Mitchell Library
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The Mitchell Library is a large
public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...
and centre of the City Council public library system of
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland.


History

The library, based in the Charing Cross district, was initially established in Ingram Street in 1877 following a bequest from Stephen Mitchell, a wealthy tobacco producer, whose company,
Stephen Mitchell & Son Stephen Mitchell & Sons was a Scottish tobacco manufacturing company, established in Linlithgow in 1723.
, would become one of the constituent members of the
Imperial Tobacco Imperial Brands plc (formerly Imperial Tobacco Group plc), is a British multinational tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, England. It is the world's fourth-largest international cigarette company measured by market share after Philip Mor ...
Company. Part of the original collection came from a purchase in 1874 by Glasgow Corporation of 1800 early books gifted to the
University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
from the Glasgow philanthropist
William Euing William Euing (occasionally William Ewing) FRSE FSA (1788-1874) was a Scottish philanthropist who left over 12,000 books to Glasgow University creating what is known as the Euing Collection. As an insurance broker he was founder of the Glasgow ...
. New buildings were erected in North Street. A foundation stone was laid by
Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...
in September 1907. The completed building was opened by
Lord Rosebery Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, 1st Earl of Midlothian, (7 May 1847 – 21 May 1929) was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from March 1894 to June 1895. Between the death of ...
on 16 October 1911. The library contains a large public library, with approximately 1,213,000 volumes. While composed mainly of reference material it also has a substantial lending facility which began in 2005. The North Street building, with its distinctive copper dome surmounted by Thomas Clapperton's bronze statue entitled ''Literature'' (often referred to as
Minerva Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic war. From the second century BC onward, the Roma ...
, the Roman goddess of wisdom) opened in 1911. The architectural competition for the library was held in 1906 and was won by William B. Whitie. The
Edwardian Baroque Edwardian architecture is a Neo-Baroque architectural style that was popular in the British Empire during the Edwardian era (1901–1910). Architecture up to the year 1914 may also be included in this style. Description Edwardian architecture is ...
building is protected as a
category B listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
. The vast majority of the library's collection however is housed in the Extension Building, which was built between 1972 and 1980. Located to the west of the original building it occupies the site of the St Andrew's Halls, which were designed by
James Sellars James Sellars (2 December 1843 – 9 October 1888) was a Scottish architect who was heavily influenced by the work of Alexander Greek Thomson. Life He was born in the Gorbals in Glasgow, son of James Sellars, house factor and Elizabeth ...
, and opened in 1877. Acquired by Glasgow Corporation in 1890 it was Scotland`s pre-eminent venue for concerts and meetings. It had a large and striking classical facade and included a Grand Hall which could hold 4,500 people, two Lesser Halls, further small halls and a large ballroom. The building was gutted by fire on 26 October 1962, although the facade survived and was later incorporated into the 1980 extension of the Mitchell Library, with the principal entrance now being in Granville Street.


People

*
Francis Thornton Barrett Francis Thornton Barrett (20 September 1838 – 21 January 1919), LL.D., was the first Librarian (from 1877 to 1899) of The Mitchell Library in Glasgow, Lanarkshire. As City Librarian (from May 1901 to 1914), he initiated and developed publ ...
(1838 - 1919), first librarian of The Mitchell Library between 1877 & 1899, and city librarian for
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
between 1901 & 1914. *
Septimus Pitt Septimus Albert Pitt (November 19, 1877 – August 27, 1937) was the second City Librarian (from 1915-1937) of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, where he greatly extended the library services.  Early life Septimus Albert Pitt was born on 19 November ...
(1877 - 1937), city librarian for Glasgow between 1915 - 1937.


Services

As part of a major internal refurbishment in 2005, the ground floor of the extension was recreated as an internal street running east to west. A new café bar was incorporated with a large learning centre providing free internet and
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
services. A new business lounge and a lending library have also been created. Containing five floors, access is freely open to the public, whether library borrowing members or non-members. Non-members can, upon request, use PCs and the internet as well as printed reference materials. The Mitchell Library also holds the Glasgow City Archives and Special Collections which are considered to be one of the world's best resources for researching family history and are much used in the television series '' Who Do You Think You Are?''. The Mitchell is also a venue centre offering the hire and use of the Edwardian Hall, linked rooms in the North Street building, Mitchell Theatre and breakout rooms in the Granville Street extension, for conferences, banquets, exhibitions and meetings.


Mitchell Theatre

The 1980 extension building incorporates the 418-seat Mitchell Theatre. The venue hosts a variety of theatre, music and spoken word events, including some during Glasgow's
Celtic Connections The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of tra ...
and
Aye Write! Aye Write, originally stylized as Aye Write!'','' is an annual book festival which takes place in Glasgow, Scotland in late February or early March. History The first Aye Write festival was in 2005. Originally intended to occur once every two y ...
festivals.


Gallery

Image:Mitchell Library entrance looking up.JPG, Looking straight up from the front door Image:Mitchell Library roof closeup.JPG, The ornate bronze dome roof Image:Mitchell Library exterior side.JPG, Outside the Mitchell library Image:201 North Street, Mitchell Library, Glasgow 03.jpg, North Street view of the Mitchell


References


External links

*
Virtual Mitchell
The Mitchell's digital archive resource.
Council Page
describing the Mitchell.
Online Catalogue
{{Libraries in Scotland Public libraries in Scotland Edwardian architecture Category B listed buildings in Glasgow Listed library buildings in Scotland Libraries in Glasgow Library buildings completed in 1911 Library buildings completed in 1980 1911 establishments in Scotland John Cunningham buildings Domes