- Census 1931, a peek into digitizationBy Melissa Beckett and François Deslauriers A glimpse into the microfilm room In a dimly lit room, two imaging specialists sit in opposite corners. Each stares at their screen, where … Continue reading
- Chinese Canadian Genealogy: General Registers and C.I.9 certificatesBy Valerie Casbourn This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic or cultural groups. Please see our historical … Continue reading
- A stone across the pondBy Forrest Pass Canada has plenty of rocks of our own, but a British stone has long captured the imagination of people on this side of the Atlantic. If you … Continue reading
- Why we are excited about the 1931 CensusBy Sara Chatfield Welcome to Library and Archives Canada’s blog series on the 1931 Census! This was the seventh census in Canadian history. The release of the 1931 Census records is an … Continue reading
- The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car PortersBy Stacey Zembrzycki This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our … Continue reading
- Hiding in Plain Sight and the Métis Nation: How did it all start?By Beth Greenhorn and William Benoit When we began our research on a possible Métis exhibition in 2014, we had no idea what it would explore or how, what content … Continue reading
- Faked, forged and counterfeit stamps at Library and Archives CanadaBy James Bone You probably know that Library and Archives Canada holds an extensive number of postage stamps in its collections, but did you know that we also have a … Continue reading
- Origins of Cree syllabicsThis blog is part of our Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada series. To read this blog post in Cree syllabics and Standard Roman Orthography, visit the e-book. … Continue reading
- Black porters’ voices and stories: the Stanley Grizzle interview collectionBy Stacey Zembrzycki This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our … Continue reading
- Douglass Day featuring Mary Ann Shadd Cary – a Co-Lab challengeBorn around 1818 as an enslaved person, Frederick Douglass became a leader in the abolitionist movement in the United States. A prolific writer and a masterful speaker who captivated audiences … Continue reading
- Kimutset LabradorimiThis blog is part of our Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada series. To read this blog post in Inuttut, visit the e-book. Nations to Nations: Indigenous … Continue reading
- Improving your online experience: How we are making digital legal deposit better for publishers, LAC and youBy Arlene Whetter Along with highly visible improvements to its public website and research tools, LAC is making changes behind the scenes to how it adds new digital publications to … Continue reading
- Expect the Unexpected!By Forrest Pass What do Inuit mapmakers, German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, a notorious Italian stamp forger and Soviet spies have in common? Their works are all represented in the collections … Continue reading
- Dene language groupsThis blog is part of our Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada series. To read this blog post in Denesųłiné, visit the e-book. Nations to Nations: … Continue reading
- Métis carioles and tuppiesThis blog is part of our Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada series. Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada is free of charge … Continue reading
- Have you heard of Léo Major, the liberator of Zwolle?By Gilles Bertrand French-Canadian soldier Léo Major was a hero of World War II and the Korean War. He is a multi‑decorated soldier who is recognized in the Netherlands for single-handedly liberating the city … Continue reading
- Improving your online experience: how we are embracing user-centred design to build better online toolsBy Alexandra Haggert The Digital Services Access Team During the past two years at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), a new team has emerged, embracing a new way of working … Continue reading
- Fergie Jenkins’s Long and Grinding Road to CooperstownBy Kelly Anne Griffin The 700-kilometre journey from Chatham, Ontario, to Cooperstown, New York, under favourable conditions, can be a simple eight-hour drive. But for one young Canadian, his trip … Continue reading
- Hidden historiesThis blog is part of our Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada series. Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada is free of charge … Continue reading
- Exploring Indigenous peoples’ histories in a multilingual e-book—Part 2By Beth Greenhorn in collaboration with Tom Thompson Library and Archives Canada (LAC) launched Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada to coincide with the first National … Continue reading
- Exploring Indigenous peoples’ histories in a multilingual e-book—Part 1
![On the left, Tatânga Mânî [Chief Walking Buffalo] [George McLean] is in his traditional First Nation regalia on a horse. In the centre, Iggi and a girl engage in a “kunik,” a traditional greeting in Inuit culture. On the right, Maxime Marion, a Métis guide, holds a rifle. In the background, there is a map of Upper and Lower Canada, and text from the Red River Settlement collection.](https://thediscoverblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/image-1.jpg?w=584)
By Beth Greenhorn in collaboration with Tom Thompson Library and Archives Canada (LAC) recently published an interactive multilingual e-book called Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada. … Continue reading - That sinking sensation: Leda clay in and near Ottawa
By Ellen Bond In the 1970s, there were two shows I looked forward to every weekend: The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday (feel-good stories) and The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner … Continue reading - Improving your online experience: What to expect at LAC’s new online home
By Andrea Eidinger Here at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), we take user feedback very seriously. Over the years, one point has come through loud and clear: our existing website … Continue reading - Terry Fox– A Legacy of Hope
By Kelly Anne Griffin Terrance Stanley Fox was born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The family would eventually settle in Port Coquitlam, B.C., in 1968. As he was … Continue reading - My great-grandfather’s Vimy Memorial visit: fact or fiction?
