R.D. Laing Cataloguing Project

The papers of Ronald David Laing (1927-1989), psychiatrist, psychotherapist, writer and poet were purchased from the trustees of his estate in July 1997, the acquisition being made possible with the generous support of the National Fund for Acquisitions and the Friends of Glasgow University Library.

During the period November 1998 to July 1999, as part of NFF supported cataloguing projects, some 4,000 documents were catalogued and made accessible via our on-line web-catalogue of manuscripts. This material has already generated considerable interest. Laing’s work, especially in the areas of patient care and the aetiology of schizophrenia, are currently undergoing a re-evaluation. Making this key resource more accessible will be of significant service to researchers. 

The current project, funded through the Wellcome Trust's Research Resources in Medical History programme will complete the cataloguing of this collection.