UBC Okanagan Special Collections and Archives

UBC Okanagan Library Special Collections and Archives collects and mobilizes archival, primary source, and special information resources which have a relationship to nearby locations. Visit our website at https://library.ok.ubc.ca/spaces/special-collections-and-archives/

We preserve and provide access local archives and publications. Read about our archival repository on UBC AtoM.

In addition to acquiring and preserving archives and library materials in our vault and reading room located at COM004, we also steward digitized content contributed by many community partners in the BC Regional Digitized History online portal which is also introduced in this research guide.

Okanagan Special Collections and Archives maintains discoverable descriptive records of all processed archival fonds in UBC AtoM.

Discover recommended archival aggregations and special items by topic in the left-hand tabs.

Dalhousie University has prepared a guide to archival research.
University of British Columbia - Rare Books & Special Collections has prepared a guide to finding and using special collections and archival materials.

These guides include information on how to read and interpret a finding aid, how to access UBC digitized archives, and how to cite archives in your research.

As you develop a research question that might be supported by information found in archives, consider the following:

• Was there an activity that would have given rise to records being sought? Who might have done or been responsible for that activity?

• How might these records have been created in the first place, and what form might those records take? 

• Is it possible or probable that these records got set aside for action or reference? Where might those records be now?

Reproduction services

Requests are considered based on copyright provisions, restrictions that may have been placed on the material by the donors or under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, or the physical condition of the material. Scans ordered from the archives are to be used only for personal or research purposes unless permission for publication or other commercial use is applied for and granted. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Read more about reproduction services.

Acquisition and gifts-in-kind

UBC Okanagan Special Collections is significantly comprised of donated books, papers, photographs and other archival materials Offers to donate are evaluated with reference to our collecting policy. If you would like to make an offer to UBCO, please contact paige.hohmann@ubc.ca 

Research and reference support 

Please browse this guide to get started. For complex or comprehensive research support, email osc-contact@lists.ubc.ca 

Student employment and experiential learning

Special Collections & Archives often hires student assistants for digitization, preservation, and descriptive work. Learn more.