Digitizers’ Blog
Back to School!
It’s that time of year again – fall is just around the corner, and a new school year has begun. Whether you’re new to the UBC campus community, returning for another semester, or graduated long ago, it can be an exciting and even nostalgic time. Returning to school for a new year can be a […]
Explore Open Collections: Japanese Canadian Photograph Collection
The Japanese community has had a long history in British Columbia, beginning with the first Japanese person to land on the coast in 1877, a sailor named Manzo Nagano. For the next 70+ years, members of the Japanese community in the province achieved great success while also facing ongoing prejudice and racism, as early settlers […]
Explore Open Collections: Andrew McCormick Maps and Prints
The Andrew McCormick collection contains nearly 200 historical maps and illustrations which document the history of early European maritime exploration, cartographic evolution and settlement in North America. The documents were donated to UBC’s Rare Books and Special Collections by Dr. Andrew Quinn McCormick, a well-respected former faculty member in the Department of Ophthalmology. Documenting more […]
Celebrate World Fashion Day
“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” – Edith Head For some fashion is frivolous, and for others it’s what makes the world go ‘round. Whichever end of the spectrum you’re on, though, our clothes speak volumes about who we are, where we’re from, and the time in […]
International Youth Day 2016
“Young people are not only our future — they are our present. Our planet has never been so young, with 1.8 billion young women and men. They are the most connected, the most outspoken and the most open-minded generation the world has ever seen.” Irina Bokova UNESCO Director-General International Youth Day is being celebrated around […]
Explore Open Collections – H. Bullock-Webster sketches
Harry Bullock-Webster, a young Brit who came to Canada in the early 1870’s, worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company throughout the country’s western regions, starting as an apprentice clerk and eventually working his way up to become head of the Fort Connelly trading post in northern British Columbia. Bullock-Webster, although never formally trained as an […]
How We Digitize – Early BC Historical Documents
We often write about collections that have already been digitized, but today we want to give you a sneak peek of a forthcoming collection that we’re working on right now. The BC Historical Documents are a variety of papers, correspondence and text that have been identified as being representative of the documentary history of early […]
Explore Open Collections: R. Mathison Collection
The R. Mathison Printing Collection offers a fascinating glimpse into business and marketing practices in Vancouver at the close of the 19th century. In 1886, Robert Mathison opened his print shop just after a massive fire had ravaged much of the city and all three of its printers, allowing him to monopolise on business. This […]
Explore Open Collections: UBC Library Framed Works Collection
Did you know that UBC Library’s Archives and Rare Books and Special Collections owns some unique, one-of-a-kind artworks, including prints, photographs and charters? Several of these works form a part of larger collections held by the Archive (also known as fonds), while others document interesting aspects of British Columbia’s artistic history. Below we’ve selected some […]
Explore Open Collections: MacMillan Bloedel Limited Fonds
British Columbia’s history is closely tied to the development of industry and resource extraction in western Canada – from fishing to mining, there is no doubt that natural resources have been a driving force in shaping the province we’ve come to know today. Forestry is perhaps one of the most iconic industries in B.C., and […]