Campaigners fight to save Scots archive

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.”