Research with University Collections 

We work closely with researchers to enable access to original materials from the University’s archives, rare books, photographic, and museum collections, for use in research projects.  

All requests to access University Collections should be made through unicolls@st-andrews.ac.uk or through our online booking form, in the first instance. If your request is assessed to constitute a research project you will be asked to read our Collections Research Policy and fill in a protocol document. 

A research project is defined as a study using material in University Collections that is beyond the scope of our standard access services (consultation in the Napier Reading Room, digitisation and enquiries).This may include:  

  • Access to large amounts of material, physically or digitally 
  • Access to material that is deemed sensitive in content  
  • Access to material that is too fragile or vulnerable to be viewed in the reading room 
  • The need to carry out potentially harmful, or destructive, analysis on material. 

Further information can be found in our Collections Research Policy.  

What we will do:

  • Support you to complete your application if requested.   
  • Review requests for research projects using University Collections through our Collections Working Group, which meets once per month. If you require an expedited decision on your request, please make us aware of this when submitting. It might not always be possible to support this.   
  • Where applications require amendment, work with you to explore different options.  
  • Provide appropriate access to University Collections after a successful application in a suitable Libraries and Museums space.   

How this will be delivered:

We will review all requests in the context of:   

  • Support time needed from staff  
  • Physical accessibility of collections requested  
  • Resources and/or facilities required for research   
  • Security issues in relation to collections and their use  
  • The condition of the material requested  
  • Relevant cultural and/or ethical considerations 
  • The impact of destructive analysis on the requested material, in conjunction with the significance of information provided by the analysis.  

Once your application has been reviewed by our Collections Working Group, a member of our team will be in touch to communicate the outcome and provide next steps.