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Archives & Special Collections

Archives & Special Collections is a department of the Libraries and is located in Room 330 on the third floor of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library. Since its establishment in 1978, the Archives' mission has been to acquire, catalogue and preserve university records and special research collections which further the educational aims of the University of Manitoba, and to promote and provide wide access to them. The Archives' wide-ranging collection mandate includes the acquisition of the records of the University of Manitoba, Canadian Prairie Literary Manuscripts, the Archives of the Agricultural Experience and rare books in the areas of western Canadiana, early Arctic exploration, early Native language syllabics, spiritualism, church history and philosophy, and agriculture among others.

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: 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.