge.