Archival Collections Finding Aids

The Library houses over 750 manuscript collections covering a wide range of subject areas. Holdings range from a collection of about 40 third-century B.C. Egyptian papyri to papers of the co-discoverers of insulin: Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod; and finally to drafts, research notes, and correspondence of Canadian authors such as Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Leonard Cohen, Mazo de la Roche and Josef Skvorecky. The majority of our manuscript collections date from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries and pertain to Canadian historical, literary, artistic or scientific fields.

Collections of personal papers are listed by the surname of the creator or collector, e.g. Birney, Earle. Institutional records are listed under the name of the institution, e.g. Royal Canadian Institute.

Collection level records for many of the manuscript collections appear in the on-line catalogue, along with links to finding aids in pdf format.


Displaying 126 - 150 of 575
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  • Account books recording purchases at store in Stamford, Ontario.

    Papers, 1826-1834. 1 box.

  • Correspondence with Anglo-Irish writers, diaries.

    Papers, 1890-1941. 13 boxes and items

  • Correspondence and papers of George Dempster of Dunnichen, his estate and his other activities.

    Collection of correspondence and papers, 1777-1883. 26 vol. Microfilm of vol. 1-19.

  • Correspondence, notebooks, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings relating to the women's suffrage movement, mainly in Canada.

    Papers, 1898-1921. 16 boxes and items.

  • Scrapbook of letters and clippings documenting the career of Judge Herbert Denton.

    Papers, 1909-1948. 1 box and mapcase.

  • Original prints and artists' proofs, correspondence, ephemera, and promotional materials and articles about DePol.

    Papers, 1982-1997. 8 boxes.

  • Writing drafts, travel files, correspondence, photographs and other personal and professional files. 

    Papers, 1855-2013. 91 boxes.

  • Drafts, proofs, galleys for published books, drafts for unpublished works, correspondence.

    Papers, 1989-ongoing. 66 boxes.

  • Materials related to Vaughan Cooperative Nursery School, and files related to Dotsch’s teaching and professional development. 

    Papers, 1948-1982. 29 boxes.

  • Letters, photos, commonplace books and memorabilia relating to the Hughes family of St. Thomas, Ont.

    Papers, 1888-1945. 1 box and mapcase.

  • Drafts of letters written in response to a report concerning an official enquiry into the state and management of affairs at the Quebec Marine and Emigrant Hospital.

    Papers, 1851-1909. 1 box.

  • Scrapbook and pamphlets of the Federation of Russian Canadians.

    Papers, 1907-96. 2 boxes.

  • Collection of Alex Colville Papers, 1942-1987. 1 box (232 letters from Colville).

  • Correspondence concerning 68 Publishers, Czech writers in exile, Czech publishing and translating. 

    Papers, 1971-86. 1 box.

  • Includes extensive correspondence with Joe Rosenblatt and David Gurr; drafts, research and correspondence related to her novels; correspondence, research and drafts for piece on Richard Landon and the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library; Arthur Drache material; unpublished children’s stories; family material; ghost writing; mentoring and other material.

    Papers, 1915-2014. 40 boxes.

  • Typed transcripts of pamphlets by Johnson, and correspondence with Johnson scholars and collectors, and descendants. A second collection of Drake Papers (1938-91; 110 boxes) consists of manuscripts, drafts and galleys of Drake's published works, as well correspondence and other items.

    Collection of Alexander Bryan Johnson papers, 1941-1974. 2 boxes & mapcase.

  • Collection of manuscript and printed materials, mostly in French, on paediatrics.

    Papers, 1924-1996. 12 boxes

  • Contains a set of three documents: two hand-drawn certificates, and one typewritten cover letter, dated 20 & 27 January 1923 in Krasnoiarsk, Siberia that were given to Stanislava Eduardovna Dranishnikova on the occasion of her 20th anniversary as an actress.

    Papers, 1923. 1 box. 

  • Business and family correspondence and scrapbooks.

    Papers, 1839-1923. 2 boxes.

  • Personal documents (1909-1978) pertaining to Samuel Bamber of Stockport, Chesire, United Kingdom, and William Brown, also of Stockport, a member of the International Brigade (London) who went to fight in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

    Papers, 1909-1978. 1 box.

  • Correspondence, articles, proofs of The Printer of the Jesuit Relations (by L.B. Duff) and visitors' book at Cooneen Cross.

    Papers, 1932-1953. 1 box.

  • Notes, sketches and correspondence about his book bindings, and collection of correspondence and manuscripts by English authors in his book collection.

    Papers, 1882-1943. 8 items and boxes.

  • Collection also includes printed invitations and tickets for various state functions.

    Official directories of the Coronation Durbars of 1903 and 1911. 1 box.

  • Correspondence, diaries, and family papers.

    Papers, 1842-1937. 12 boxes and items.

  • Diaries by Joshua Symonds, commonplace books and correspondence.

    Papers, 1743-1978. 3 boxes and items.