By Rebecca Murray As a reference archivist, I absolutely love receiving questions from researchers that tap into their family histories. One such story—very close to home—arrived in my inbox on … Continue reading - New Blog Series: Improving your online experience
Hello to each of you, the clients and supporters of Library and Archives Canada (LAC). As Director of the new Online Experience Division at LAC, I am happy to kick-start … Continue reading - From modest beginnings
By Forrest Pass For an institution that conserves so many treaties, charters and proclamations, Library and Archives Canada’s own founding document is a modest one. On June 20, 1872—150 years ago—the federal … Continue reading - Women in the war: the Canadian Women’s Army Corps in the Department of National Defence’s archives
By Rebecca Murray March 2022 marked the 80th anniversary of the incorporation of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) into the Canadian Army. The CWAC was first formed in the summer … Continue reading - “Were my ancestors UEL?”
When I started working in the Genealogy section at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), I quickly realized that there was a lot to learn. To be effective at the job, … Continue reading - Anne Heggtveit: A good night’s sleep brings Olympic gold
by Dalton Campbell In 1960, Anne Heggtveit won Canada’s first Olympic gold in alpine skiing. She was competing in the VIII Olympic Winter Games, in what is now Palisades Tahoe, … Continue reading - What was really signed on Parliament Hill 40 years ago, on April 17, 1982?By Natasha Dubois There are many terms used to describe this particular moment in Canadian history: patriation of the Constitution, signing of the Constitution, signing of the Charter, and more. … Continue reading
- Travel posters in the Marc Choko collection—a Co-Lab challengeBy Andrew Elliott The Marc Choko collection of travel posters represents a fantastic cross-section of Canadian travel poster art during the period from 1900 to the 1950s. “One’s destination,” wrote … Continue reading
- Norman Kwong: “I always want to be the winner”By Dalton Campbell In 1948, Norman Kwong stepped onto the field with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the first time. The 18-year-old rookie, and eventual … Continue reading
- Acadian heritage: the landscape of Grand-PréBy Valerie Casbourn Nova Scotia Heritage Day 2022 celebrates the Landscape of Grand-Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site. Acadian settlers to Grand-Pré built a system of dykes to transform the tidal … Continue reading
- Are you missing out on the joy of podcasts?Podcasts have been around for many years, but in case you are not aware, here is some information. Podcasts are sometimes described as internet radio that you can listen to … Continue reading
- Proud to be peculiar: The little-known story of the Archives MuseumBy Geneviève Morin One ordinary June day in 2011, an unordinary mystery landed on the desks of Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) documentary art archivists. A small bronze statuette of … Continue reading
- Of Portraits and Places: The Gabor Szilasi FondsBy Jill Delaney Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce a major acquisition of Gabor Szilasi’s photographs, representing his lifetime of work (1954–2016), including approximately 80,000 negatives and … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Lower Mainland Region: Customs Examining WarehouseBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Vancouver Island Region: Dominion Astrophysical LaboratoryBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- The 260th anniversary of the Murray Map: The St. Lawrence Valley through the eyes and pens of British military engineersBy Isabelle Charron In September 1760, the British army took Montréal, but there was still no guarantee that it would hold on to the heart of New France and Canada (the … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Kootenay Region: Rossland Post OfficeBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Thompson–Okanagan Region: Summerland Experimental FarmBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – North Coast: Dryad Point lighthouseBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Five Myths about the Arms of CanadaThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic or cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Cariboo Region: Railway Mail Service, Prince George to Prince RupertBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Charlie Chaplin goes to war — Part II: Going beyond a First World War record for your genealogy researchBy Emily Potter In Part I of this blog article, we explored how to start your genealogy research using a First World War file. I chose a random name to … Continue reading
