Here at the Digitization Centre we are fascinated and excited by the vast amount of primary-source material that our digitization work exposes us to. Whether a document of historic significance, a beautiful illustration, or even a particularly fine typeface, we are frequently amazed by the materials we’re working to share with the world. So much so, that not only will we crowd around to ogle a particularly interesting specimen, but we’ve started decorating our workplace with copies of some of our favorites. But why stop there? Surely, we can’t be the only ones geeky enough to appreciate such “gems” in our collections, and so we’ve decided to share them here with you. Below you will find some of our favorites, hand-picked by staff from both existing and upcoming collections. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
TIP: To view full resolution versions of the images on any size screen, click to view in Open Collections.
Elements magazine in the Discorder collection
Posted on Mar 05, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
Did you know that CiTR briefly published a hip-hop magazine? In addition to publishing Discorder, CiTR released Elements from May 1995 to December 1996. The magazine was edited by Vancouver DJs Jay Swing and Flipout. Although CiTR only published eight issues of Elements, the editors featured interviews with well-known artists such as The Pharcyde (issue […]
How We Digitize: Microfilm
Posted on Feb 26, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
Microforms are reduced-size copies of documents used for access and preservation. There are a few different formats of microforms, the most popular being microfilm (film reels) and microfiche (flat film sheets). This post focuses on how we digitize microfilm. At the Digitization Centre, we have digitized newspaper microfilms using our flexScan equipment. Although microfilm […]
Japanese Canadian internment at Tashme
Posted on Feb 19, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
This February 24 marks the 77th anniversary of Order-in-Council P.C. 1486, issued by Prime Minister Mackenzie King in 1942 to officially begin Japanese Canadian internment. All Japanese Canadians within 100 miles of the British Columbia coast – designated as a “protected area” – were forced to relocate east to the BC interior and other provinces, sometimes with […]
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Digitization Centre!
Posted on Feb 12, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
With Valentine’s Day coming up this week, we’ve gathered together Valentine’s Day content from our collections. From the Chung Collection, check out these “Saint Valentine Dinner” menus and concert programs from 1927-1930. Click any cover below to view the full menu in Open Collections: Not sure what to say to your valentine on Thursday? […]
Colour our Collections 2019
Posted on Feb 05, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
With midterms underway and the dreary February weather setting in, it can be a stressful time of year. If you’re looking for a colorful way to de-stress, look no further than UBC Library’s newest digital colouring book. #ColorOurCollections week, which was launched as a social media festival by the New York Academy of Medicine Library […]
Canadian Pacific Railway hotels in B.C.: Part 2
Posted on Jan 29, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
This two-part series features some of the earliest Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hotels in British Columbia. Many of these hotels have since closed down but formed an important part of early Canadian railway history. You can view Part 1 here. In previous blog posts, we profiled the two largest surviving CPR hotels in B.C.: Hotel […]
Canadian Pacific Railway hotels in B.C.: Part 1
Posted on Jan 22, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
This two-part series features some of the earliest Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hotels in British Columbia. Many of these hotels have since closed down but formed an important part of early Canadian railway history. In previous blog posts, we profiled the two largest surviving CPR hotels in B.C.: Hotel Vancouver and the Empress Hotel. Mount […]
Explore Open Collections: Uno Langmann British Columbia Postcards
Posted on Jan 15, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
The Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs contains postcards, family photo albums, and ephemera from the 1850s through the 1970s. The collection of over 18,000 photographs was donated to UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections by Uno and Dianne Langmann. A portion of these photographs have been digitized and are accessible through […]
Fauna boreali-americana
Posted on Jan 08, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
In the early 19th century, the Scottish naturalist and explorer John Richardson traveled with Sir William Franklin in search of the Northwest Passage. He recorded the scientific findings of these expeditions in two works: Flora boreali-americana (1833-1840) and Fauna boreali-americana (1829-1837). The latter is a four-volume text about the animals of North America and the […]
Explore Open Collections: PRISM international
Posted on Jan 01, 2019 by Kelly Stathis
Established in 1959 and published quarterly, PRISM international is the oldest literary magazine in Western Canada. Through a partnership with the UBC Creative Writing Department, UBC Library digitized all back-issues of PRISM in 2015. The full archive is available in Open Collections. All issues are available with a one-year embargo – so, consider subscribing to […]
