Campaigners fight to save Scots archive

Published on 02/02/2013 12:01

STUDENTS at the Edinburgh University’s School of Scottish Studies are fighting plans to relocate their archive.

Campaigners claim they only discovered plans to carve up the world-famous collection when it was mentioned to them by lecturers. The students have been garnering support though social media, with a petition having gathered almost 700 signatures in less than a week.

Alasdair Mackie, 20, who is in his third year studying Scottish Ethnology, said: “It’s so important to our studies that this collection is kept together, in an easily accessible location, especially with the upcoming referendum, when questions of Scottish identity will be paramount. There is a real danger of losing some of these materials forever if space cannot be found for them elsewhere.”

A university spokesman said: “An external review of the archives was recently completed. The main conclusions are that the archive is vital to teaching, research and public engagement and that is should remain as a highly accessible resource. The university has made a commitment to fundraising to provide an upgraded facility that widens this 
accessibility.”