The origins of the library are linked with those of Bytown College and the later connection to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in Canada. Beginning in 1851, it was noted that a library existed and starting in 1853, the rector P. Tabaret began to focus on increasing the number of books, the focus being mainly on theology and the history of religion. In the aftermath of a fire in 1903, which destroyed the main buildings of the University, including the library and its collection (which had grown to approximately 30 000 books by that time), the librarian Jean-Léon Allie was at the forefront of a large campaign to replace this terrible loss. Donations of books came from the Parliament of Canada, the Provincial legislative libraries, the New York Public Library, the embassies of France, the United States and Great Britain, as well as other universities including Université Laval, University of Toronto, and the Free University of Brussels. In 1937, the majority of theology collection was transferred to the Jean-Léon Allie Library at Saint Paul University whereas other subjects remained with a more centralized library system at the University of Ottawa. A large part of the current collection of books at the ARCS is the result of Allie’s work and also the generosity of these institutions as well as private donors throughout Canada and Europe who enriched the collection by in-kind donations and financial support.
Currently, we continue to receive donations of books which enrich the collection for the benefit of the students, professors, and researchers who come from all over the world to consult our collections. There is also a budget for the purchase of rare books and every year new material is brought into the collection this way.
The history of the archival collections begins with the literary archives. The largest collection is the Manuscrits français collection (30-005) which was initially acquired by the Département de français of the University of Ottawa a few years after its foundation in 1968. The purchase of the collection of original documents was intended to encourage students to research French literature. It was subsequently transferred to the ARCS in the 1970s in order to ensure its preservation and accessibility. Other early collections of archival material include the fonds of Catherine Ahearn, the first poet Laureate of the City of Ottawa, who donated an important collection of documents related to the surrealist poet Jacques Baron to the ARCS in 1982.
In 1977, ARCS was designated as a “Category A” organization by the Ministry of Heritage under the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, for objects within the Group VII (textual archival documents, graphic archival documents and records). This designation allowed ARCS to submit to the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (CCPERB), cultural applications for income tax certification. Being a designated organization also means that we are able to preserve designated cultural property and make it accessible to the public.
The largest collection of archival holdings at the ARCS are those transferred from the Canadian Women’s Movement Archives (CWMA) in 1992 and subsequent donations of material related to the second wave feminist movement. The history of the CWMA begins with the Women’s Information Centre which was established in 1977 by a group of women who wanted to collect information about feminist activities across Canada. The group sent letters to women’s organizations requesting copies of their publications and other documents, emphasizing the importance of preserving the memory of the women’s movement. As a result, various groups sent their newsletters, reports, posters, t-shirts, banners, buttons, and some groups and individuals even sent their archives. In 1992, all of this material was donated to the ARCS. This acquisition marked the beginning of a focus on acquiring the records of organizations and individuals who have contributed to the women’s movement in Canada. We continue to receive donations today which support this area of focus. There are now over 170 archival fonds and collections at ARCS related to the history of women in Canada and in addition, ARCS has the largest collection of feminist publications and newsletters in Canada with over 900 titles.
In 2018, ARCS launched an initiative with Library and Archives Canada and the INWES Education and Research Institute (ERI), now Canadian Institute for Women in Engineering and Sciences (CIWES) to create the Canadian Archive of Women in STEM. The initiative focused on creating an index of archival collections related to women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and the organizations that support them. Along with the index, there has been a push to encourage women in STEM to think about their legacy and donate their records to archives, including ARCS.
The history of the Slovak Archives collections coincides with the establishment of the Chair in Slovak History and Culture at the University of Ottawa in 1992. Dr. M. Mark Stolarik initiated the collection of archival material from the Slovak community in Canada and facilitated their transfer to ARCS. Many of the records were received by Dr. Stolarik from Joseph Stasko, who had attempted to create an American Slovak National Archives. Although this project failed to materialize, important documents were collected from various sources and were donated to the University of Ottawa. The Slovak archives now contain more than 30 archival fonds relating to individuals and organizations who were active in the Slovak communities of both Canada and the United States throughout the 20th century. It represents one of the most important collections of Slovak archival material in Canada that documents Slovak immigration as well as highlighting the role and impact that this community had in both Canada and the United States.
