Explore unique highlights from UBC’s Open Collections, as well as insights into the work of the Digitization Centre. From announcements of new projects and collections to behind-the-scenes looks at our digitization process, we share the stories and hidden gems that inspire us in our efforts to preserve and make accessible diverse materials.
Advertisements in Wartime
Posted on Feb 11, 2020 by margot chen
Historical newspapers are a useful source of information for understanding social and cultural trends during specific times. In the BC Historical Newspapers collection, we have digitized more than 53,000 newspaper issues from around the province, dating from 1859 to 1995. In this post, we compile a few advertisements from the collection dating from the First […]
Heritage Buildings in Downtown Vancouver
Posted on Feb 04, 2020 by margot chen
In the Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs, we have historic photographs depicting street scenes in Vancouver in the early 1900s. In this post, we will introduce some of our favourite photographs, showing the heritage buildings in Downtown Vancouver. We hope you can identify these buildings and how they have changed since then! […]
Explore Open Collections: Interim Forest Cover Series Maps
Posted on Jan 28, 2020 by margot chen
From 1951 to 1957, British Columbia made the first-ever systematic inventory of the province’s forests. In 1958, the Interim Forest Cover Series Maps were produced using a combination of aerial photographs (40 chain photos) and ground sampling plots. Each map is accompanied by an envelope, providing a forest inventory summary of the region within the […]
Oldest Books in Open Collections
Posted on Jan 21, 2020 by margot chen
Before the invention of the printing press, books were produced by hand. You can find examples of such manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries in the collection of Western Manuscripts and Early Printed Books. [Bible], [between 1200 and 1299] One of the oldest manuscript books in Open Collections is a Latin Bible from the […]
Exploring Architectural Drawings of UBC Vancouver Campus
Posted on Jan 14, 2020 by margot chen
A number of architectural plans and drawings of UBC Vancouver Campus are housed in the UBC Archives. They document the evolution and growth of the campus. In this post, we pair a few sketches with the photographs of buildings on campus from the UBC Archives Photograph Collection. Woodward Library Woodward Library is connected to the […]
Happy Holidays from the Digitization Centre!
Posted on Dec 24, 2019 by margot chen
Happy holidays everyone! In the spirit of the holiday season, enjoy some festive images from Open Collections. Check out these holiday greeting cards: This is Yip Sang’s personal greeting card from the Chung collection Here are more paintings of this season: Finally, here are photographs of a wintery UBC campus from the UBC Archives Photograph […]
Things to do on Winter Break: Part II
Posted on Dec 17, 2019 by margot chen
In this two-part series, we compile images of winter activities and attractions from Open Collections. You can view Part I here. Winter destinations Banff National Park is a signature travel destination both in summer and winter. This menu from the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Chung Collection advertises winter sports in Banff on the cover. […]
Things to do on Winter Break: Part I
Posted on Dec 10, 2019 by margot chen
The holiday season is fast approaching! Are you looking for vacation ideas? In this two-part series, we compile images of winter activities and attractions from Open Collections. Enjoy! Winter sports Canada is a playground for winter sports lovers. Snowshoeing, sledding, and tobogganing as recreational activities can date back to 19th century. Check out these engravings […]
Explore Illustrations of Plants in Open Collections
Posted on Dec 03, 2019 by margot chen
In a previous blog post, we discussed John Gerard’s The herball, or, Generall historie of plants (1597), a book that features lists of plants with accompanying descriptions of their properties. For this blog, we will introduce more illustrations of plants in our Open Collections. Botanical and ethnological appendix to Menzies’ journal of Vancouver’s voyage, April […]
Advertisements for Canadian Pacific Steamships: Part II
Posted on Nov 26, 2019 by margot chen
The Chung Collection has thousands of photographs and related material on CPR steamships with a particular emphasis on the Empress class ships. Some of the related material includes pamphlets, menus, world cruise photograph albums, clippings, diaries, and correspondence from both passengers and employees of these vessels. In this two-part series, we will explore some advertisements […]
