Clifford Pereira - Canadian Secret Sailors

Clifford Pereira – Canadian Secret Sailors

November 29, 2016

Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and hosted by the UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections. Historical geographer Clifford Pereira delivers this lecture about his current, groundbreaking work on the history of Chinese crews on Canadian vessels during the First World War. After a century of silence, a story emerges of hundreds of Asian crew working, and thousands of Chinese transported on ships of the Canadian Pacific “Empress” line as part of the First World War Effort. Clifford Pereira is Kenyan-Asian of Goan heritage, formally based in London, UK and now based in Hong Kong (SAR), who worked in several places around the world and in several industries before embarking on the current career in the heritage industry. This talk is part of the Remembrance Day speaker series, in conjunction with an exhibit at the Chung Collection curated by Clifford Pereira.

This event happened on November 8, 2016.

Select Articles and Books Available at UBC Library

Macri, F., & Franco David Macri. (01/01/2011). Journal of the hong kong branch of the royal asiatic society: Canadians under fire: C force and the battle of hong kong, december 1941 The Branch. [Link]

Roland, C. G. (2001). Long night’s journey into day : Prisoners of war in hong kong and japan, 1941-1945 Wilfrid Laurier University Press. [Link]

The damned : the Canadians at the battle of Hong Kong and the POW experience, 1941-45 / Nathan M. Greenfield. [Available at Koerner Library Stacks- D767.3 .G73 2010]

UBC Library Research Guides

History

Read More | No Comments

Aboriginal Unhistory Month 2014 at UBC Library

June 2, 2014

The University of British Columbia Point Grey campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓speaking Musqueam people. We thank Musqueam for its hospitality and support of our work.

UBC Library, in partnership with the Musqueam Indian Band, the Centre for Teaching and Learning Technology and the Museum of Anthropology,  will be celebrating Aboriginal scholarship, creativity, and intellectual traditions with its third annual Aboriginal (Un)History Month.

ab

Paddle created by Keith Point, of the Skowkale First Nation in Chilliwack, who also descends from the Musqueam First Nation.

.

Featuring exhibits at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) and book displays at several library branches, the (Un)History month activities introduce ways UBC Indigenous scholars are creating relationships, educating and inviting dialogue about indigenous issues.

Since 2009, the month of June has been designated as ‘National Aboriginal History Month’ by the federal government of Canada. National Aboriginal Day is June 21 every year. UBC Library and the participating curators have been observing Aboriginal (Un)History Month since 2011. The exhibits and programs are meant to celebrate Aboriginal creativity, scholarship, and intellectual traditions; cultivate conversations about relationship, representation and recognition; and inspire participants to be better informed about the Aboriginal lands and peoples of whom we are guests.

This year’s theme is “Honouring our Journeys,” which celebrates journeys that have been emotional, spiritual, and educational; personal, community, and institutional; and historic, contemporary, or moment-in-time.

The exhibits at IKBLC foyer include:

  • The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology – Our Time and Place at UBC: Reflecting on the TRC in 2013
  • Ch’nook – Indigenous Business Education
  • Decolonizing Knowledge – Knowing the Land Beneath Our Feet at UBC
  • Musqueam Indian Band – mən̓ə to mana: xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) to Māori (Rotorua, New Zealand)
  • The Museum of Anthropology – Claiming Space: Voices of Urban Aboriginal Youth
  • Bruce Muir of West Moberly First Nations – Protecting Treaty Rights: the Klinse-Za Caribou Herd’s Journey Towards Recovery

For those interested in online resources,

Partners this year include: Musqueam Indian Band, Bruce Muir of West Moberly First Nations, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology at UBC, Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education, the Irving K Barber Learning Centre, the First Nations House of Learning, UBC Library Communications, UBC’s Education Library, the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and Xwi7xwa Library.

case

For more information, visit the IKBLC website or contact Sarah Dupont, Aboriginal Engagement Librarian.

 

project-partners

Read More | No Comments

Wesbrook Talks – Influential Women in Business

May 16, 2014

Wesbrook Villagealumni UBC and Wesbrook Village at UBC (DiscoverWesbrook.com) presents the inaugural Wesbrook Talks event (first in a three-part series). It will featureBusiness in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business award-winners Barbara Brink, BA’63; Barbara Dunfield, BEd’80; and Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82, in a panel discussion with CBC’s Renee Filippone. Come learn about their influences, commitment to their community, and career paths; followed by a Q&A and reception. Wesbrook Talks is a new and exciting series presented by Wesbrook Village and alumni UBC. It is designed to provide intimate opportunities to listen to and engage with prominent alumni in the community. The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre will be sponsoring the recording of this event for online viewing at a later date.

Event Details

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 6:00 – 8:30 pm Program begins at 6:00 pm with a reception to follow.

Light refreshments will be served.

MBA House
3385 Wesbrook Mall
UBC’s Vancouver campus
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1W5 – map Free parking is available in Wesbrook Village.

Moderator

Renee Filippone – Host, CBC News Vancouver Saturday and Sunday

Panelists

Barbara Brink, C.M., O.B.C., BA’63 – Vice President, Applied Strategies Ltd; Community Volunteer

Barbara Dunfield, BEd(Elem)’80 – Chief Financial Officer, Newport Exploration Ltd and Sennen Potash Corp.

Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82 – Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon

Cost

$10 per person

RSVP

Please RSVP online at http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1420&EID=17594 before Friday, June 6, 2014.
Questions? Please contact Nicola Schuck at nicola.schuck@ubc.ca or 604-822-9519.

