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The Library’s archival, rare, and special
collections section can be reached by taking the single elevator or stairs
in the south-east corner (past the Circulation/Reserve area) to the lower
level where researchers can use materials in the Wellington County Room.
TRELLIS, the
TriUniversity Libraries catalogue, is the primary tool for identifying and
locating materials in Archival and Special Collections. TRELLIS can
be accessed via the public terminals through the Library home page
(http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca), where various electronic resources, such the
rare books in Early English Books Online and Eighteenth Century
Collection Online are also available.
HISTORY
The collection was begun in
1965, shorty after the History Department was formed at the university, as
part of the Scottish Studies Collections. Interest in Scottish emigration
stemmed from the first chairman of the Scottish studies programme.
Everything that was available was purchased for the early period
(1637-1651), using grants from the Macdonald Stewart Foundation and the
general library allocation. Due to the prominent role the Scots played in
the settlement of Upper Canada, the Eastern Townships of Quebec, and Canada
in general, and the knowledge that first rate primary manuscript material
was in the larger community, emigration was an obvious subject
specialization within the larger Scottish studies area.
DESCRIPTION
All aspects of Scottish
emigration from the eighteenth century to the present are covered, although
the level of intensity varies with Ontario, Canada, and the Commonwealth
countries. With Ontario, everything, especially manuscript material of
nineteenth century settlers is actively collected, while for Canada, this is
done somewhat selectively, and for Australia, for instance, printed works
only are purchased. The library does not actively seek manuscript materials
on pre-eighteenth century emigration to Europe, but does acquire all printed
materials available in this area. Family papers are included in the
Goodwin-Haines, Fasken, Mickle, Connon, Watt-Argo, Anderson, Lizars, and
H.B. Timothy collections, all of which are concerned with Scottish emigrants
to Ontario.
LANGUAGE
English predominates, but
material in any language (French, German, Latin, and Gaelic) is collected if
it is on Scottish emigration. Gaelic material in the form of pamphlets and
books describing prospects in Upper Canada, and Canada in general, is
particularly sought.
HOLDINGS
1,500 monographs, theses,
serials, pamphlets, broadsides, maps, and other ephemera are represented in
the printed collection, and 12 linear meters of manuscript material in the
archives.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC ACCESS
All titles are catalogued or
coded. Access is via the library’s online catalogue. LC classification is
used. Government documents are coded in the CODOC system. The archival
collections are coded in an adaptation of the cataloguing and coding system.
PHYSICAL ACCESS
The collection is open to the public. The hours
of opening for circulating books in the library are posted. Rare and
archival collections are open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. (4:30 in
summer).
Interlibrary Loan:
Available except for rare
and archival materials
Reprography:
Yes, as the condition of the
material warrants, and as the copyright allows.
Reference Assistance:
Yes.
PUBLICATIONS DESCRIBING COLLECTION
Various elements of the
collection are described as follows:
Watt-Argo Collection,
Clow, Cynthia M. -- "Letters from Home". -- Collection update -- No.
7 (May 1983). -- [Guelph, Ont.]: University of Guelph Library, 1983.
Connon Family of Elora,
Clow, Cynthia M. -- "The Elora Picture Gallery". -- Collection update.
-- No. 8 (1983). -- [Guelph, Ont.]: University of Guelph Library, 1983.
Fasken Family,
Goodger-Hill, Carol. -- "The Fasken Family Collection: a Scottish family in
Nichol Township". -- Collection update. -- No. 9 (1986). -- [Guelph,
Ont.]: University of Guelph Library, 1986.
Goodwin-Haines Family,
Troyer, Gloria. -- "The Goodwin-Haines Collection". -- Collection update.
-- No. 9 (1986). -- [Guelph, Ont.]: University of Guelph Library, 1986. –
Lizars Family,
Cuncliffe, Vera. -- From Edinburgh to Colborne Township : Daniel Lizars
and the Pioneer Collection at Guelph. -- Guelph, Ont.: University of
Guelph Library, 1984.
SELECTIONS
Goodwin-Haines Collection.
archives XR1 MS A120-A166
Lizars Family Collection.
archives XR1 MS A054
Fasken Family Collection.
archives XR1 MS A180
Connon Collection.
archives XR1 MS A113
H.B. Timothy Collection.
archives XR1 MS A277
Mickle Family Collection.
archives XR1 MS A279
And here is an account of an emigrant voyage
from Scotland to America...
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