Notice to our Users: Blog Updates
Over the next few weeks, the Library and Archives Canada Blog will be changing its layout in order to better suit the needs of our users.
At times, the blog may not be accessible, or may be slow.
We will inform our users once the blog resumes its normal functions.
We appreciate your patience in this matter. As always, we invite your comments and questions.
-The Library and Archives Canada Blog Team
New France Census Records
Did you know that several nominal censuses dating from the early French colonial period have been digitized and are available on our website? You will see that most of these census records list only the heads of the household. Here are a few examples (in French, only):
- Recensement du Canada, 1666, MG1-G1, volume 460/1, microfilms C-2472 and F-765 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement du Canada, 1667, MG1-G1, volumes 460/1 and 460/2, microfilms C-2472 and F-765 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement du Canada fait par l’intendant Du Chesneau, 1681, MG1-G1, volumes 460/1 and 460/3, microfilms C-2474 and F-765 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement des habitans de la rivière Saint-Jean, 1698, MG1-G1, volume 466/1, microfilms C-2572 and F-768 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement nominatif de Détroit, 1710, MG1-C11A, volume 31, microfilms F-31 and C-2383 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement de l’île Dauphine par Perry, 1725, MG1-G1, volume 464/2, microfilms C-10206 and F-804 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement général de la Louisiane, 1726, MG1-G1, volume 464/2, microfilms C-10206 and F-804 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement général des habitants du département de la Nouvelle-Orléans, 1727, MG1-G1, volume 464/2, microfilms C-10206 and F-804 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement général de la Nouvelle-Orléans, 1732, MG1-G1, microfilm F-804 (See Archives Search record)
- Recensement nominatif des habitants de Miquelon dressé par Du Mesnilambert, 1785, MG1-G1, microfilm F-767 (See Archives Search record)
To find other censuses such as those mentioned above, simply enter the keywords “recensement nominatif”, “recensement habitants” or “recensement familles” in our Archives Search database and select “Online: yes.”
Note that since the records are of French origin and have been written only in French you must use French keywords to search.
For more information on census records, we invite you to visit our Genealogy and Family History pages.
Happy hunting!
Queen Victoria Images Now on Flickr
We are pleased to announce that a new set of images depicting Queen Victoria is now available on Flickr.
Did you know?
During the mid-1840s, Queen Victoria’s birthday was celebrated as a holiday in Canada West on the 24th of May. It became closely associated with Empire Days through the 1890s, and was adopted by Parliament in 1901 as a national day of celebration.
Victoria Day is a Canadian federal holiday. Since 1952, it has been observed on the last Monday before May 25.
For more information on recent announcements at LAC, visit “News” .
Do you want to search only LAC collections… or those of many libraries across Canada?
Have you been using Library Search and noticed that you’re seeing results for materials that aren’t actually held by Library and Archives Canada (LAC)? Are you wondering how to limit your search to just materials in LAC’s collection?
Library Search is built on AMICUS, the Canadian national catalogue. As a national catalogue, AMICUS lists published materials held not only at LAC, but also those located in over 1,300 libraries across Canada.The default search option for Library Search is to search everything in AMICUS, not just LAC’s collections. This means that by default, you search all holdings listed in all the libraries that contribute to AMICUS. If you want to search only what LAC holds, change the “Search in:” option to “LAC Catalogue”:
Library Search function in Library and Archives Canada’s Library Search database.
You can also limit your results from the results page using the “Found in:” option on the right-hand side of the search results:
Image of the Library Search function displaying various locations and search result numbers.
The LAC catalogue does contain a small number of catalogue records for items we do not hold. We include the catalogue records for reference purposes. If you do not see “NLC Copies” near the top of the catalogue record, it is possible we do not hold that item. If you’re unsure whether or not we hold an item, please use our Ask Us a Question form to request clarification.
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
Clarification for Film, Video and Sound Recordings
Our experts would like to add some clarifications to our earlier post: Lights, Camera, Action! Searching for Film, Video and Sound recordings.
Some published audiovisual material, such as feature films, can be found through the Film, Video and Sound database. Some can be found in Library Search. It is therefore recommended that you search both.
Fonds and accession records of items searchable on the Film, Video and Sound link can also be found using Archives Search.
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
Guide for Residential Schools Research Now Available Online
We are pleased to announce that Conducting Research on Residential Schools: A Guide to the Records of the Indian and Inuit Affairs Program and Related Resources at Library and Archives Canada is now available online. The guide explains how to find and consult the records that are available in LAC’s collections about Indian residential schools, with a focus on records created by the Department of Indian Affairs (RG 10 / R216).
The guide also identifies types of archival records created about residential schools by federal departments, gives search techniques for finding these records, and explains how to access them. It also lists finding aids that are useful for residential schools research, non-governmental records in LAC’s collections with information about the schools, and websites and other sources of information about the residential school system and its legacy.
