McGill Libraries
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Identifier
MUA
Authorized form of name
McGill University Archives
Parallel form(s) of name
Archives de l'Université McGill
Other form(s) of name
Type
Contact area
Reference Service
Primary contact
Type
Address
Street address
3459 McTavish Street
Locality
Montreal
Region
Quebec
Country name
Canada
Postal code
H3A 0C9
Telephone
Fax
refdesk.archives@mcgill.ca
Note
Description area
History
The establishment of the McGill University Archives was announced in 1962 along with the appointment of McGill’s first University Archivist, Alan Ridge. The initiative toward an archives programme can be traced to an exchange of correspondence in the late 1950s between Professor John Irwin Cooper (Department of History) and then Principal F. Cyril James regarding "...the necessity for a survey of McGill University records...the establishment of University Archives..." and the need to " better appraise the University’s records." (MUA Records of the Principal RG 2 C246 F7401 "Archives and Records"). James’ announcement in 1962 recognizes the role of the records and archives for both administrative and historical purposes: "All kinds of documents have been created in the course of administering the university and they are all, technically, archives forming part of the University’s memory. Yet not all the papers which have survived merit indefinite retention and it is one of the Archivist’s functions to advise on the relative value of any classes of papers..."
(RG 2 C266 File 8023 "Administration Archives and Records")
Storage for the University Archives was first located in the stacks of the Redpath Library, with the office of the University Archivist located in the James Administration Building. In 1971 the University Archives moved to consolidated storage, access and administrative offices on the Ground Floor of the McLennan Library, where it remains today.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
Administrative structure
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Holdings
Please note that the McGill University Archives does not hold medical records.
Veuillez prendre note que les Archives de l'Université McGill ne détiennent aucuns dossiers médicaux.
Finding aids, guides and publications
Access area
Opening times
Reading Room: Monday - Thursday 10 AM - 6 PM
Office: Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM
Access conditions and requirements
Consulting McGill University Archives:
Archival documents must be consulted on-site. Requests should be submitted by email, and responses will be provided within 30 business days. If additional time is required, users will be notified. Most holdings are accessible; however, some documents may have restricted access. To facilitate processing, researchers are asked to submit detailed research requests or a clear description of their project.
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
The McGill University Archives offer service from the Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room, McLennan Library Building, 4th floor. The Reading Room contains a range of resources, including published sources on the history of Montreal and McGill University, McGill University calendars and McGill University publications such as Old McGill and McGill News. We recommend that you make an appointment prior to your visit. This can be done by emailing our refdesk.archives@mcgill.ca.
Also available in the Reading Room are the University Archives finding aids for manuscript collections and University records, as well as a series of FAQ information files about the University.