We are excited to announce the launch of a long-awaited addition to our Open Collection: the Phil Lind Klondike Gold Rush Collection!
Donated to the UBC Library in 2020 by UBC alumnus Philip B. Lind, the collection is an extraordinary collection of photographs, maps, books, artifacts, and other unique materials that document the events and experiences of the Klondike Gold Rush period.
The Argonaut Brand high grade evaporated vegetable, sliced onion.
The Digitization Journey
Digitization of the collection began in spring 2022, marking the start of a two-year effort to process over 3,000 items. Our team worked meticulously to digitize a wide array of materials, such as stereographs, sheet music, souvenir playing cards, and even coins.
A personal favourite to digitize was the 1943 movie poster for Columbia Pictures’ “Klondike Kate—Queen of the Gold Rush.” The vibrant colours were a welcome surprise after boxes of black and white photographs! However, movie posters posed unique challenges: their large size meant they required two people to safely move onto the bed of the TTI (learn about how we digitize with the TTI). One was so oversized that it did not fit on the scanning table, requiring careful maneuvering and extra support to ensure a successful capture.
Klondike Kate—Queen of the Gold Rush.
Collaboration with RBSC and the Chung | Lind Gallery
Throughout the digitization process, we worked closely with Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) in coordinating digitization of the items with construction of the Chung | Lind Gallery. Materials selected for display in the gallery were prioritized for digitization, and this also provided an opportunity to digitize additional gallery items from the Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection.
One particularly exciting project involved preparing photo albums for the gallery’s digital touch table. Balancing visual appeal and authenticity within technical specifications was a rewarding challenge, and we look forward to seeing visitors engage with these materials in an interactive format.
John G. Lind in front of cabin with dog. (Frame cropped out.)
A Milestone for Open Collections
The debut of the Phil Lind Klondike Gold Rush Collection in Open Collections marks another milestone: it is the first collection to be uploaded directly to DSpace, the new backend digital repository for UBC Library. The Digitization Centre has been in the process of migrating collections from CONTENTdm, and the Lind Collection provided an invaluable opportunity to test the integration of DSpace into the Open Collections infrastructure. As with any new system implementation, there were challenges along the way, but the experience has been a valuable learning opportunity for our team.
Explore the Collection
After 3 years of careful digitization and preparation, it is very exciting to see the Phil Lind Klondike Gold Rush Collection live in Open Collections. We invite you to explore the collection and discover the stories captured in these fascinating historical materials!
