About Okanagan Special Collections and Archives
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives manages and stewards numerous distinct repositories with a combined aim of documenting the campus, the Okanagan area, and the broader context of southern interior of BC, including the Shuswap, Similkameen, Boundary, Kootenay, Columbia, Thompson, and Nicola regions.
Our collections include archival records, photographs, audio-visual, and ephemera as well as published works of and about our geography of focus.
Themes of subject coverage include UBC Okanagan campus history, environment, agriculture, arts and culture, the BC wine industry, and Indigenous knowledge.
Exhibitions
Print the Okanagan
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives is pleased to present an exhibition of publications from independent printers and bookmakers across the Okanagan, featuring the works of broke press and Greenboathouse Press.
This exhibition showcases the unique regional context of our collections and celebrates the community and creators behind our collections.
Using the Archives
This is an embedded Microsoft Office presentation, powered by Office.
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives is located in COM 004 on the lower level of the Commons building. View on a Campus Map.
Our collections are available to everyone within the UBC Community and beyond.
Materials in Okanagan Special Collections and Archives are rare, unique, and must be handled with care. Our space has enhanced security and a dedicated reading room for researcher convenience.
See our Welcome Package for details on how to prepare and what to expect.
When possible, we ask that researchers come prepared with a list of materials they wish to consult. To start, take a look at our Research Guide, published archival descriptions, and library catalogue for keywords relevant to your search.
For access to the collection or basic archival assistance, please use our online booking system to make an appointment.
If you require advanced research help, or are not sure what you’re looking for, contact our Archivist.
Don’t see a time that works? E-mail us to book an appointment!
Coming with a team? Contact us to make a group booking.
Images of resources in copyright may be captured on a personal device under the fair dealing exception of the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42), please capture OSC’s usage tag in the image frame.
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives offers digital reproductions of images and/or materials within our collections. To request a reproduction, please fill out a Service Request Form.
View UBC Okanagan’s microfilm collection using our SL1000 digital scanner in Okanagan Special Collections and Archives.
Email us at osc-contact@lists.ubc.ca for an orientation on the machine or drop in during our open hours.
Microfilm/microfiche borrowed through Document Delivery and Inter-Library Loan can be viewed here as well.
Our Collections
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives is comprised of personal papers, business records, photographs, and audio-visual materials donated to the University from individuals and families with a connection to the Okanagan and surrounding areas. These materials are often unique in context and unpublished. Descriptions of processed archives are available through Explore Archives at UBC.
UBC Okanagan Campus Archives
UBC Okanagan Campus Archives is comprised of institutional records and other materials related to the history of the campus. Working closely with UBC Okanagan’s Records Management team ensures historically significant records are transferred to the archives. Descriptions of processed archives are available through Explore Archives at UBC.
Special Collections
Our bibliographic holdings include books of all genres, serials/periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets and other ephemera as well as published audio-visual materials. Search the library catalogue.
Baird Bowering Collection
Consisting of over 250 items, the Baird Bowering Collection is made special by its particular provenance, and its inclusion of rare literary ephemera, compelling marginalia, and a number of intimate inserts including notes and photographs.
British Columbia Regional Digitized History (BCRDH)
UBC Okanagan Library prioritizes cultivating spaces and collections in the context of its position within the campus, and the broader community.
In keeping with these values, Okanagan Special Collections and Archives has partnered with regional memory institutions across BC’s southern interior to provide enhanced access to historical resources including photographs, oral histories, videos, maps, newspapers, and other primary sources through the British Columbia Regional Digitized History (BCRDH) online portal.
Related archives
Browse materials held at other UBC archival repositories.
Experiential learning
Okanagan Special Collections and Archives offers employment opportunities to UBCO students and students pursuing degrees in archival and library studies at other Universities.
Active job postings can be found on Symplicity. All inquiries can be directed to osc-contact@lists.ubc.ca.
Contact us
For general inquiries about Okanagan Special Collections and Archives, or if you have materials you’d like to donate, please email us at osc-contact@lists.ubc.ca.
Follow us on Instagram @ubco_specialcollections.