About Wesbrook Village

Wesbrook Village

Wesbrook Village is UBC’s newest gathering place. Wesbrook offers shops, services, a school, residences and a range of community services within a vibrant pedestrian-friendly setting, with easy access to Pacific Spirit Park, countless beaches and all the amenities of the UBC campus. Come visit us today – on Wesbrook Mall just south of 16th Avenue.

Panelist Biographies

Renee Filippone

FilipponeRenee Filippone joined the CBC team in 2005 and in addition to hosting duties, is the CBC reporter based south of the Fraser. From transportation, to education and the environment, she has her eye on issues that matter to people in the Valley. She is a born and raised west-coaster, growing up in Burnaby and with a Metis mother and an Italian-Scottish-English father, she considers herself a true reflection of Canadian diversity. Renee has a Degree in Communications from Simon Fraser University and a Diploma in Broadcast Journalist from BCIT. She has received a number of Jack Webster and RTNDA award nominations for her work at the CBC and has worked in both radio and television, on air and behind the scenes.

Barbara Brink, C.M., O.B.C., BA’63

Barbara BrinkFor twelve years Barbara Brink was a driving force behind the creation of British Columbia’s SCIENCE WORLD. As President of the Board of Governors and C.E.O. she spearheaded the campaign to obtain the Expo Centre, secure $12 million of public sector funding and oversaw the $19 million retrofit. SCIENCE WORLD opened in May 1989. The exhibits of its Outreach program now reach out across the province. In 1997 she returned as CEO during a major restructuring. With a new CEO in place she again chaired the Board for four years. She has been named a “Friend of SCIENCE WORLD”, an honour that she shares with Dr. Cecil H. Green, founder of Texas Instruments, Dr. Michael Smith, Nobel Prize winner, Hon. Stan Hagen, Haig Farris, John Pitts, and Dr. Ken Spencer.

She is Vice President of Applied Strategies Ltd., a management consulting firm. For several years she was a provincially appointed Public Governor of the Vancouver Stock Exchange. She serves on the Boards of the Legal Services Society and the Institute of Chartered Accountants British Columbia. She is Co Chair of the Business Laureates of British Columbia Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremonies Cabinet. She serves on the Board of Junior Achievement of B.C. She is also Vice Chair of the West Vancouver Police Board.

She is a past Chair of the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Foundation. She is the immediate past chair and founding chair of the West Vancouver Community Centres Services Society which operates the new award winning Community and Aquatic Centres. The centres welcome over 1.1 M visitors a year. She was one of two BC appointees to the Western Canada Wait List panel. She served on the executive of the Provincial Capital Commission. She was a founder and Chair of Leadership Vancouver, a program to train and encourage the best of the community’s emerging new leaders. In 1999 she led the drive to establish 20 new programs across Canada. She was the first Canadian to serve on the Community Leadership Association, Board of Directors. She served as Vice Chair of the Laurier Institution, a think tank that studies the economic and socio impacts of immigration.

In 1997 she chaired a national conference: “Equity, Community Participation and Citizenship”. This conference on social justice for the 21st century was co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Christians and Jews, to mark their 50th anniversary, and by Simon Fraser University.

She was the 1995 and 1996 General campaign Chair, the United Way of the Lower Mainland. For many years she has been a volunteer trainer for the United Way Volunteer Leadership Development Program. In this capacity she has designed and presented over 150 courses on diversity, motivation, delegation, board/staff relations, strategic planning, governance, and fundraising.

Previous commitments to the community include serving as chair for the 1991 Capital Campaign for the B.C. Cancer Agency, serving as chair or co-chair for a series of fund raising World Affairs Dinners that featured Henry Kissinger, Jesse Jackson, Benazir Bhutto, Lee Iacocca and Honorary Chair for the dinner with Mikhail Gorbachev. She has served as a director of the B.C. Heart Foundation, the Greater Vancouver Salvation Army Board, the Opportunity Rehabilitation Workshop, the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, and KCTS Public Television.

She is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia; as a member of the Order of Canada she has presided at over 25 Citizenship Ceremonies. She was also a mentor for the 20 under 20 program sponsored by the Governor General.

She is a recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Simon Fraser University’s 1994 President’s Club Distinguished Leadership Award. In 1993, B.C. Business Magazine included her as one of the 12 most powerful women in British Columbia, the only volunteer included in the group. She has been honoured on the occasion of the University of B.C.’s 75th anniversary as one of the 75 graduates recognized for service to the community. In 2001, to mark British Columbia’s entry into Confederation, she was named, by the Vancouver Sun, as one of 130 people who have made a significant contribution to British Columbia. In 2014 she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business.

Barbara Dunfield, BEd(Elem)’80

Barbara DunfieldCurrently the Chief Financial Officer for two public companies, Barbara is viewed as an industry leader and expert in the mining industry. With her business skills and leadership, she has successfully funded a number of companies, and worked all over the world with projects in North America, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and South America.

Formerly an investment advisor with a large Canadian brokerage firm, Barbara has served as a Director, Secretary and/or CFO for a variety of organizations in the industry and previously acted as CFO and Director of Eastern Platinum, one of the top global platinum producers.

Barbara also established the Barbara Dunfield International Business Competition Team Sponsorship Fund, which supports students who want to compete in international business challenges. Barbara, a UBC and SFU alumna, is a 2014 recipient of Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business Award.

Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82

Barbara KaminskyBarbara Kaminsky has made a significant contribution in cancer control both in the province and nationally over the eighteen years as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon.

She has been instrumental in changing the way government agencies, health care professionals and individuals view cancer and their role in preventing it. Her singular vision for cancer prevention has resulted in an increase in funding, more research and programs to help people reduce the risk of cancer and led to healthier communities.

