Archives & Special Collections

Archives at Penryn Campus

The Falmouth University Archive & Special Collections bring together original archives, records and specialised book collections, offering unique, eclectic and inspiring resources for research, learning and creative practice. 

Located on Level 0 of The Exchange at Penryn Campus, the collections are available to students, staff, researchers and visitors to view by appointment in our dedicated Reading Room.

Explore the Library

Artists Archives
Artists Archives

Artists' Archives

Collections that reveal creative practice and process across multiple disciplines, documenting how a...

Artists' Archives
Performance and Writing Archives
Performance and Writing Archives

Performance and Writing Archives

Playwrights, novelists and theatre companies captured through their process, practice and ...

Performance and Writing Archives
Institutional Records
Institutional Records

Institutional Records

The evolving history of Falmouth University and its partner institutions, preserved through their of...

Institutional Records
Cornwall History and Place
Cornwall History and Place

Cornwall History and Place

Exploring the history, culture and identities of place through research, photography, writ...

Cornwall History and Place
Book and journal collections
Book and journal collections

Book and Journal Collections

Rare books, historic journals and artists’ books, alongside special collections on writing, a...

Book and Journal Collections

Collections are available to University students and staff, members of the public, visiting researchers or alumni by appointment.  Cataloguing of the collections is in progress, updates can be found on the Archives catalogue. Special Collections (books and journals) can be found on Library Search. Potential users may find it beneficial to undertake preparatory research prior to a visit. Suggested resources are available at Archives & Special Collections: Introductory Reading.  

Search the archives

Search the special collections  

Nothing pleases us more than helping our users with their research. Ahead of your visit, or for those unable to attend in person, we are able to offer an enquiry service. 

Please email us at archives@fxplus.ac.uk providing as much information as possible about your research interests. You may find our Collections Guide, Research Guides and Catalogues of use to guide your initial research, but if you can't find what you are looking for, please just get in touch. 

We aim to answer your enquiry in good time but please be aware that during busy periods during term time there may be a short delay. 

While there is no charge for our enquiry service, there may be costs for the provision of copies and limitations on how much research we can undertake on your behalf. 

Our Archives & Special Collections are available to students and staff of Falmouth University and University of Exeter, members of the public, visitors or alumni by appointment. 

Certain loanable items from Special Collections may be requested via Library Search. Please log in to your account to make a request and we will retrieve the item for you. 

We ask that all our users follow the basic handling guidelines outlined in the film when using our Collections. 

 

The Archives and Special Collections Team offer a copies service. 

  • Please note that due to Copyright legislation, copies can only be provided following the completion of a copy request form from archives@fxplus.ac.uk
  • Copies can be ordered remotely, or as part of a visit to the Archive. Due to service limitations, please note that copy orders are not normally processed on the same day. Copies can be provided by email, through the post or collected in person.
  • Visitors to the Service are welcome to use a digital camera for free, and subject to the completion of our Digital Camera Form provided at your appointment.
  • The production of copies is dependent on the format of the item to be copied, its condition and copyright permissions.
  • Requests for publication should be made directly to the archives team: archives@fxplus.ac.uk   

Students and staff: small volumes of copies are not charged. 

External users: Minimum charge £5.00, subject to VAT at the current rate.   

Payment for copies can be made online through the online payment portal.

Print copy 

Price

Black and white A4 

£0.10 

Black and white A3 

£0.20 

Colour A4 

£0.50 

Colour A3 

£1.00 

Digital 

 

Per image for previously digitised material 

£2.00 per digital file/image 

Per image for newly digitised material (loose paper records and volumes) 

£2.00 per image 

Additional cost for memory stick 

£3.50 

Additional cost for CD 

£1.00 

Postage under 20 pages 

FREE 

Postage over 20 pages 

£5.00 

Student in the library
Student in the library

Research Guides


Our Archives and Special Collections are unique, rare or specialist materials. By their very nature, they can sometimes be a little harder to locate than other library items. 

We are developing a series of Research Guides to help you find the materials we hold on some of the most popular topics - along with some that may be a little more unexpected. 

We're still developing these guides - so if there is a topic you'd like us to cover, please do contact us at archives@fxplus.ac.uk.

Research Guides

Student placements

The Archives & Special Collections Team offer placements and mini-residencies throughout the academic year for Falmouth University students. These placements offer the opportunity to gain experience working with the fantastic Archive collections here on campus whilst developing new skills. Placements are advertised via Employability. 

Archive collections

Explore our Textiles & Dress Collections

Explore our archive of thousands of modern and period dress in our fashion archives, a working Wardrobe Store for production costume and our museum-quality collection of vintage and historical artefacts. 

The Textiles & Dress Collection
Devonshire Collection

Need help?

Contact the Archives

Helpdesk: 01326 370441

Email: archives@fxplus.ac.uk

Library Search

Library

Whether you are looking for resources, spaces or support to inspire and inform your studies, your li...

Library
Library facilities
Library facilities

Using the Library

Discover more about the physical and digital collections and services on offer 

Using the Library
Campus libraries
Campus libraries

Campus Libraries

Each library is somewhere you can browse our physical collections, get support from the Student Helpdesk, study with your friends or just find some needed quiet.

Campus Libraries
Library facilities
Library facilities

Study Guides

Our easy to follow guides cover the essential skills you'll need for success at university. 

Study Guides
Support for researchers
Support for researchers

Subject Guides

Discover the key library resources for your subject and how to access support.

Subject Guides
Exchange at night
Exchange at night

Visitors

We welcome Alumni and Visitors to the University libraries at Penryn Campus and Falmouth Campus. 

Visitors