- Charlie Chaplin goes to war — Part I: Starting your genealogy research from a First World War recordBy Emily Potter William Charles Chaplin, in actual fact—and, yes, the title is misleading. A little like the information you can sometimes find while doing family history research in a … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Peace River Region: RCAF Fort St. JohnBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- Explore the records of No. 2 Construction BattalionBy Andrew Horrall A note to users Many of these records contain terms that were commonly used during the First World War but are now unacceptable and offensive. The use … Continue reading
- Serving despite segregation: No. 2 Construction BattalionBy Andrew Horrall Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds the largest collection of records documenting No. 2 Construction Battalion, a segregated unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First … Continue reading
- Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Northwest Region: The Dominion Telegraph Service’s Yukon Telegraph LineBy Caitlin Webster British Columbia joined Canada 150 years ago, and in the years that followed, federal infrastructure expanded throughout the province. This infrastructure is well documented throughout Library and … Continue reading
- A page in Canada’s history: Carnegie librariesBy Sara Chatfield Libraries have always been special places for me. When I was young, my grandmother worked as a reference librarian at my local library, making my visits to … Continue reading
- Women in the war: a Co-Lab challengeBy Rebecca Murray Canadian women are part of the photographic record of the Second World War. The Department of National Defence fonds (RG24/R112) includes over two million photographs, from Comox … Continue reading
- Summiting Mount Logan in 1925: Fred Lambart’s personal account of the treacherous climb and descent of the highest peak in Canada – A Co-Lab ChallengeBy Jill Delaney When Howard “Fred” Lambart’s (1880–1946) painful, frozen feet finally touched solid ground again on July 4, 1925, he thought he would feel elated. After all, it had … Continue reading
- The Dinosaurs of St. George’s Island, CalgaryBy Richard Howe One day in the 1930s, a group of people were enjoying a beautiful day on the park grounds of central Calgary’s St. George’s Island. The group’s peaceful picnic … Continue reading
- Reference services across bordersBy Virtue Tran Library and Archives Canada (LAC) serves a diverse clientele with diverse information needs. In Reference Services, we see many queries coming in from across the globe. Though … Continue reading
- A colonial governor’s creative mathBy Forrest Pass This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical … Continue reading
- From the Lowy Room: a productive quarantineBy Michael Kent Like many people, I had frustrated moments in spring 2020 when we entered lockdown. Quarantining away from family and friends, and having regular life come to a … Continue reading
- Arthur Lismer’s children’s art classes: a Co-Lab challengeBy Brianna Fitzgerald As COVID-19 restrictions have suspended in-person children’s programming, the rush of energy, noise and creativity often found on early weekend mornings at art galleries across the country … Continue reading
- Lights on portrait photographyby Francois Deslauriers I have always been captivated by portrait photography and the way it goes behind the camera. When I was young, photographs of artists, album covers featuring my … Continue reading
- Etiquette, courtesy, good manners and polite society: Retrospective publications at Library and Archives CanadaBy Euphrasie Mujawamungu No one who searches through the LAC collection leaves empty-handed. Thirsty for knowledge, LAC’s etiquette collection attracted my attention. My excitement was so strong that I prepared … Continue reading
- An “Epidemic” of Fake News a Century AgoBy Forrest Pass Vaccines work. Yet vaccination opponents have long questioned their effectiveness, in spite of overwhelming evidence. A century-old pamphlet in Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) collection illustrates how … Continue reading
