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.
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 […]
Happy Holidays from the Digitization Centre!
Posted on Dec 25, 2018 by Kelly Stathis
In the spirit of the holiday season, enjoy these wintery images from Open Collections. Check out these beautiful photographs of a snowy UBC campus, from the UBC Archives Photograph collection: From the Chung Collection, this 1928 Canadian Pacific Railway Company menu advertises various winter sports in Banff: Also, check out this ski holidays […]
The Empress Hotel
Posted on Dec 18, 2018 by Kelly Stathis
The iconic Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, is prominently featured in the Chung Collection. The Empress Hotel was designed by architect Francis Rattenbury in the “Chateau style” (also known as the Châteauesque style). This was an architectural style based on French Renaissance architecture common to many of the grand railway hotels. Because the Empress […]
