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.
Anyox, British Columbia: A town that got lost, but permeates our collection
Posted on April 4, 2023 by Marina de Souza
“Anyox was born quietly but she went out with a bang – or at least the bang heralded the end” (Loudon, 1973, p. 97). That’s how Peter Loudon (1930 – 19-?), one of the 480 settlers born in this copper town describes the brief history and the miscalculated mining explosion that preceded the rapid economic […]
Research in UBC Open Collections: Sex and Migration in the Transpacific Underground
Posted on March 22, 2023 by Marina de Souza
The Digitization Centre is always thrilled to learn about the various impressive research findings made through UBC Library’s Open Collections, in particular those collections we have digitized. Knowing how they have impacted the investigation and the educational outcomes of those studies is very gratifying! Today, we would like to share the fascinating open educational resource […]
The Haweis Family fonds and Lionel Haweis’ contributions
Posted on March 7, 2023 by Marina de Souza
The arts and culture were a central aspect of the Haweis family (pronounced “Hoyse”) and their collection reflects that very prominently. The fonds includes materials created, received, or collected by various members of the family including Lionel Haweis, his parents Reverend Hugh Reginald and Mary Eliza Haweis, sister Hugolin Haweis and brother Stephen Haweis, and […]
Aviation photographs from first half of 1900s
Posted on February 21, 2023 by Marina de Souza
This February, the Digitization Centre has completed the digitization of nearly one hundred historical photographs related to aviation dated prior to the 1950s. These photos are part of the Uno Langmann Family Collection of B.C. Photographs and are now available to view for anyone interested in the aviation industry! Amongst many incredible photographs, there are […]
The Field Notebooks of H. G. Hook
Posted on February 7, 2023 by Marina de Souza
Field notes are an essential tool for all scientists or researchers who work in the field to record their observations of a specific phenomenon or organism they are studying. The notes usually contain information about the location, date, and description of the specimen. Often these recorded observations might seem trivial at the time, but on […]
Collaboration with the UBC Preservation Unit
Posted on January 26, 2023 by Marina de Souza
Team members in the Digitization Centre (DC) have an understanding and shared responsibility for the care and handling of the collections. To ensure that we are equipped with the right knowledge to handle fragile objects during digitization projects, DC has an ongoing collaboration with the UBC Preservation Unit. Experts from the Unit provide training to […]
Exploring Open Collections: The H. Colin Slim Stravinsky Collection
Posted on January 17, 2023 by Marina de Souza
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian-born composer who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1945 and had a revolutionary impact on 20th-century music. He wrote important scores that redefined music, breaking new ground. His ballets such as The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring are landmarks of classical music composition. Stravinsky’s trip to Vancouver […]
Legends of UBC – Part Two
Posted on December 21, 2022 by Lisa Wilson Palmour
Continuing from our previous post Legends of BC – Part One, we are back with 10 more inspiring and accomplished individuals affiliated with UBC. This list was compiled using Open Collections to research alumni, staff, faculty and honorary degree recipients to bring forward amazing people from across different disciplines. In alphabetical order according to first […]
Legends of UBC – Part One
Posted on December 13, 2022 by Lisa Wilson Palmour
Over the decades, many legendary figures have been affiliated with the University of British Columbia. Whether alumni, staff, faculty or honorary degree recipients, the greats who have graced this University have done remarkable things in their respective fields. To close out the year, we thought it would be inspiring to celebrate some of these individuals. […]
New Material in Open Collections: Fragments of Medieval Manuscripts
Posted on December 6, 2022 by Lisa Wilson Palmour
Open Collections recently saw some new additions to the Western Manuscripts and Early Printed Books repository — a selection of medieval era manuscript fragments. These digital copies are from two different physical collections stored in UBC’s Rare Books and Special Collections. One collection is comprised of medieval manuscript fragments and the other, medieval music manuscript fragments. […]