Following the creation of a Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention, she secured a partnership with UBC to create a new Cancer Prevention Centre in Vancouver. Other partnerships with the BC Healthy Living Alliance, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and BC Healthy Families have kept cancer at the forefront of public health issues.

She is the past Chair of both the BC Healthy Living Alliance and of the Prevention Working Group for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Vision 2020 initiative—The Future without Breast Cancer.

Barbara has authored several publications and co-authored a book, The Health Impact of Smoking & Obesity and what to do about it. In addition to certification as a health executive, Barbara has three degrees from the University of British Columbia—a BA in English, a Master of Social Work, and a Masters of Science in Health Services Planning and Administration. She is currently an adjunct Professor at UBC and is a 2014 recipient of Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business Award.

Partners

CaptureUBCAA_Logo-415x415

Read More | No Comments

August is Intersectionality Awareness Month

August 8, 2025

What is Intersectionality?

First coined in 1989 by lawyer, civil rights advocate, and critical race theory scholar Kimberle Crenshaw, intersectionality describes when a person identifies with two or more marginalized, oppressed, or underrepresented groups as well as the impact systems have on people who are at the intersection of those identities (University of British Columbia, 2023).

Though the term was coined more recently, one of the most famous speeches in history, “Ain’t I A Woman,” by Sojourner Truth, is one of the key historical illustrations of intersectionality. The speech addresses the inseparable nature of overlapping social identities such as sexism and racism.

The speech has been altered over time, but a rendition performed by Kerry Washington of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I A Woman” can be found here.

The intersection of racism and sexism are some of the most frequently discussed in scholarship, but there are many other areas where individuals and communities are impacted by discriminatory systems. Some other examples where intersectionality can be applied are:

  • LGBTQIA+ individuals fearing homophobic or transphobic discrimination from health practitioners, therefore resulting in higher health issues within that community
  • LGBTQIA+ immigrants who may face difficulties if they fear disclosure may have an impact on their visa

The “Wheel of Power/Privilege” provides an excellent visual showing how overlapping social identities impact privilege. As shown below, you can consult this wheel to see where you fall in terms of power or marginalization.

(UBC VPFO, 2021)

Opportunities at UBC:

To gain more in-depth knowledge about intersectionality, UBC offers a number of programs.

UBC offers a course on Understanding Intersectionality and Identity that explores the meaning of intersectionality and how systems of oppression affect individuals and communities at these intersections. The course provides tools for respectfully engaging with all members of our communities and examines the changes that must happen to shift our approach to systemic issues.

This course can be applied to UBC’s Certificate in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as well as the Micro-certificate in Anti-Racism

Opportunities within the community:

Mosaic, an organization that provides services to immigrants, refugees, and diverse backgrounds in Canada, offers Community Workshops for Equity that discuss anti-racism, intersectionality, decolonization, and cultural humility.

UBC Library Materials:

To learn more, check out these books available at the UBC Library:

 

Crenshaw, K., & Bloomsbury Collections: All Titles. (2024). Blackness at the intersection (1st ed.). Bloomsbury Academic. [Available at UBC Library]

Davis, A. Y., ProQuest Digital Collections, & Editorial Committee Women in Nigeria. (1981). Women, race and class. Random House. [Available at UBC Library]

Hill Collins, P., Bilge, S., & Polity Press. (2020). intersectionality (Second ed.). Polity Press. [Available at UBC Library]

hooks, b. (1981). Ain’t I a woman: Black women and feminism. South End Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Oluo, I., & EBSCOhost. (2018). So you want to talk about race (First;1; ed.). Seal Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Web sources consulted:

Intersect. (n.d.). Intersectionality. LGBTIQ Intersect. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://www.lgbtiqintersect.org.au/learning-modules/intersectionality/

University of British Columbia. (2023, October 26). Intersectionality. Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. https://redi.med.ubc.ca/intersectionality/

UBC Vice-President Finance & Operations Portfolio (VPFO). (2021, March 8). Intersectionality: What is it and why it matters. Vice-President Finance & Operations Portfolio (VPFO). https://vpfo.ubc.ca/news/intersectionality-what-is-it-and-why-it-matters/

Read More | No Comments

July 14th: International Non-Binary People’s Day

July 9, 2025

July 14th, 2025 is International Non-Binary People’s Day

History of International Non-Binary People’s Day

First introduced in 2012, International Non-Binary People’s Day celebrates and raises awareness of non-binary people around the world. The day was chosen to be exactly halfway between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day.

The term “non-binary” does not have one definition but refers to individuals whose gender identity is neither female nor male. Other terms such as “gender non-conforming”, “genderqueer”, or “agender” are similar. Gender is a social construct that comes with a set of expectations, but there are many ways people can express their gender identity other than on a binary.

 

How to be an Ally

The Trevor Project, an American nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth, has developed a helpful guide for being an ally to transgender and nonbinary young people that you can find here.

Brief Overview of the Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally

The first step to becoming an ally is educating yourself rather than relying on transgender and nonbinary folk to educate you which can place the burden on them. Learning in an ongoing experience and continuing your education is part of being a good ally.

There is a difference between sex and gender, which are not interchangeable terms. Being an ally means refraining from making assumptions about people’s gender and pronouns. Some of the common genders are:

  • Cisgender: people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Transgender: people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Nonbinary: An umbrella term to describe people who experience their gender identity and/or expression outside of the male/female/man/woman binary, including folks who are genderfluid, genderqueer, polygender, bigender, demigender, agender, and others.
  • Two-Spirit: a term created by First Nations/Native American/Indigenous peoples to describe a sexual orientation and/or gender/sex that exists outside of colonial constructions of the gender binary. This term should not be appropriated by or used to describe people who are not First Nations/Native American/Indigenous

You can be supportive of nonbinary and trans people by honoring and using the names and pronouns they choose, and we cannot assume anyone’s pronouns. Introduce yourself with your pronouns when meeting someone new, creating a safe space for them to share theirs.

