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.
In Memoriam
Posted on Sep 13, 2017 by liz otero
The documents in our collections contain concerns ranging from global to individual. While exploring the collections this week, I was struck by the obituaries, remembrances, and memorials— here is a selection. This Obituary from The Prospector (1896) is front page news, and followed by reports of gold fields in the Kootenays. Mrs. Ellison was remembered […]
Welcome Back!
Posted on Sep 05, 2017 by liz otero
Welcome back to campus, UBC! Don’t get stressed about moving into your dorm: Moving into the new Women’s Residence, 1956 Remember that there is always a way to solve an interpersonal problem: Photo of unidentified students, 1922 Be grateful that freshman no longer wear these: Freshmen wear dunce caps, 1938 While in lecture, take […]
Gems in Special Projects
Posted on Aug 24, 2017 by liz otero
The Digitization Centre’s work is housed online in Open Collections, with projects organized into collections. Occasionally, objects are digitized alone or in a small group, and these are placed in Special Projects—our own home for wayward items. Being a bit of a grab-bag, it is one of our favourite places to explore and gain insight […]
What’s Old is New Again
Posted on Jul 19, 2017 by liz otero
The objects within Open Collections are beautiful, often rare, and allow connection with history as only primary sources can. As your humble blog correspondent, I am consistently struck with how different things were, yet what we are interested in, our concerns, and struggles are the same. This week, let’s see what the past has to […]
Searching Open Collections part 2: Subject keywords
Posted on Jul 18, 2017 by liz otero
When we last met, we had found a photo of an old growth forest: Scrolling down on this screen reveals the metadata* attached to the item: I want to continue my search, and so I’m going to look at the area called “Subject”, here listed as Forestry; Logs; Cedar trees. To start out, I’ll […]
Searching Open Collections part 1: Using established collections
Posted on Jun 29, 2017 by liz otero
This week on the blog, we’ll use Open Collections to search for some images. @VanBigTrees submitted this question on Twitter: Let’s get started! First, we’ll go to Open Collections at https://open.library.ubc.ca/ From here, we can start a search a few ways. Today, we’ll explore using the collections, and next week, we’ll work with keyword searches. […]
Touring the Nitobe Memorial Garden
Posted on Jun 14, 2017 by liz otero
Vancouver is greening up spectacularly with the warmer weather. We’re enjoying many lunchtimes in the beautiful gardens here at UBC, and soaking up as much greenery as we possibly can while it’s here! This week on the blog, we’re taking a photo tour through the Nitobe Memorial Garden. The Nitobe Memorial Garden is on UBC’s […]
The Gold Rush in Open Collections
Posted on Jun 08, 2017 by liz otero
British Columbia in the second half of the nineteenth century is defined by her gold rushes. Various prospectors, miners, entrepreneurs, and other settlers descended upon BC in waves, and the documents they’ve left behind are as varied as they were. This broadsheet, The Frazer River Thermometer, both offers advice and gently ribs the potential prospector. One of […]
BC Historical Newspapers Update- 2017
Posted on May 25, 2017 by liz otero
Not surprisingly, we at the Digitization Centre are a big fan of analytics. Data about how people use the data and images we produce? Our knees are weak. What we’ve learned is that our blog post from 2013 regarding the BC Historical Newspapers Collection is one of the most often used, so […]
Vancouver-based Collections: Kinesis
Posted on May 18, 2017 by liz otero
There are so many amazing local materials within Open Collections at UBC Library (https://open.library.ubc.ca/). When local events and news happen, a text search for topics can reveal some interesting background or even just great stories to read. With the provincial election last week in British Columbia, a search for electoral stories led us to this […]