- From the Lowy Room: Acquisitions in the age of COVIDBy Michael Kent Like most Canadians, my work environment has changed significantly due to COVID-19. While adapting to new protocols and working from home have transformed how I do my … Continue reading
- Donald Nelson Baird and the 1945–46 Parliamentary Flag Design CommitteeBy James Bone From Confederation through to the Great Canadian Flag Debate of 1964, the quest to give visual identification to the Canadian nation through an official flag was an … Continue reading
- Mountains of BlackfliesBy Martha Sellens One of my favourite parts of being an archivist is solving archival mysteries, especially when they result in something unexpected. One of my recent mysteries took me … Continue reading
- When Ugandan Asian refugees arrived in Canada in 1972By Sheyfali Saujani In September 1972, Canada welcomed the first of some 7,500 Ugandan Asian refugees. At the time, people who had migrated from the Indian subcontinent were called Asian, rather … Continue reading
- 100th anniversary of legendary fishing schooner BluenoseBy Valerie Casbourn This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first racing victories of the Bluenose, the legendary fishing schooner from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The Bluenose was launched in March … Continue reading
- Inuit of the 1975 Canadian $2 billBy Ellen Bond In October 2020, I found an article from the Nunatsiaq News about the Canadian $2 bill printed by the Bank of Canada from 1975 to 1979. The … Continue reading
- Modification of records: A case study with moose hair embroidered birch bark boxesby Vasanthi Pendakur and Elizabeth Kawenaa Montour Birch bark boxes are extremely rare objects among the Library and Archives Canada collection. These boxes are three-dimensional and feature embroidered designs made … Continue reading
- Frederick W. Waugh’s time in NunatsiavutThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory … Continue reading
- Charles Angus Cooke (Thawennensere): Language and knowledge keeperThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, for example, language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our Historical language advisory … Continue reading
- Kahentinetha Horn: Flying over the LandThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more … Continue reading
- How to Search for Enfranchisement RecordsThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory … Continue reading
- Denied EntryBy Forrest Pass Canadians have a reputation for being quiet and unassuming. As we mark Freedom to Read Week, it is worth noting that even censors have demonstrated these national … Continue reading
- The extraordinary life of John Freemont Smith—a Black History Month Co-Lab challengeBy Caitlin Webster Please note that some of the terms used and documents displayed in this article may contain language that is outdated, insensitive or offensive. The late 19th century saw … Continue reading
- Kirkina Mucko at a wedding in Rigolet, LabradorBy Heather Campbell Content warning: This blog contains graphic content (death/medical/amputation) that may be offensive or triggering to some readers. When I first began working at Library and Archives Canada … Continue reading
- Don’t fear virtual conferences!By Sarah Potts Recently, I’ve been thinking about how Library and Archives Canada (LAC) staff, like many Canadians, have been working full time from home for almost a year. I … Continue reading
- Pushing Back: The Ongoing History of Black Activism in CanadaBy Amina Musa and Krista Cooke Fighting for respect and legal equality has been a centuries-old battle for Black Canadians. These young people, photographed in 1963 by Irv King at … Continue reading
- A day in the life of a reference librarianBy Kristen Frame Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has a vast collection of published material that includes fiction and non-fiction, newspapers, government reports, Parliamentary debates, maps and atlases, music scores … Continue reading
- Métis Nation river lot plansBy William Benoit Library and Archives Canada holds plans produced by the Canadian government of existing Métis river lots. These were required by the Manitoba Act and the transfer of … Continue reading
- The postage stamp designs of Helen Roberta FitzgeraldBy James Bone Helen Roberta Fitzgerald (Helen Bacon, in some documents) was the first woman to design postage stamps for Canada. Her earliest work was the Associated Country Women of … Continue reading
- Tunniit/Tattoos: The Complicated History of Photographing Inuit TattoosThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory … Continue reading
