Finding and Using Materials in Rare Books and Special Collections

This is a guide to finding and using materials in Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) at UBC Library.

Rare Books and Special Collections acquires books and pamphlets in a number of areas of specialization. Our main interests are the exploration, history, literature, maps, social life and peoples of British Columbia. We also have strong interests in Canadian history and literature, selected areas of English literature, children’s literature, maps and cartobibliography, the history of science and medicine, as well as Guangdong Province of China.

Rare Books and Special Collections’ holdings of cartographic archives and historical maps are especially strong in pre-1800 world/hemispheres, pre-1900 North America and Pacific Rim, fire insurance plans of B.C. towns and cities, and Edo-period Japan. Also acquired as parts of larger archival collections and fonds are collections of maps (both printed and hand-drawn), architectural drawings, and plans and blueprints.

The manuscript collections include materials documenting the economic, political, cultural, labour, and literary history of British Columbia. Prominent among these holdings are the records of the MacMillan Bloedel forestry company, the British Columbia Electric Railway and the Malcolm Lowry collection.

What are rare books?

RBSC defines rare books broadly as books that are hard to find or replace. Some books have qualities that make them more rare, valuable, or increase their research or monetary value. Some of these qualities include:

• Scarcity: The number of existing copies can be a contributing factor to a book’s research and monetary value. Some books are printed in very limited editions, making the books hard to find or replace as soon as they are produced. Some books become rare as fewer copies survive over time.
• Provenance: Provenance relates to the ownership, custody, or location of a specific copy of a book. Books with significant provenance can include association copies, which might have been owned by the author or someone closely associated with the author, or presentation copies, which might have been signed and given as a gift. Provenance can also be reflected in annotations, bookplates, stamps, etc., which make a specific book unique.
• Significance: Significance can sometimes be difficult to quantify, but a book can be deemed significant based on its contribution to a body of knowledge. First edition prints of significant books may have research or monetary value. Certain books may also carry local or regional significance.
• Condition and physical and aesthetic properties: An original binding, complete condition, fine binding, or original colour plates or illustrations can contribute to a book's value.

​Further resources about rare books:
Rare Books and Manuscripts Section 
Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America FAQs 
Antiquarian Booksellers' Association Evaluating Books 

What are archives?

Archives are documents created or received by a person, family, or organization. These materials are created as an organic or natural byproduct of their functions and activities, and are kept due to enduring value or as evidence of the activities of the creator. Archival materials are often unique items, such as family letters, where only one copy exists.

Rare Books and Special Collections uses AtoM (Access to Memory) as a database to manage our archival holdings.

Further resources about archival materials:
Society of American Archivists glossary
Archival Materials at RBSC Guide

What are special collections?

A special collection is thematic collection of materials with high research value. In a special collection, individual items may not have a high research or monetary value, but when the materials are considered together, they provide a rich research site and allow for the exploration of deeper themes on a particular topic. Special collections can be made up of exclusively books, archival materials, maps, or can be a combination of various formats.