The Mitchell Library is one of Europe’s largest public reference libraries. Built between 1906 and 1911, this grand Edwardian Baroque building brims with civic confidence, featuring a fine marble and stone staircase and a vast reading room with elaborate joinery and plaster-work. It opened its doors to the public in 1877 initially in Ingram Street, financed by a bequest of £70,000 from wealthy tobacco manufacturer, Stephen Mitchell who directed the residue of his estate be used to found a large freely-accessible public library in Glasgow. From an initial stock of 14,000 volumes, the collection has grown to a staggering 2,000,000 volumes. Run by the Council, the library holds an unrivalled collection of material relating to the city. This includes the city archives, dating from the 12th Century, the noted Robert Burns Collection, together with material donated by Sir Thomas Lipton. The Family History and Genealogy Centre is proving to be a huge hit and any visitor wishing to delve into their Glasgow roots should look no further.