- The Art of Dene Handgames / Stick Gambling / ᐅᐨᘛ / oodziBy Angela Code The Dene are a group of Indigenous People who are part of the Na-Dene language family. The Dene are also commonly referred to as Athabaskans or Athapaskans. … Continue reading
- The Canadian Eskimo Arts Council — Defining Inuit artThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory … Continue reading
- Hudson’s Bay Company: 350 years of archivesBy Anik Laflèche The year 2020 marked the 350th anniversary of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). Founded on May 2, 1670, HBC is one of the oldest still-operating companies in … Continue reading
- Christmas in the ArchivesBy Jennifer Anderson In December, many of our clients, donors and readers are preparing for Christmas. So many Christmas traditions are linked to anticipation—preparing surprises for loved ones, dreaming up … Continue reading
- A look inside former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson’s archivesBy Thora Gustafsson and Rebecca Sykes The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson is best known as a former Governor General of Canada (1999 to 2005), but she has been in the … Continue reading
- Catalogue shopping at Sears: Delivering the goodsBy Jennifer Anderson Have you done some online shopping recently? That remote connection you have to retail, complete with delivery to your doorstep, is so convenient. It makes it easier … Continue reading
- Manitoba: Kwaata-nihtaawakihk—A Hard BirthThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more … Continue reading
- Kahkewaquonaby, the Grand Council, and First Nations RightsThis article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more … Continue reading
- Shopping at Sears: A window into the archivesBy Jennifer Anderson So much has changed in 2020. Working with archives is about studying change over time, and reflecting on what that has meant to people’s lives. A case … Continue reading
- Manitoba history and the penitentiary at Lower Fort Garry, 1871–1877This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more … Continue reading
- “It made you intensely proud to see it standing there”: How the Vimy Memorial survived the Second World WarBy Andrew Horrall Canadian Army Newsreel No. 42 must have been very exciting to watch in September 1944. In an era before television, cinema audiences followed the events of the Second … Continue reading
- Dressing the Troops: Knitting During the WarsBy Cara Downey Canadian knitters played a significant role in outfitting those who served in various wars, including the First and Second World Wars, as well as the Korean War. … Continue reading
- Canadians and the military occupation of Iceland (1940–1941): from squalls to the “black death”By Marcelle Cinq-Mars During the Second World War, the participation of Canadian military personnel in the occupation of Iceland, then a neutral country, is a little-known episode in Canada’s military … Continue reading
- Canadian achievement in the air: the Avro Canada CF-105 ArrowBy Kyle Huth I first saw the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow when I was 10 years old. It was on the cover of a book in a bookstore in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, … Continue reading
- The statue of Sir Arthur Doughty, Dominion ArchivistBy David Rajotte There are two statues dedicated to civil servants in Ottawa. One is of Sir Galahad, on Parliament Hill. This monument pays tribute to young Henry Albert Harper, a … Continue reading
- Henry Ash and why internet connections are still underwaterBy Vasanthi Pendakur Much of the world’s internet is still underwater. Despite satellite communications, despite wireless technology, the base connections for the internet are still undersea cables. Long cables crisscross … Continue reading
- Centuries of kinship—Exploring Métis identity through genealogyBy Delia Chartrand Examining the ancestry of my father, Maurice Emile William Chartrand, has brought me closer to my own Métis roots. I am what could be called “a modern … Continue reading
- Molly Lamb Bobak, Canada’s first female official war artist overseas: A Co-Lab challengeBy Krista Cooke Molly Lamb Bobak, the first female official war artist overseas, is arguably the Second World War painter who best captured Canadian women’s experiences of military life. In … Continue reading
Library and Archives Canada Blog
This is the official blog of Library and Archives Canada (LAC).
Library and Archives Canada Blog 