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.
Relics from a Lost Age: Mysterious Histories
Posted on Aug 25, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
Ready for part 2 of our postings on the cuneiform tablets in the Ancient Artefacts Collection? In the previous post we learned a little about the cuneiform tablets and provenance in general – with a cliff hanger of course. What IS the provenance of Rare Books & Special Collections cuneiform tablets? This post we will come […]
Explore Open Collections: Ancient Artefacts
Posted on Aug 19, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
Made in partnership with Rare Books and Special Collections and the From Stone to Screen project, the cuneiform tablets are among the most ancient objects Digital Initiatives has ever digitized! The tablets are part of Ancient Artefacts collection, which also includes Egyptian papyri. Considered today to be one of the most significant cultural contributions by the Sumerians, […]
Peek Behind the Scenes: The Tokyo War Crimes Trials & the Conde Fonds
Posted on Aug 14, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
The David Conde Fonds is a long-standing project we’ve been working on in partnership with UBC’s Asian Library, Rare Books and Special Collections, and the University of Tokyo (thanks to a grant the latter organization received from the National Diet Library). We are happy to announce that many of the materials from the Conde fonds […]
Hijinks of BC Newspapers Uncovered
Posted on Aug 07, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
BC Historical Newspapers is one of Digital Initiative’s largest and most popular collections—and for good reason! A treasure trove of information is to be discovered within them. With over 24 different papers published from 1887-1911, there is a lot to choose from. The news then wasn’t so much a bulletin of events, but rather a […]
Percy Broughton Journals: A Mysterious Missionary Revealed
Posted on Jul 31, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
What might drive a man to eat his own coat? The answer can be found in the newly digitized journal of Percy Broughton, an Anglican missionary. The journal itself originates from the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) and the digitization is a joint project filed under Special Projects with Digital Initiatives. Broughton, a missionary whom we […]
Free: Love, Peace & Posters Circa 1968-1973
Posted on Jul 24, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
Posters are meant to grab your undivided attention. The colors, the pictures, and the words are all arranged for maximum shock value. Few posters demonstrate the arresting perfection of the medium better than the eye-catching Berkeley 1968-1973 Poster Collection. The 250 posters, from UBC’s Rare Books and Special Collections, are a small but insightful slice […]
What’s on Deck: Art, Poetry, and the Oldest Literary Magazine in Western Canada
Posted on Jul 17, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
This week we’re exploring one of our most exciting projects and developing partnerships right now –the digitization of PRISM international! PRISM international one of the oldest literary magazines published here in Vancouver by the Creative Writing Program at UBC. A quarterly magazine established way back in 1959, PRISM’s goal, as stated on their website, is to “publish […]
Discover Lost Ancient Egyptian Papyri!
Posted on Jul 10, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
Maybe you’ve heard the buzz here. Maybe you’ve got a hankering for learning a little more about ancient dinner invitations or old papyri from Egypt- either way you’ve come to the right place! This week’s blog is all about the newly digitized ancient artifacts up on our website right now! The two ancient papyri pieces, […]
UBC Library @ 100 : King John and the Digital Archives Adventure
Posted on Jul 03, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
UBC library is turning 100 this year! To celebrate we’re going deep into the archives- the digital archives. Learn a little more about the history of the library, specifically UBC’s first librarian John Ridington, through the magic of UBC Archives Photograph Collections! Don’t worry, he’s a pretty interesting dude. You can even visit his room […]
How We Digitize: Manuscript Makeover
Posted on Jun 24, 2015 by Alexandra Kuskowski
One of our oldest books, the Logroño Antiphonary, is getting a digital restyling! Part of the Western Manuscripts collection from Rare Books and Special Collections, the Logroño Antiphonary*, known more commonly as the Spanish Chant Manuscripts, is a gorgeous collection of Gregorian chants, hymns and psalms complied by the Catholic church in Logroño, Spain. The text […]
