website: http://www.mitchelllibrary.org/

The Mitchell Library is one of Europe's largest public reference libraries. It was founded in 1877 from the bequest of Stephen Mitchell, a tobacco merchant. As well as modern holdings of reference material, it has extensive collections of rare books and manuscripts and a number of special collections, many of relevance to the study of the USA and Canada, particularly in relation to the history of Glasgow and its trading links with North America. The Glasgow City Archives was established in 1964, initially to archive and catalogue the records of Glasgow Corporation; subsequently other records were added, including official and business records, and family and estate papers.

Modern printed collections

Present holdings, well in excess of 1 million books, are rich in North American studies materials. The American literarure holdings, while not very extensive, are quite strong in poetry and in 19th- and 20th-century editions, including the 2nd edition of Leaves of Grass (1856). The US history holdings contain some materials on slavery and on US immigration, especially of Scots. Much of the genealogical material is on open access. There are many volumes on cinema and on the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. Reference material includes US telephone directories and patents from 1931 onwards. Some US manufacturing and commerical directories are held. The library also subscribes to a range of current general and scholarly journals from North America.

Early printed material & special collections (incl. music)

The collections contain many older imprints, including travels and histories such as A natural history of California translated from the Spanish of Miguel Venegas (London, 1799). The collection relating to William Smeal, a Glasgow Quaker involved in the Scottish anti-slavery movement, contains over 100 pamphlets and books, 1833-61, including a wide range of anti-slavery writings and reports of the Glasgow Emancipation Society. The library also holds some annual reports of the Glasgow Female Anti-Slavery Society, from 1843 to 1851. The serials holdings are of interest and a number of 18th-century American newspapers are represented as well as anti-slavery journals and general magazines.

There is a large music reference section of books, scores and audio recordings. Composers represented in the collection include Bernstein, Copland, gershwin, Ives, MacDowell and Sondheim. The audio collection has many original cast and soundtrack recordings of American musicals.

Manuscripts & archives

Much of the material held by both the Mitchell Library and the Glasgow City Archives relates to the trading and shipping links between Glasgow and North America and the activities of merchants, emigrants and visitors. The William Smeal Collection, mentioned above, contains manuscript as well as printed material relating to the Scottish anti-slavery movement.
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Microform & audiovisual collections

A couple of microfilm collections are of interest: Despatches from United States consuls in Glasgow, 1801-1906 and Records of the Glasgow West indian Association, 1807-1969. the William Smeal Collection (see above) is also available on microfilm.

The music audio collection is described above.

Official publications

The library benefitted from a deposit of US official publications during the 1920s and 1930s. These range in date of publication from about 1910 to the late 1930s but in certain cases go back even to the mid-19th century. The library also holds The War of Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies (141 vols, 1880-1902).

Certain Canadian official documents were received on deposit between 1958 and 1968 with a grant from the government of Ontario.
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Maps and visual resources

A number of the manuscript collections mentioned contain maps and plans, particularly in relation to estates and transportation developments in North America.

In the travel literature section there are two books containing photographs of the Black Hills (1904) and of Colorado. The Records of the Blythswood Estate contain watercolour sketches by Lord Blythswood of his military service in Canada, 1862.

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