These are some tips and best practices on how to support trans and nonbinary people in your life:

Disclosure: Refrain from sharing anyone else’s story for them. Disclosing transgender or nonbinary identities could cause discomfort if they have not come out to others or compromise their safety.

Transitioning: There is no right way to express your gender, and some people physically or medically transition while others do not. Under no circumstances should you ask unprompted questions about a transgender or nonbinary person’s body, genitals, medical history, plans for medical procedures, previous name, or other invasive details about their life.

Age: There is no right age to understand your gender identity. Whatever their age, it is your responsibility as an ally to uplift them at every stage of their journey.

Misgendering: If you accidentally misgender someone (i.e. use the wrong name or pronouns), apologize swiftly and show that you care by doing better moving forward. You can be a good ally by standing up for others if you witness someone being harassed for their gender.

Microaggressions: These are everyday comments and questions that can be hurtful or stigmatizing. They are subtle, and the person may have no idea that their comments are harmful. Do your best to listen o feedback you may receive and take time to understand and learn if someone’s feelings are hurt by something you’ve said.

 

UBC Student Groups and Initiatives:

The Pride Collective at UBC is a student-run resource group for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at UBC Vancouver that provides safe community spaces, weekly discussion groups, on-campus events, gender affirming clothing, and other resources.

Gears and Queers is an Engineering and STEM club at UBC that strives to support a community for queer and trans engineering students.

Branching Out at the UBC Botanical Garden is an event on July 17, 2025 for 2SLGBTQIA+ nature lovers to celebrate pride with plants and people in the garden.

 

Other Resources:

The Trevor Project, an organization leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people, offering crisis services, peer support, and education.

Trans Care BC, an organization specifically in British Columbia that connects trans people and their loved ones with information, education, and support.

QMUNITY, British Columbia’s queer, trans, and two-spirit resource centre. This organization is based in Vancouver and works to provide safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to express themselves, providing free counselling, information and referrals, and one-on-one peer support.

Out on the Shelves Library is a volunteer-run, community library that is committed to being a space to celebrate and strengthen queer culture through resources and programs.

Vancouver Public Library provides a list of resources as well as reading materials for further education about LGBTQ+ experiences and communities.

 

UBC Library Materials:

To learn more, check out these books available at the UBC Library.

 

Barker, M., Iantaffi, A., & ProQuest (Firm). (2019). Life isn’t binary: On being both, beyond, and in-between (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Available at UBC Library]

Dale, L. K., & EBSCOhost. (2021). In Dale L. K. (Ed.), Gender euphoria: Stories of joy from trans, non binary and intersex writers. Unbound. [Available at UBC Library]

De Robertis, C. (2025). So many stars: An oral history of trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and two-spirit people of color (First ed.). Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. [Available at UBC Library]

Micah Rajunov, A. Scott Duane, & JSTOR (Organization). (2019). In Rajunov M., Duane A. S.(Eds.), Nonbinary: Memoirs of gender and identity (1st ed.). Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/raju18532 [Available at UBC Library]

Young, E., & ProQuest (Firm). (2020;2019;). They/Them/Their: A guide to nonbinary and genderqueer identities (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Available at UBC Library]

 

Web sources consulted:

Celebrating Non-Binary People’s Day. (2024, July 12). Trans Care BC. https://www.transcarebc.ca/about/news-events/celebrating-non-binary-peoples-day

International Non-Binary People’s Day. (2025). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Non-Binary_People%27s_Day&oldid=1298031203

The Trevor Project. (2024). 2024 Guide to Being an Ally to Trans and Nonbinary Young People. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/a-guide-to-being-an-ally-to-transgender-and-nonbinary-youth/

Read More | No Comments

BC History Digitization Program Early Notice Announcement

July 4, 2025

The British Columbia History Digitization Program (BCHDP) is seeking early notice from prospective applicants for the 2026/2027 funding year. This will enable program staff to follow-up with applicants eligible for and interested in additional support during the grant application process.

In an effort to bolster BCHDP’s commitment to building capacity and supporting community-based organizations1 in the preservation and digitization of unique British Columbia content, in this upcoming funding cycle, the program will be prioritizing applications that are led by community-based organizations or that demonstrate strong partnerships with community-based organizations. 

If your organization is considering applying for a 2026-2027 BCHDP grant, please fill out this short Notice of Intent Survey.  

Early notice will be accepted until August 4, 2025, but the earlier notice you provide, the more support we can provide. Early notice is not mandatory but is expected to improve the chances of a successful grant application. 

The information provided in the Notice of Intent Survey will only be used for follow-up; it will not form part of your application. Organizations eligible for and indicating interest in additional support during the grant application process will be contacted. 

Support for eligible organizations can include assistance with completing the grant application; project management; copyright advisory; connections to digitization service providers; securing digitization staff; preparing metadata; and hosting digitized materials in the Arca provincial digital repository. 

Prospective applicants should be a registered charity or qualified donee listed by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If the applicant is not a registered charity or qualified donee, a community organization that is a qualified donee may be permitted to act as a financial intermediary. If you know who may act as a financial intermediary for your project, please indicate this in your survey response. If you have further questions or concerns about this requirement, please contact the BCHDP Coordinator (bc.historydigitization@ubc.ca).

Background

The British Columbia History Digitization Program (BCHDP), launched by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre in 2006, provides matching funds to support digitization projects that make unique British Columbia content freely available. 

