About the library

The College library was founded in 1698 when the College acquired its first permanent building, and contains works dating from the 15th century onwards. Being the only royal medical college for physicians, surgeons and dentists in the United Kingdom means that its holdings contain a wide range of medical subjects. Many of the key medical, anatomical and surgical texts of the 16th and 17th centuries are represented and the Library is particularly strong in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, botany and materia medica in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The Library houses the collection of Dr William Mackenzie, founder of the Glasgow Eye Infirmary, and hence has good holdings in historical material relating to the diseases and surgery of the eye. Local historians are well served by the Glasgow Collection consisting of works relating to the history of Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow also contributes to the Archives Hub. To browse descriptions of their archive materials, visit their Archives Hub information page.

British Library inter-library loan codes

Library code

GL/M-1

Policy code

JL2

For an explanation of these codes, and for more information on arranging inter-library loans, see the inter-library loans page on the British Library website.

Accessing materials

Can I see live document availability on Library Hub Discover? No.

Can I obtain items via inter-library loan? Yes - subject to the library's local lending policy. You must request an inter-library loan via a library of which you are a member. Talk to your own library staff for advice on ordering an item.

Can I visit the library to view materials? Yes - see the library's website for access details. If you wish to visit it is advisable to contact the library in advance, to ensure that they can accommodate you and that the material you need will be available.

Location

Browse all of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow records in Library Hub Discover here.