A unique collection illustrating the development of popular entertainment from the late 18th century to the present day, with an emphasis on the 20th century's most popular art form: the cinema.

The Bill Douglas Centre is both a museum and research centre housing an extensive collection of books, prints, archives, artefacts and ephemera relating to the history and pre-history of cinema.

The Bill Douglas Centre holds a number of important archives relating to British Film production.

All of the following collections are available for consultation by appointment in the Special Collections & Bill Douglas Centre Reading Room in the Old Library:

Peter Cotes Papers
Peter Cotes (1912-1998), actor, producer and director: personal papers and other items relating to his career in film and television production, from the 1950s-1990s. Includes press articles and reviews, photographs, documents and business correspondence about his own work as a producer and about the film-maker and critic Paul Rotha, as well as personal correspondence from the journalist and television critic Peter Black.

Don Boyd Papers
Don Boyd (1948- ), film director, producer and writer: personal and business papers, mainly consisting of production documents relating to films written, produced or directed by Boyd from 1968-2000, as well as film companies founded or co-founded by him. Also drafts, script notes, correspondence and publicity materials.

Bob Dunbar Papers
Bob Dunbar (1914-2000), film producer and principal of the London Film School: personal and business papers relating to his films; also film scripts, production notes, papers from the London Film School, personal correspondence, press-cuttings, literary papers and interview transcripts.

Ossie Morris Papers
Ossie Morris (1915- ), cinematographer: production material and some personal papers relating to his films (many of which were made overseas). Also includes unpublished screenplays, shooting scripts and photographic shot lists.

James Mackay Papers
James Mackay (1954- ), film producer: personal and business papers relating to his activities as a producer, in particular of the films of Derek Jarman. Includes diaries, correspondence, production papers, financial papers, film scripts, screenplays, posters and press-cuttings.

Gavrik Losey Papers
Gavrik Losey (fl 1966- ), film producer and director, son of film-maker Joseph Losey: business papers and production materials relating his films, notably Agatha (1979) and Babylon (1980). Includes film scripts and screenplays for made and unmade films, assorted photographs and negatives, financial papers and some Losey family papers.