In October 2025, the BCHDP will be accepting applications for the 2026-2027 funding year. Applicants can receive up to $15,000 of matching funds for their projects. In 2025-2026 funding year, the program awarded more than $150,000 for 18 projects. Since its inception in 2006, the BCHDP has awarded more than $2 million of matching funds for more than 300 projects. 

Additional support for organizations applying for BCHDP grants is provided through a partnership between the BC Electronic Library Network (BC ELN) and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) at the University of British Columbia Library. For more information about the BC ELN-BCHDP Support Service, please visit: https://bceln.ca/services/shared-services/arca-partnerships/bc-eln-bchdp-support-service 

For more information about the program and to view past projects, please visit BC History Digitization Program.

Read More | No Comments

National Indigenous History Month 2025

June 5, 2025

In 2009, the Government of Canada named June as National Indigenous History Month, which celebrates First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.

More About National Indigenous History Month

National Indigenous History Month is a time where Indigenous voices are uplifted and there are more opportunities to learn about unique traditions and histories. June was chosen as Indigenous History Month as the summer solstice falls on or around June 21st and is a time where many Indigenous groups have historically celebrated their culture. June 21st is recognized as National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada as well.

The Government of Canada also supplies a list of resources to learn more about Indigenous history in Canada, including residential schools, truth and reconciliation efforts, treaty making, and more.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP)

UNDRIP is a declaration showing the steps required to take to advance lasting reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This Government of Canada and Indigenous leaders have worked together in consultation and cooperation for nearly 25 years to create this important document. It discusses a wide range of collective and individual rights to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples including equality and non-discrimination; Self-determination, Self-government, and recognition of treaties; Lands, territories, and resources; environment; Civil and political rights; Participation in decision-making and Indigenous Institutions; Economic and social rights; Implementation and redress; Cuture, religion, and language; and education and media.

National Indigenous History Month Events

The University of British Columbia is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) People. The land on which the library events and other events are held is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations.

Events at UBC

June 12th from 2:30pm – 4:30pm there will be a Decolonization Tour at the Belkin Art Gallery that highlights artworks by Indigenous artists.

Though not in June, the ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl festival (translation: “Come Toward the Fire”) will be taking place at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC. The festival is family-friendly and accessible and features musical performances, film screenings, dancers, speakers, workshops, artist discussions, and more on September 20-21st, 2025.

Community Events

On June 7th from 11am – 4pm the Bill Reid Gallery will be hosting an Indigenous Artisans Market showcasing the work of over 15 Indigenous artists and makers.

On June 20th from 10:30am – 3pm, join Talaysay Tours for a Destination Walk: Talaysay Indigenous Tour of Stanley Park, to learn about Indigenous ecological and sustainability practices in nature. This event is aimed at seniors and is restricted to seniors ages 55 yrs+.

Vancouver Public Library

Check out the Indigenous Collection at the Vancouver Public Library for reccomendations of books, films, and audio recordings that celebrate Indigenous voices and cultures.

On June 4th from 6:30pm – 8pm, the Central Library will be hosting an event on The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog, who’s pelt lay in the Smithsonian for 150 years before being rediscovered. According to Indigenous Oral Histories, this dog was bred for its woolly fibers which were woven into blankets, robes, and regalia.

On June 9th from 2pm – 4pm, the Central Library will be hosting a film screening and Q&A of The Stand, a feature documentary with archival footage and audio recreating the Haida Nation’s blockade of a road on Lyell Island to protect their land.

On June 10th from 6pm – 8pm, the Central Library will be hosting the launch of Word Vancouver with Chris Bose, the 2025 Indigenous Storyteller in Residence. The evening will be filled with storytelling and music.

UBC Library Materials:

To learn more, check out these books available at the UBC Library.

George, C., & Phillip, S., Grand Chief. (2024). In Hibbert A. (Ed.), Alha disnii: My truth : Words from a wet’suwet’en woman. Medicine Wheel Publishing. [Available at UBC Library]

Fontaine, T., & Xwi7xwa Collection. (2022). Broken circle: The dark legacy of indian residential schools (Commemorative ed.). Heritage House Publishing. [Available at UBC Library]

Johnson, E. P., Su-á-pu-luck, & Capilano, M. A. (2023). In Shield A. (Ed.), Legends of the capilano (1st ed.). University of Manitoba Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Asch, M., Borrows, J., Tully, J., Coherent Digital (Firm), & Canadian Electronic Library (Firm). (2018). In Asch M., Borrows J. and Tully J.(Eds.), Resurgence and reconciliation: Indigenous-settler relations and earth teachings (1st ed.). University of Toronto Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Wagamese, R., & ProQuest (Firm). (2019;2020;). One drum: Stories and ceremonies for a planet (1st ed.). Douglas and McIntyre. [Available at UBC Library]

 

Web Sources Cited

Government of Canada. (2021, April 12). Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/declaration/index.html

Government of Canada. (2023, May 3). About National Indigenous History Month [Educational material]. https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1683124800202/1683124846095

Vancouver Public Library. (n.d.). National Indigenous History Month. Retrieved June 5, 2025, from https://www.vpl.ca/program/national-indigenous-history-month

Read More | No Comments

Asian Heritage Month 2025

May 21, 2025

This May we have been celebrating Asian Heritage Month. Vancouver is home to many diverse Asian communities who have shaped the city, as well as the country as a whole.

What is Asian Heritage Month?

The Government of Canada recognizes Asian Heritage Month as a time to recognize the achievements and contributions of people of Asian origin and have named 2025’s Asian Heritage Month theme “Unity in Diversity: The Impact of Asian Communities in Shaping Canadian Identity” to acknowledge the strength of diversity among Asian Canadian communities.

