University of Guelph Library
To the Author of the Thistle cover[1792?]. Read.
Digital Selections
At Guelph and at our partners' sites.
Many of the latest trends in virtual libraries place new emphasis on access and dissemination of information, not the traditional preservation of materials. Of course, digital exhibits of library holdings present ways for materials in our archival, special collections, and rare book section to be viewed by a much larger audience. There are also opportunities for the library to cooperate and collaborate in new ways.
The University of Guelph library is now participating with other Canadian research libraries in the Internet Archive project that is digitizing books printed before 1923 (i.e. books which are no longer in copyright). Many of these books are older, scarce, or rare items. Guelph is contributing many Scottish titles and our resources can be searched — freely — at the Canadian Internet Archive.
The library has also produced displays of its holdings that can be accessed from the display links on this page. Of particular note are the original drawings by W.H. Barlett and the works of John Galt which are more extensive sites. The Jacobite site highlights our Scottish holdings of rare books in a thematic way that normally would only be available in a physical exhibit. From our theatre collections, the set models selected for viewing provide a fascinating way to see how productions are designed and staged.
Virtual libraries can combine and contrast books and archival resources from separate institutions. Scholars, students, and the public appreciate the possibilities provided by the internet for combining and integrating materials from many collections. The result of collaboration is often a more impressive presentation of materials and a more interesting "story." Further, digital exhibits permit more extensive feedback from users, thus providing first-hand knowledge about how the sharing of images and other materials from a number of depositories is more rewarding.
The library has partnered with other institutions on a number of occasions since 2002:
- The LM Montgomery: Picturing a Canadian Life became available in 2002;
- Reuben R. Sallows Digital Library in 2005
There are also digital book collections that require subscriptions and the library offers access to some of these collections as well — the Early Canadiana Online, the Early English Books Online, and Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Users from off campus sites will be asked to authenticate as a member of the University of Guelph by accessing the login page: for more information and assistance on searching these please link to our information page.