Vancouver Public Library Historical Photographs

Identity area

Identifier

VPL

Authorized form of name

Vancouver Public Library Historical Photographs

Parallel form(s) of name

    Other form(s) of name

      Type

      • Library

      Contact area

      Kelty Roberts, Acting Assistant Manager, Community Engagement & Special Collections Primary contact

      Type

      Address

      Street address

      Vancouver Public Library, Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street

      Locality

      Vancouver

      Region

      BC

      Country name

      Canada

      Postal code

      V6B 6B1

      Telephone

      604-331-3603

      Fax

      Email

      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

      Revised

      Level of detail

      Full

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      Revised September 2009.
      Revised by BCANS Coordinator, March 25, 2011; January 21, 2015.

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Maintenance notes

          Access points

          Access Points