The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society has been active for over 25 years and works with Asian-Canadian communities to celebrate arts and diverse culture in Vancouver. The VAHMS was founded in 1996 by Jim Wong-Chu, Mishtu Banerjee, Mo-Ling Chui, Grace Eiko Thomson, and Winston Xin and Asian Heritage Month was officially recognized as May in 2001.

Noteworthy Canadians of Asian Heritage

If you want to read more about some of the achievements of Asian-Canadians, the Government of Canada highlights some of the people who have helped shape the history of Asian communities in Canada. Among them are social activists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, artists, politicians, engineers, and more. You can read about them here.

Asian Heritage Month 2025 Events

On May 6th, UBC co-hosted a film screening by the UBC Asian Independent Cinema Showcase (AICS) and the TFAI Taiwan Docs, “In Search of Light: Hong Kong x Taiwan Documentary Short Films”

The Vancouver Art Gallery is hosting several Asian Heritage Month activities this May, including:

In June, the LiterASIAN festival of Asian-Canadian writing is hosting workshops, storytelling events, and talks from notable authors. You can find a full list of events here.

UBC Library Materials

Check out these books and booklists to read more about Asian heritage!

Mabute-Louie, B. (2025). Unassimilable: An asian diasporic manifesto for the twenty-first century (First ed.). Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. [Available at UBC Library]

Nguyen, V. (. p., OAPEN, De Gruyter University of California Press Complete eBook-Package 2023, DOAB: Directory of Open Access Books, JSTOR eBooks: Open Access, & De Gruyter Open Access Books. (2023). Lived refuge: Gratitude, resentment, resilience. University of California Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Oza, J., & ProQuest (Firm). (2023). A history of burning: A novel. McClelland & Stewart. [Available at UBC Library]

Wong, T. (2024). All our ordinary stories: A multigenerational family odyssey. Arsenal Pulp Press. [Available at UBC Library]

For other book recommendations, check out the Asian Heritage Month Booklist from LiterASIAN’s official bookseller: Iron Dog Books, an Indigenous-owned bookshop in Vancouver. The UBC Bookstore also has a selection of book available about the history of Asian-Canadians.

Web Sources Cited

Government of Canada. (2021a, February 18). Noteworthy Canadians of Asian origin—Asian Heritage Month [Campaigns]. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/noteworthy-figures.html

Government of Canada. (2021b, April 26). About Asian Heritage Month. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/about.html

Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society. (2025). About Us. https://vahms.ca/about-us/

Read More | No Comments

Digitization of Swedish Press Collection Complete

April 30, 2025

Swedish Heritage in British Columbia has completed its digitization of the Swedish Press Collection. The project digitized 23 volumes of the Swedish Press newspaper, BC’s only Swedish-language newspaper. The newspaper provides a rich and unique source of historical knowledge about Swedes.

The digitization of the Swedish Press Collection was digitized with support from the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre through its BC History Digitization Program and is available via Arca.

For more information about the 2024/2025 BC History Digitization Program Projects, click here.

The Swedish Press – January 18, 1945. (1945). [Newspaper]. In The Swedish Press (1–). Central Press Limited; Swedish Heritage in British Columbia. https://bchdp-i2.arcabc.ca/swedish-press-svenska-pressen/swedish-press-january-18-1945

Read More | No Comments

Irving K. Barber Learning Centre undergoing building maintenance from April 28 to May 16

April 15, 2025

Read More | No Comments

BC History Digitization Program – 2025 Projects

April 8, 2025

In September 2006, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia Library announced the B.C. History Digitization Program. The focus of the program is to promote increased access to British Columbia’s historical resources, including providing matching funds to undertake digitization projects that will result in free online access to our unique provincial historical material.

Below is a list of successful applicants for 2025.

Digitizing BC NDP Publication “The Democrat”

BC NDP History Working Group

$7477.14

The BC NDP provided party members with a periodic, typically monthly, print publication between 1961 and 2014. “The Democrat” provided readers with detailed information on public policy issues, NDP perspectives on these issues, and commentary from party members, officials and elected MLA’s and MP’s.
Sid Chow Tan Video Archives Digitization Project – Phase One

City of Vancouver Archives

$15,000

This first phase of the project focuses on prominent dimensions of Sid Chow Tan’s activism: justice for the Chinese Canadian community, through work with the Head Tax redress movement; resistance to gentrification and displacement in Vancouver’s Chinatown and Downtown Eastside; and environmental justice in British Columbia and beyond.
Clayoquot Archive Digitization Project – Phase 1

Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Society

$7941

In the early-mid 1980s, Nuu-chah-nulth and settler residents of Vancouver Island’s Clayoquot Sound region began resisting clear-cut logging that was a dominant driver of the BC economy. While people needed jobs, they also knew the destruction of precious Indigenous old growth rainforest could not continue. The Clayoquot Archive Digitization Project will result in a highly unique, impactful primary source to add depth to historical understandings.
Enhancing Digital Access to IWA Local Union Newspapers

Kaatza Station Museum and Archives

$12,325

This is Phase 3 of a digitization project that will make all I.W.A. newspapers held by the Kaatza Historical Society available online through the Arca digital repository. The stories captured in newspapers produced by local union offices offer key insights into the labour movement and are all fully arranged and described in our archives.
Metlakatla First Nation Digitization Program

Metlakatla First Nation

$2129.96

Metlakatla First Nation has approximately 100 cassette tapes of various sizes to be preserved. The significance of the tapes includes material that demonstrates historical changes, patterns, and important speakers.
Unglazed Framed Works by BC Artists

Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery

$3410.40

With a focus on the Canadian and BC avantgarde, Vancouver’s post-war art history and emerging local artists, The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery (Belkin Gallery) holds one of the largest public collection of art in the province with this focus. The Belkin will digitize 94 two-dimensional works housed onsite in the Gallery’s frame storage, including paintings, drawings, collages and photographs created by a wide variety of BC artists. The work in the collection ranges in date from the eighteenth century to the present and is the valuable research resource to curators, artists, students, academics and the general public.
Nelson Daily news Digitization Project – Phase 7

Nelson Museum, Archives and Gallery

$7781

The project is to digitize the pages of sixteen years and nine months of the Nelson Daily News newspaper from January 1, 1986 to June 30, 2003 and will be hosted on the UBC Historical Newspapers Open Collections website. The Nelson Daily News is a hugely significant resource for researching the history of Nelson and the wider Kootenay region. The newspaper’s network of more than 40 correspondents provided news from dozens of communities across the Kootenays.
Tomoni: Living with Ability, Atsu’s Story

Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre

$15,000

Tomoni: Living with Ability, Atsu’s Story is the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre’s 2025-2026 digitization project which will make accessible the significant materials donated by the Uyeda family estate. Spanning the 1930s to 2010s, the materials depict the family’s navigation of medical and social service systems in acquiring care, equipment, and accessibility accommodations for their children with physical and intellectual disabilities.
David Yorke Labour History Collection

Simon Fraser University Library

$12,000

This project will digitize and make available 761 items from the BC-based content in the David Yorke Labour History Collection. These vivid and significant items, which include dues buttons, membership pins, delegate badges, convention ribbons, memorial pins, shop cards, and union constitutions/bylaws, serve as a witness to and documentation of the labour movement.
Aika Newsletters: Chronicles of the Founding of a BC West Coast Utopian Community

Sointula Museum and Historical Society

$3168

The Sointula Museum and Historical Society will digitize and publish 58 issues comprised of 318 pages of the Finnish weekly newsletter Aika. The articles document the historical, social, cultural, and economic history of British Columbia.
Chandra Bodalia Fonds

South Asian Studies Institute

$14,961.36

This project aims to digitize, preserve, and provide open access to 10,000 selected photographs from the Chandra Bodalia fonds. Bodalia fonds consists of over three million photographs that document Bodalia’s legendary career as a photojournalist in British Columbia (BC) from the 1980s to 2017.
Sqwelqwels Digitization Project

Stó:lō Library and Archives

$15,000

The Sqwelqwels Digitization Project will digitize approximately 46cm of textual records of community-based newsletters intermittently generated from mid 1970’s to mid 2010’s. These newsletters were generated to keep the Stó:lō communities informed on various ongoing issues of importance, such as the Treaty process, political changes, employment, child and family services, archaeology, and major life events of community members.
Digitization of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Evergreen News

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

$4726

The Digitization of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Evergreen News aims to digitize 132 issues of the Evergreen News – S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’s monthly newsletter written in Traditional Chinese and published in print spanning the years from 1985 to 1995. The Evergreen News (松鶴天地 – cong4 hok3 tin1 dei6/sōng hè tiān dì), documents the economic, historical, and sociocultural richness of Chinese- Canadians in British Columbia.
Swedish Press Collection Digitization, Part 2

Swedish Heritage in British Columbia

$3486

Swedish Heritage in British Columbia (SHBC) works to preserve, document, and record the history of Swedes, and people of Swedish heritage, who settled in BC and helped shape the province. The second phase of this project, SHBC will digitize a further  770 broadsheet editions published between 1955-1985.
John Eastham (1878-1968) BC’s Provincial Plant Pathologist and His Life’s Work in British Columbia (1914-1968)

UBC Herbarium, Beaty Biodiversity Museum

$15,000

The UBC Herbarium, Beaty Biodiversity Museum will image and make available historically important plant specimens, notes and letters of botanist, entomologist and British Columbia’s plant pathologist, John. W. Eastham (1878-1968), as his life’s work in British Columbia (1914-1968) has a profound impact on our understanding of BC early flora and agriculture.
Part 2 of the Peter Oberlander Collection Digitization Project

Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

$15,000

This second part of the project builds on the initial digitization of the Peter Oberlander Collection and will expand to include new family materials in an ongoing effort to preserve and make accessible the Oberlander family’s historical and cultural legacy. The collection is significant for both Holocaust education and British Columbia’s history. The materials within the collection provide insight into the personal experiences of Peter Oberlander, his wife Cornelia Hahn-Oberlander, and their family history, highlighting aspects of British Columbia’s cultural and architectural heritage, alongside the lesser-known history of Jewish internment and refugee experiences in Canada.
Dance and the Video Mirror: The Matthew Speier Fonds

VIVO Media Arts

$2909

Dance and the Video Mirror: The Matthew Speier Fonds will digitize 74 Master videotapes recorded between 1973 and 1978 by Vancouver artist and educator Matthew Speier (1937-2022). The recordings art part of Matthew Speier’s Dance-Video Canada project (1973-1976) and showcase the experimental impulses of the 1970s’ contemporary dance choreographers and one early adopter of portable video technology.
Kate Craig and Western Front Films

Western Front

$3826.44

Western Front will digitization of 41 films, created predominantly by founder and feminist video pioneering artist, Kate Craig. The films document performance art history and animation works produced at Western Front, including works that have not been previously accessible, and footage of Vancouver and sites in British Columbia in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

Read More | No Comments

Exploring Sustainable Fashion

April 3, 2025

Welcome back to another blog post! This month, we are exploring an aspect of sustainability that interests me— sustainable fashion. I’ve chosen this topic because April 22 is Earth Day. Since 1970, Earth Day has been a day to take action for the climate, learning about sustainability initiatives and coming together as a community. Here in Canada, Earth Day Canada provides programming and organization each year. Their mission is to “inspire, support, and facilitate innovative actions for individuals and organizations to reduce their environmental impact.”

