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uWaterloo Rare Books
Rare Books Collections
The University of Waterloo's rare book collections can be found on the first (bottom) floor of the Dana Porter Library. You can find records of the books in our collections by going to the library catalogue (OMNI), searching, and using the options on the left-hand side of the webpage to narrow results to items found in Dana Porter Library - Special Collections & Archives.
If you are interested in viewing materials, we recommend that you contact the archives through their website before you visit to let them know what you're interested in seeing.
Rare Books Collection: Selected Works
uWaterloo special collections and archives
The Special Collections and Archives (SCA) at the University of Waterloo is a department located on the first (bottom) floor of the Dana Porter Library. Unlike typical library collections, archival materials are non-circulating collections, meaning that they cannot be borrowed or physically removed from the building. This is because these collections contain published and unpublished materials that may be rare or unique, such as diaries, manuscripts, letters, images, and artifacts. The items in SCA's collections are often used by researchers as primary sources.
If you are interested in viewing materials, we recommend that you contact the archives through their website before you visit to let them know what you're interested in looking at. If you would like to know more about archives and archival sources, visit the Archives 101 Research Guide. Below are descriptions for a selection of the archival materials related to Fine Arts.
- A.R.H. CollectionFour prints by Olivia Carvalho depicting a portrait of Alice Riggs-Hunt (journalist actively involved in the Women's Suffrage movement) and her handwriting.
- Alice Mary Hagan FondsMaterials relating to the work of Alice Mary Hagan (nee Egan), who created pottery and painted pottery, ceramics, and glass.
- Barrett Autograph CollectionWorks by William Henry Bartlett, including his prints and portraits of 1941 Canadian landscapes and prominent figures.
- Bernt Vik FondsHandbound volumes of notes and learning materials assembled by Bernt Vik from his time attending textile school in Sweden.
- Breithaupt Hewetson Clark CollectionMaterials relating to the life and families of Rosa Breithaupt Hewetson Clark and Spencer Clark. Includes records for the Guild of All Arts they founded.
- Central Ontario Art Association FondsRecords relating to the foundation and functioning of the Central Ontario Art Association from 1954 to 2000.
- David Hill SketchbooksSketches and sketchbooks by David Hill, an American artist, as well as his correspondence from Virgil Burnett.
- Elizabeth Rivers PrintsCaptioned woodcut prints by Elizabeth Rivers.
- Eric Gill CollectionMaterials collected or relating to the life of Arthur Eric Rowton Gill, an architect, calligraphist, woodblock carver, and sculptor.
- German Prayer BooksThree prayer book manuscripts with ink and watercolour Fraktur art.
- Herbert Odd FondsSketchbooks by Herbert Odd from 1950 to 1990, containing pen and ink, watercolour, and pencil sketches.
- Homer Ransford Watson Memorial FondsMaterials relating to memorial exhibits for Homer Ransford Watson, artist, and the administration of his estate by his friend, Toronto art critic Ross Hamilton.
- Kitchener-Waterloo Record Photographic Negative CollectionNitrate-based negatives taken by photographers for the Kitchener-Waterloo Record from 1938 to 2001.
- Loring & Wyle CollectionMaterials relating to the lives and work of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle, American-Canadian sculptors who helped found the Sculptors Society of Canada in 1928.
- Michael Bird FondsMaterials relating to the work of Michael Bird, scholar of folk art, Fraktur, religious imagery, and film.
- Millinery Design Portfolios CollectionMillinery design portfolios by G. Stommel and Doris Schneider, with a focus on headcover making.
- Nancy-Lou Patterson FondsMaterials relating to the life and work of Nancy-Lou Patterson, a scientific illustrator, university lecturer, Director of Art and Curator of uWaterloo's art gallery, and founder of the Department of Fine Arts.
- Personal Studio FondsWorks by Robert T.G. Nichol, photographer and owner of the Personal Studio photography studio.
- Photograph CollectionAmerican photographs taken in the 1800s, from studios across the United States.
- S.K. Johannesen FondsMaterials relating to the work of Stanley Karl Johannesen, an author and Professor. Includes artwork for his book "Sister Patsy."
- Schantz Russell Family FondsMaterials relating to a large family living in North America descended from Jacob Schanz, who immigrated to the United States in 1737.
- Tony Urquhart fondsMaterials relating to the work of Anthony Morse Urquhart, a Canadian painter, sculptor, and teacher.
- Vigil Burnett FondsMaterials related to the life and work of Virgil Burnett, and American author, illustrator, and instructor, and uWaterloo professor.