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Since 1976, Special Collections & Archives (SCA) has been a place where students, faculty and researchers access primary resources to gain an understanding of the past and how it could impact the future. With over 500 archival collections and 70,000 rare books and periodicals, SCA’s collection is unique and tailored to the teaching, learning and research needs of the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. 

Part of the work of the librarians and archivists within SCA is to periodically review how their holdings to meet the research and teaching needs of the campus community. With SCA’s 50th anniversary drawing near, there was a certain symmetry to taking on such a project now. 

After completing an analysis of usage statistics and assessing areas of strength within the collection, the next step was to look to the future. Considering the Libraries’ as well as the University’s strategic plans, SCA worked with subject librarians to identify emerging areas of instruction and research.  

To finish the project, the SCA website and Archives Database were both updated with fourteen new collection strengths so researchers can more easily draw connections between their own areas of inquiry and the unique materials found within SCA’s collections. 

This work has already impacted how SCA librarians and archivists collaborate with instructors and students on campus. Jessica Blackwell, SCA librarian, is working with Carter Neal, professor in the Faculty of Arts, to incorporate archival materials into ARTS 160, a first-year undergraduate communications course.  

Students will have the opportunity to explore the creation process as it relates to zines and other forms of DIY creation. Using the new Creative Process collection strength, Blackwell was able to easily direct students to “idea books” from the Tony Urquhart fonds, and both local and international zines from the rare book collections. These will provide inspiration for the “common place books” that students will be asked to keep through the course. 

Updating SCA’s collection strengths to better align with emerging research areas will ensure that the Libraries’ archival collections remain vital to the learning and research happening at ��ݮ��Ƶ for years to come.  

The new collection strengths are detailed on the SCA website and are searchable in the . SCA materials are available for use in the Doris Lewis Reading Room on the first floor of the Dana Porter Library. Contact SCA at archives@uwaterloo.ca to discuss your needs and set up an appointment.