Kathleen Rice fonds
Kathleen Rice, a former math teacher, and her brother, Lincoln, decided to stake a homestead near The Pas, Manitoba. Lincoln joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force but Kathleen decided to stay on the homestead alone. After teaching herself about geology and prospecting, she headed to the Herb Lake area north of The Pas. She claimed an island - later called Rice Island - in Weksusko Lake, which turned out to be very rich in copper and nickel. The fonds includes newsclippings about Rice and manuscripts and drawings by Rice about her time in Northern Manitoba.
Nan Shipley fonds
Nan Shipley published fourteen books and numerous short stories and articles. Her first book, Anna and the Indians (1955), has been reprinted many times. Among her better known publications are Frances and the Crees (1957), The Railway Builders (1965), The James Evan Story (1966), and Churchill: Canada’s Northern Gateway (1974). As a big supporter of Aboriginal and Metis culture, she organized Manitoba’s first Indian handicrafts sales centre (1959) and focused her writing on Indian and Metis women. Her photograph collection depicts hydro and railroad developments in northern Manitoba and of the growth and demise of northern towns and settlements. Among the portraits are native peoples and early missionaries and settlers.
Rare books collection
Rare books and various other printed or manuscript materials covering a wide variety of areas are held in Archives & Special Collections. The collection numbers approximately 30,000 volumes and is constantly expanding. Included in the collection are the Dysart Memorial Collection of Rare Books & Manuscripts, the St. John's College Rare Book Collection, and the Slavic Rare Book Collection. Further subject strengths of the Rare Book Collection are in Canadiana, particularly in Canadian Prairie literature, social history, immigration, agricultural development of western Canada, and early Arctic exploration; early native language syllabics; church history and philosophy; bibles (including the 1611 King James Bible); and English literature.