Identity area
Identifier
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Other form(s) of name
Type
- Library
Contact area
Type
Address
Street address
Locality
Region
Country name
Postal code
Telephone
Fax
Note
Alternate e-mail: special.collections@vpl.ca
Description area
History
The collection was established by Ron D'Altroy in the early 1960s. The first major collection to be purchased was the Leonard Frank Collection, consisting of approximately 7,000 negatives capturing all elements of B.C. life from mining and forestry to ships and cities from 1910 to 1944. Over time, the number of photographs housed in the Special Collections Division has increased through the acquisition of a number of major collections, some of which have been digitized and made available through our web pages.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
Administrative structure
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Holdings
Holdings consist of photographs covering subjects relating to British Columbia and the Yukon. Work by amateur, commercial and artistic photographers is included. Turn-of-the-century companies, such as the Bailey Brothers and Edwards Brothers, are represented. Dominion Photo Company's photographs, spanning the 1920s-1940s, show the growth of commerce in B.C. The photographs of well-known B.C. photographers, such as Philip Timms and Madeline (Mattie) Gunterman, often contain highly personal photographs of daily life. These photographers, together with the Leonard Frank collection, constitute the cornerstone of the collection. Formats include original prints, display prints, original glass plate and acetate-based negatives, copy negatives and circuit prints and negatives. Access is by a card subject index.
Finding aids, guides and publications
Access area
Opening times
Special Collections Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Access conditions and requirements
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
Reproduction services
Public areas
Control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised September 2009.
Revised by BCANS Coordinator, March 25, 2011; January 21, 2015.