Learning about the fashion industry is one way to reduce your own environmental impact. The fashion industry is relevant to all of us— even if you don’t find fashion design interesting, we all wear clothing. It’s part of our everyday lives. And since it’s so common, you might never have thought about where it comes from.

Historically, people made their own clothing. Women learned to sew and community members trained as tailors to dress their neighbours. Today, Most of our clothing is manufactured in countries like Bangladesh, India, and China, then transported to Canada to be sold in stores. Manufacturers are producing more and more clothing each year to meet increasing consumer demand. This phenomenon— producing lots of clothing very quickly— is called fast fashion.

Fast fashion has significant impacts on our environment. The production of so much clothing creates immense carbon emissions: a 2024 report by the Statista Research Department estimates that “in 2022, the apparel industry emitted approximately 879 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents into the atmosphere.” The World Wildlife Fund estimates that 2,700 liters of water are needed to make one cotton t-shirt. And it’s not just creating the clothes— because clothing is manufactured and sold around the globe, the transportation process generates even more carbon emissions.

So what can we do? Learning about slow and sustainable fashion practices can help reduce the environmental impacts of our clothing consumption. Here are some things you can do to build a more sustainable relationship with your closet.

1. Use clothing longer before replacing it. The most important thing you can do is simply reduce how often you buy new clothing. If you feel bored with your closet, try conducting an audit of everything you have, and identify new ways to mix and match pieces. You might find an old shirt you forgot you had and discover that you love to wear it.

2. Learn to repair and mend clothing. This step will help you to extend the life of your clothing. When a garment becomes torn, sewing skills can empower you to patch the hole and continue wearing the item. If you don’t know how to sew, you can find beginner tutorials on sites like YouTube, or try attending a repair café in Vancouver. Repair cafés are community events where skilled repairers can help you mend broken items, teaching you new skills along the way.

3. Thrift second-hand clothing. If you’re looking for new clothing items, aim to purchase from thrift stores, consignment stores, or other second-hand sources. Doing so will allow you to give a garment a second life and prevent it from being taken to a landfill. Not sure where to find second-hand clothing? Check out Get Thrifty UBC, a thrift store located right here on UBC campus in the Student Life building. All of their thrifted items are priced under $20. You also don’t have to leave your home to find second-hand clothing. Online retailers like Depop and ThredUp allow you to thrift clothing from your phone or laptop. Local Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Buy Nothing groups are also a fantastic resource.

4. Organize or participate in a clothing swap. A clothing swap is a community event where people bring gently used clothing and swap items amongst each other. If you have clothing you want to say goodbye to, a swap is a great way to allow someone else to take the item for themselves and extend its life. And, if you need new clothing, you can typically find garments at clothing swaps for no cost. You can organize a clothing swap in your neighbourhood, at your workplace, at your place of worship, or with friends. SustainYourStyle recommends finding a location to host the swap, setting it up with clothing racks or tables, and making it a friendly event by starting conversations with the people who attend.

By taking any of these steps, you are helping to acknowledge and honour the human labour involved in clothing production. Instead of being easily thrown away and replaced, clothing should be recognized as the product of a person’s work— and one that is often very resource-intensive to create. You are also helping to decrease demand for newly produced fast fashion garments. If we shift our relationship with clothing to one that values sustainability, we can help address the growing concerns about fast fashion’s impact on the environment.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post! A quick note: I am graduating from the MLIS program at UBC this May, and will be leaving my position as EDI Student Librarian as a result. That means this is my last blog post. It has been a wonderful year producing these posts and learning about what’s happening in the UBC community as I go along. Thank you to everyone who has read and engaged with the posts, and I hope you will welcome our incoming EDI Student Librarian this summer.

Further Reading at UBC Library:

Anguelov, N., & Taylor & Francis eBooks EBA. (2021). The sustainable fashion quest: Innovations in business and policy (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003153344

Edwards, Z. (2021). Mend it, wear it, love it: Stitch your way to a sustainable wardrobe (First American ed.). DK Publishing. [Available at UBC Library]. 

Klepp I. G., Tobiasson T. S.(Eds.), Local, slow and sustainable fashion: Wool as a fabric for change (1st 2022.;1; ed.). Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88300-3

Thomas, D. (2019). Fashionopolis: The price of fast fashion–and the future of clothes. Penguin Press. [Available at UBC Library].

 

Sources Referenced:

Get Thrifty UBC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://getthrifty.ca/info

Handle with Care. (2014, Spring). World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/spring-2014/articles/handle-with-care

How to organize a clothes swap. (2021, May 18). SustainYourStyle. https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/blog/2020/6/25/how-to-organize-a-clothes-swap

Matuszak-Flejszman, A., Preisner, A., & Banach, J. K. (2024). Transport-Related Emissions and Transition Strategies for Sustainability—A Case Study of the Fast Fashion Industry. Sustainability, 16(17), 7749. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177749

Mission, Vision and Values. (n.d.). Earth Day Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://earthday.ca/organization/mission/

Statista Research Department. (2024, October 7). Apparel industry CO2e emissions projection 2019-2030. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1305696/apparel-industry-co2e-emissions/

 

Read More | No Comments

Manuscript Consultation Office Hour with UBC Library Writer-in-Residence Tsering Yangzom Lama

March 20, 2025

Read More | No Comments