The guide is available at the following address: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/the-public/005-1141-e.html.
For more information on recent announcements at LAC, visit “News“.
Orders-in-Council: What you can access online
The term “order-in-council” refers to a legislative instrument generated by the governor-in-council, and constitutes a formal recommendation of Cabinet that is approved and signed by the Governor General of Canada. Orders-in-council address a wide range of administrative and legislative matters, from civil service staffing to capital punishment, and from the disposition of Aboriginal lands to the maintenance of the Library of Parliament.
Did you know that you can search online for some of these Orders-in-Council (OIC)? Here’s how:
Orders-in-Council from 1867 to 1916
You can search the indexes for OICs produced from July 1, 1867 to 1916. For OICs approved from 1867 to 1910 you can view the full text online. You can do all this using the Orders in Council database available on the LAC website.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/orders/index-e.html
This database will be updated over the years to extend the date range of these records through to the mid-20th century.
Orders-in-Council from 1990 to the present
Recent OICs can be accessed online directly from the Privy Council Office website. Their database allows you to search OICs produced from 1990 to the present. For OICs approved after November 1, 2002, you can view the full text online.
http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/oic-ddc.asp?lang=eng&Page=secretariats
This means that OICs produced from 1911 to November 1, 2002, are not yet available online. Upcoming blog posts will provide additional information on how to access these OICs, which are held by LAC but not yet available online.
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
How to find out if a war diary from the Second World War is on microfilm
The article War Diaries: Discover what individuals or military units did during the war explores war diaries, their usefulness and how you can access them. Now, you may wonder: In what formats are they available?
Most First World War Army diaries have been digitized. As for Second World War diaries, some were microfilmed, but many are available in their original paper format only.
To find out if a war diary from the Second World War is available on microfilm, you must perform a search in the Archives Search database. After you have selected the relevant diary title, just refer to the Conditions of access section of the archival description.
For example, the war diaries of the 1st Armoured Car Regiment (Royal Canadian Dragoons) for September and October 1945 are accessible on microfilm reel T-12563.
Although some microfilm reel numbers are not entered in the Archives Search database, we have created a list of reel numbers that you can consult on-site at 395 Wellington Street, in Ottawa, or by contacting Reference Services.
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
New Digitized Reels: War of 1812 Records
We are pleased to announce that you can now access 73,000 new images of War of 1812 records on its website.
Discover these valuable resources and other miscellaneous records for the War of 1812 with the Microform Digitization research tool. This tool allows you to browse these records page by page.
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds a unique and vast collection of records about the Canadian men and women who were involved in the War of 1812. Muster rolls, paylists, claims, certificates of service, medal registers, maps, paintings, and published sources are featured in LAC holdings that document this key event.
With these images now online, you have easy access to records for:
- Board of Claims for War of 1812 losses, 1813–1848, Series RG19 E5A
- Lower Canada militia nominal rolls and paylists, Series RG9 1A7
- Upper Canada militia returns, nominal rolls, and paylists, Series RG9 1B7
For more information on recent announcements at LAC, visit “News“.
Victory in Europe Day Images Now on Flickr
We are pleased to announce that a new set of images depicting Victory in Europe Day celebrations is now available on Flickr.
For more information on recent announcements at LAC, visit “News” .
Listen to Canada’s Musical History with the Virtual Gramophone
From patriotic songs and sentimental ballads from the First World War era to classical vocalists and instrumentalists from the 1920s to 1940s; that is what you will find on the Library and Archives Canada website the Virtual Gramophone. This is a great place to listen to recordings from our music collection!
Our Virtual Gramophone website documents the history of the recorded sound industry in Canada, provides biographies of Canadian performers, presents a video of a working gramophone, allows you to search the database, and you can listen to some recordings.
Some of the recordings available online include:
- Patriotic songs and sentimental ballads of the First World War era
- Recordings from the rising vaudeville and jazz scenes, and the dance band craze of the 1920s
- Music from Quebec in the 1920s and 1930s, including the recordings of Madame Édouard (Mary Travers) Bolduc
- Popular music of the post-First World War era, including recordings from New Brunswick’s Henry Burr, the most prolific recording artist of his time
- Classical vocalists and instrumentalists from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, including Emma Albani, Pauline Donalda, Sarah Fischer, and Hubert Eisdell
- Military bands, popular songs, and other material in both English and French recorded or released by the Berliner Gramophone of Montreal circa 1901 to 1910
Although the website is no longer updated, it is still a great place to access some of our digitized recordings of the 78-rpm and cylinder music collection held by Library and Archives Canada.
If you have a keen interest in Canadian music, our other websites may also be of interest:
- The Glenn Gould Archive
- Sheet Music From Canada’s Past
- RPM
- Disc-O-Logue
- Canadian Music Periodical Index
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
