Archives are a type of primary source resource composed of inactive records which express an activity rather than a message. This makes them quite different from the books you will encounter at UBC Library, or even the books and other published materials that you will find in Okanagan Special Collections. These published materials are generally characterized by what they are about rather than what they do (or have done).
As a result, archives are not organized by subject such as what you will see on call numbers applied to books. Instead, archives are organized primarily according to their point of creation. Luckily, archival description often also indicates the broad subject areas of archival resources.. The tabs to the left will help direct you to archival aggregations that respond to common inquiries. This is not an exhaustive directory.
Rare Books & Special Collections at UBC Vancouver has prepared this helpful research guide:
McMaster University Library has prepared a three-part guide to archival research: before your visit, during your visit, and organizing your research:
Primary source research usually starts with and is founded in secondary source reading. When embarking on archival research, key questions to work into your process include:
Please also see: "Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research" published by the Society of American Archivists