News
EXHIBIT: Picturing Canada
May 17th, 2010
A fascinating exhibition that complements the release of a new book on children’s literature is now on display at UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) division.
Picturing Canada: Canadian Children’s Illustrated Books and Publishing, highlights Canadian picturebooks from the last 200 years. The exhibition includes rare children’s books as well as popular productions from recent years. It was curated by Shannon Ozirny, Meaghan Scanlon and Geneviève Valleau, all students at UBC’s School of Library, Archival and Information Studies.
The exhibition features highlights from
Picturing Canada: A History of Canadian Children’s Illustrated Books and Publishing, written by Judith Saltman and Gail Edwards. Saltman is an Associate Professor at UBC’s School of Library, Archival and Information Studies and Chair of the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature program; Edwards is the Chair of the Department of History at Douglas College.
Picturing Canada, the exhibition, runs until August 31 at RBSC, located on level one of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. To view the exhibition poster, visit us on Twitter, or go to: http://twitpic.com/1onu88
Publishing B.C.’s Past: The Robert Mathison Printing Collection at UBC Library
Apr 20th, 2010
“The Robert Mathison Printing Collection reveals a lot about the early history of the City of Vancouver,” says Ralph Stanton, Head of Rare Books and Special Collections at UBC Library.” You can learn much about the social life, religious practice, economy and even the eating habits of early settlers from the printed materials that came from Mathison’s shop.” Stanton’s lifelong interest in British Columbia’s early printers drew him to the work of Robert Mathison, Vancouver’s first job printer.” You had to be flexible to survive in the printing business and be adaptable enough to make do with what materials you had at hand.”
Drawn west by the promise of new opportunities, Mathison, originally from Belleville, Ontario, arrived in Vancouver in 1886 at the age of 20. He worked first as a newspaper typesetter until a fire devastated Vancouver on the June 13, 1886. Mathison then ordered his own press and set up shop next door to his biggest customer, the Canadian Pacific Railway. He printed business cards, posters and calendars to advertise his business and promote his printing press. “He understood the power of marketing from the start,” adds Stanton. He operated until 1890, when he sold the business to E.W. Evans and T.W. Hastings.
Mathison pioneered the use of the steam press in Vancouver, which was faster than traditional human-powered presses – a fact he made sure to include in his advertisements.
“He also had a remarkable sense of colour and fun,” Stanton says. Advertisements for ice cream shops, saloons, Chinese laundries and cricket clubs were printed in the exaggerated Victorian style with a mix of fonts, coloured inks and papers. “The collection is of great aesthetic as well as historical value,” says Stanton, who hopes to collect more Mathison material as it becomes available.
This collection consists of 54 items located in Rare Books and Special Collections and was digitized by RBSC staff. The digital version is available online in UBC Library’s Digital Collections:
http://digitalcollections.library.ubc.ca/cdm4/index_mathison.php?CISOROOT=/mathison. An inventory is available at:
http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/inventories/MathisonPrintingCollection.pdf.
University Library Legacy Program now online
Apr 7th, 2010
The University Library Legacy Program’s elegant bookplates are now available online for your perusal on the UBC Library Digital Collections and Services online. These refined gifts can be personalized to reflect your personal message honouring a loved one or commemorating a special event. This program is a unique opportunity for you to create a meaningful and lasting contribution to the students, faculty, researchers and all lifelong learners at the UBC Community by supporting the vital services provided by UBC Library.
For more information on the program visit http://www.supportubclibrary.ca/legacybookplates.
For more information about supporting UBC Library, please visit http://www.supportubclibrary.ca/.
UBC Library's Alice in Wonderland collection on CBC TV
Mar 30th, 2010
CBC TV came to UBC Library recently to film a segment on the outstanding Alice in Wonderland collection that is housed at Rare Books and Special Collections. Catch a glimpse of the video with CBC Reporter Bob Nixon here.
The Chronicles of Pride Collection Exhibit
Mar 5th, 2010
The Chronicles of Pride is a collection of 31 portraits that honour a range of First Nations figures. The collection exhibit begins March 5, 2010 in the Learning Centre Gallery, located on level two of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, adjacent to the circulation desk. The paintings, done by local B.C. artist Patricia Richardson Logie, were recently donated to UBC Library. Explore the images in our online Gallery.
Read more about the exhibit in
UBC Reports or the
Coast Reporter.
UBC's Unique Olympic Legacy Exhibit - now online
Feb 15th, 2010
UBC’s rich Olympic legacy is on display for those wanting a closer look at the athletes and academics who have helped shape Canada’s role in the global sporting event.
The Olympic Legacy Exhibit, undertaken by UBC Library, University Archives and Public Affairs, features an array of images and documents that focus on UBC’s sporting history, with exhibits of medalled athletes, athletes turned scholars, UBC research, influential alumni and sports teams, and multicultural traditions. Material is provided by University Archives, Rare Books and Special Collections, Public Affairs, Musqueam Indian Band, cIRcle (UBC’s digital repository), and Athletics and Recreation.
Visitors to the exhibit have a chance to enter in a draw for a Team Canada Hockey Jersey, designed by Debra Sparrow (Musqueam), valued at $135!
For more information, read the UBC Reports article, view the exhibit poster or visit the exhibit in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre 2nd floor Gallery until March 1, 2010.
The exhibit is now featured online at www.ubcvault.ca/exhibits. Visit the website to find out more about the exceptional athletes featured in the exhibit.
Unlock the Treasures on Twitter and Facebook!
Jan 15th, 2010
Be the first to know about arts news and events and get insider deals on Twitter @ubclibraryvault.
Check out our Facebook page or become a member of our group to see our favourite images of 2009. Vote for yours or let us know what you would like to see on the site!
Explore the Chung Collection
Jan 15th, 2010
This month's eVault explores the Chung Collection with guest editor Sarah Romkey, UBC Library's Rare Books and Special Collections Archivist. The newsletter is now available online: http://www.ubcvault.ca/newsletter/. Be sure to visit the Chung Collection Online Exhibit in UBC Library's Digital Collections, or browse the Vault gallery for Chung Collection images!
