Using Archives & Special Collections
How can we help?
I have an enquiry about your collections
Our archives team will endeavour to answer your enquiry by researching the collections on your behalf and providing an email response. Please contact us at archives@stir.ac.uk for further information.
I want to carry out research on material held in your collections
Our collections can be consulted in the archives reading room which is located in the university library. Please contact our archives team at archives@stir.ac.uk to discuss arrangements for your visit.
The reading room can also be used for teaching and hosting visiting groups and tours. Please contact us for further information.
I want to consult the archive catalogues
Information on our collections, including links to finding aids and online catalogues, can be found on our Archives and Special Collections libguide pages.
I am unable to visit the University Archives in person to carry out my research
Where possible our archives team will provide you with digitised copies of the material required. There may be a charge for large copying orders. Please contact us at archives@stir.ac.uk for further information.
I’m a student writing a dissertation / essay using material in your collections
It’s important to note that the archive doesn’t have the same opening times as the library and that you cannot take archival material or special collections material away with you. Read our handy guide below for more information on using our collections.
I’m a student interested in volunteering in the University Archives
We have developed a range of in-person and online volunteering projects which provide opportunities to work with our collections and gain new skills and experience. Please contact us at archives@stir.ac.uk to find out more.
Visiting the archives reading room
Please note our current arrangements follow the latest information issued by the Scottish Government and the University of Stirling for safe workplaces and public areas.
The following procedures are currently in place:
Visits to the reading room will be by appointment only and appointments should be made in advance of your visit by contacting archives@stir.ac.uk
Appointments are for one person only – please contact us in advance if there is more than one person in your group, with priority for university students and staff.
Appointments will be subject to availability of spaces in the reading room.
All requests to view material must be made in advance of your visit.
The opening hours of the reading room are 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm Monday to Friday.
If you are an external researcher you will be issued with an external library user card at the library reception desk. This will allow access through the library security gates. Please bring a form of photographic ID and library staff will issue a card for the duration of your visit.
Please familiarise yourself with our reading room regulations in advance of your visit.
Using archives for dissertations / essays
Our unique collections provide a rich research resource, providing inspiration and subject-matter for dissertations, PhDs and research projects.
Our archive collections can be consulted in our archives reading room. Items from our archive collections cannot be removed from the reading room. You must make your appointments to view our collections in advance by emailing us on archives@stir.ac.uk, this is to allow us to check the availability of the room and prepare your material for your visit.
The reading room is open (by appointment) from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
We have a small, dedicated archives team who manage our collections and deal with all enquiries received. Please note that archive enquiries can often take longer than general library enquiries to answer so it is advisable to contact us at the start of the planning of your dissertation / essay.
If you have particular restrictions on time – for example, you’re only visiting campus on set dates or you have a tight deadline for your essay – then please clearly state this in your email so we can prioritise your request.
Be as specific as you can about the kind of material you would like to consult. If you have topics, date ranges or even specific collections or archive reference numbers you are interested in researching that all helps us answer your enquiry more quickly.
You can find an overview of our collections here. This is not an exhaustive list so if in doubt, contact us and we can provide further information. Our collections will not always contain material relating to your research topic. Details of other archive collections held across the UK can be found on ArchivesHub and The National Archive’s Discovery search tool – including details of digitised resources which can be accessed online.
Facilities
Toilets for visitors are available in the university library and the atrium area.
Food and drink is available from Scran, the university’s new catering outlet, and the university supermarket. Both are located in the atrium area beside the university library.
Visitors travelling by car should note the current parking charges that are in operation on campus.
Covid guidance:
On 18 April 2022 all legal restrictions relating to COVID-19 protective measures at a national level in Scotland were lifted. The University Archives will continue to take measures to reduce the risks of transmission of COVID-19 and protect staff and visitors to our archives reading room by following the Scottish Government’s ‘Covid Sense’ advice.
Handwashing facilities are available in the toilets and additional hand sanitiser stations are also provided.
Please do not visit if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, a new continuous cough, or loss of sense of taste or smell.
If you display any symptoms of COVID-19 while in the reading room you will be asked to leave.
