Research Services at The Mitchell
We welcome enquiries about the rich library and archive collections held within The Mitchell. To assist with your research, a substantial part of The Mitchell's catalogues is now available online. A summary of the contents of many of our archive collections are available on the Scottish Archive Network Web site.
In addition, you can view more than 9,000 of our historic photographs on the Virtual Mitchell web site.
You may wish to consult the above resources before making contact or visiting.
Personal Visits
Readers are very welcome to visit the Mitchell and staff will be pleased to help identify appropriate resources and give guidance in using the collections.
Remote Enquiries
For readers who are unable to visit, the staff will be able to confirm whether we have a particular collection. This service will normally be free of charge.
In addition, for a small fee, the staff will provide quick information on a wide variety of enquiries and we can undertake some limited research on your behalf of the appropriate collections held within the building.
However, we will not normally search those family history resources such as Old Parish Registers and Census records which you can access online at ScotlandsPeople, the official government source of genealogical data for Scotland.
Research Written Enquiries
For written enquiries, which do not involve substantial research or the provision of more than a few sheets of A4 photocopies, a fee of £5.15, payable in advance, will normally be applied to help cover administration, postage and packing.
Examples of searches within this category are:
- a specific report in one issue of one newspaper
- one area on one map for a particular date/edition
- an entry in one record in a precise year at a specific school
- burial in a precise cemetery on a precise date
Where we need to supply additional photocopies, you will be informed of any additional costs in advance of the work.
As well as providing quick information on any number of enquiries, we can undertake some limited research on your behalf.
There are particular fees for researching some categories e.g.
Archives and Special Collections charges
Outwith these categories, the following fees will apply for bona fide historical research and other non-commercial enquiries:
- a fee of £5.15 for the first 30 minutes (inc. postage and packing costs)
- the rate for each additional half hour to be charged at £18.00, postage and packing costs to be added to the total (up to £5.15)
- the fee for providing copies for of applications for poor relief is £10.30 per application
- the fee for providing copies for entry from an historic police personnel register is £10.30 per register entry
A full list of charges is available online.
Payment
Payment can be by debit/credit card or by cheque in the name of Culture and Sport Glasgow. Overseas payments (other than by credit card) should be made in pounds sterling by International Money Order or by cheque drawn on a British Bank.
What about longer research projects?
The staff are unable to undertake extended research projects but, where appropriate, will provide a list of independent professional record agents who offer family history research services. However, we cannot accept responsibility for the work of the researchers listed.