Archives: What's New in the Archives

What's New in 2021

January: An updated Archives Policy was approved by Senate this month.

March: Trent University Library and Archives has been awarded $16,200 from the Symons Trust Fund for Canadian Studies to digitize a portion of the Commission on Canadian Studies fonds held in the Archives. This project will extend access through digitization to one part of the fonds: approximately 700 briefs and submissions sent to the Commission in the early 1970s. Through the collaborative effort of the University Archivist, the Digital Scholarship and Innovation Librarian and a team of student assistants, this pivotal resource will become available on the Trent University Library and Archives’ digital collections platform, allowing for wide online access.

August: Fellowship opportunity: Announcing a call for applications for the Tom and Christine Symons Archival Fellowship at Trent University

September: We're pleased to welcome three student assistants on board for the current academic year: Ray Berry, Fay Williams and Emilia Violin.

What's New in 2020

September: Madelaine MacGregor, Archives Student Assistant, has returned for another year to work with us. We're pleased to welcome her back again!

What's New in 2019

September: We are pleased to welcome Tori Cartwright to our team. Tori holds the position of Archives Associate. In addition to her Archives responsibilities, she is also the contact person regarding matters related to the Trent University Art Collection. Be sure to drop by to meet her!

What's New in 2018

January: The Archives is making plans now for the move back to Bata Library on the Symons Campus. We will return to our former location on the first floor. The move is expected to take place during the summer of 2018. Meanwhile, please make an appointment to ensure access at our temporary location at 225 Charlotte Street: you will find information about the hours on the Archives web site.

What's New in 2017

May 4: The Archives is now open at a temporary location at 225 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough (corner of Charlotte and Aylmer Streets). The move to Charlotte Street is necessary to accommodate a major transformation which is taking place at the Thomas J. Bata Library on the Symons Campus.

What's New in 2015

September 4: Keep your eyes on the roof of Bata Library in October! A press release issued by Peterborough's Artspace today describes an upcoming exhibition which involves Trent University.

What's New in 2014We're very pleased to have been part of the many activities commemorating Trent University's 50th anniversary this year. From providing research assistance, serving on committees, assisting with exhibits, and attending numerous events, we've had a busy year!

In June of this year, Trent's Physical Resources staff arrived with tools in hand and began a summer renovation project in the Archives. Researchers are very welcome while this work is going on as the Reading Room shouldn't be impacted at all (except perhaps for the faint sound of power tools at the far end of our Manuscript Room as we expand into much-needed new space!). The project is expected to be finished by mid-July.

What's New in 2013

  

“Spotlight on George Copway”: an illustrated slide talk by
Donald B. Smith to be held September 24th, 7-8:30 pm, at
the Gathering Space, Gzowski College:

This upcoming event by the author of Mississauga Portraits:
Ojibwe V
oices from Nineteenth Century Canada and Sacred
Feathers
is sponsored by Trent University Library and Archives
and Trent’s Indigenous Studies Department. Professor Smith
recently donated a large collection of materials pertaining to
his research on historical Aboriginal issues to the Archives; this
collection will soon be available to researchers.

A handwritten newspaper from Trent University Archives has become the 400,000th text to be digitized by Internet Archive Canada. Click here to read the story on the Trent University website.

What's New in 2012

Information about the 2013 Writing Awards of the Society of Camp Directors is now available. The Society presents an annual Award of $1000 and may present additional Awards of $500 each. For details, contact Mr. Peter Gilbert, Chair of the Awards Committee, at the following email address: pbgilbert&me.com. Trent University Archives is the repository for the records of the Society and partially funds the awards.

Two sculptures named "Portal" were unveiled on September 29th, 2012 at Trent University during Head of the Trent weekend. One of these, comprised of kiln cast crystal, is located at Bata Library. This work is a companion piece to an 8000 pound granite sculpture located on the east bank of the Symons Campus. These works were created by artist and Trent Alumnus David James '68. To see images of the two pieces, please see Portal (2011.009.1) and Portal (2011.010.1).These works are important additions to the Trent University Art Collection and have been designated Cultural Property by Canadian Heritage. 

Internet Archive open access initiate: Trent University Archives gratefully acknowledges the support of Internet Archive, an open access initiative for public domain material. Seven items from our holdings were digitized through this initiative and are now available on the Web:

Trent University Archives is now on Facebook.

Voices at Hand by Wendy Trusler will take place at Trent University, February 1 - 8, 2012. Described in her press release as "part art installation, part performance & part traveling archive," Wendy examines the essence of why we keep letters. Included in her collection of over 3,300 letters are copies of nineteenth-century items from Trent University Archives. Events will take place at Bata Library, February 1, and at Gzowski College, February 2-8. Voices at Hand is co-sponsored by Bata Library and Gzowski College.

What's New in 2011

We've recently received four original Susanna Moodie watercolours. See Fonds 11-004 to learn more about them! Susanna Moodie is one of the settler women featured in our Women Pioneers in Peterborough County online exhibit.

Susanna Moodie watercolour of flowers  Susanna Moodie watecolour of flowers

What's New in 2010

We've compiled a list of books and articles that were based on research conducted at Trent University Archives - an impressive list! Over 80 items to date!

What's New in 2009

Our digitized document repository continues to grow! New projects are listed below. Or, click here to see a guide to all our digitized resources.

A transcription of the Hugh Caldwell Diary ,1888-1899

The Calendar of Prisoners from the Common Gaol at Cobourg. The Calendar lists all persons in custody awaiting hearing before the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace (and occasionally the assizes) held in March, June, September and December of each year. Our Calendars cover the early 1840s to 1908

The Journal kept by the Post Manager at Eastmain Hudson's Bay Company post, 1929-1930

The Diary of Lt. Shier who served with the British Expeditionary Forces, 1917-1918

The Letters of Frances Stewart, 1757-1890

The drawings of Jim Lauder, a serviceman with the Canadian Armed Forces who was imprisoned in a German prisoner-of-war camp in 1944. The drawings depict life in Stalag IX C, Obermassfeld

The Diary of Mary Tuer, Port Hope, Ontario, who was on a vacation in Europe when W.W. 1 broke out

We have been fortunate to have Dwayne Collins from the Master of Library and Information Sciences program at the University of Toronto working in the Archives to digitize back issues of the student newspaper, Arthur. This will be an on-going project and we're grateful to Dwayne for his expertise in photographing and mounting the digital images in a useable format

We have scanned a copy of Trent's very first Calendar, 1964-1965

Plus! We have transcribed the Katchawanooka Herald, a hand-written, manuscript newspaper circulated amongst the farm worker trainees who were apprenticing with Col. Sam Strickland in Lakefield, 1855-1859.

We have published a small booklet featuring, in facsimile format, selected sketches of Marmaduke Matthews. Matthews was an important nineteenth-century landscape painter, one of the earliest "railway painters" to paint the Rocky Mountains. Our thought was that people might be interested in his more reserved and personal sketches. The booklet was designed by Louis Taylor of North George Publications and is quite handsome. You can purchase a copy of the booklet from Trent University Bookstore.