Special Collections at the University of Lethbridge is a repository for those items that require special attention whether that be climatic control of the environment, security because of value and/or rarity, or merely because the material being placed in this collection is expensive and requires preservation rather than distribution. In such an environment one expects to find rare and antiquarian books, pamphlets and maps. Today, special collections like that at the University of Lethbridge holds other items that require the abovementioned special consideration and care.
The collection here has grown over the past 50 years largely through gifts from bibliophiles and others who want to see their private collections enjoyed and used by students, staff, faculty and community members.
Two large collections were gifted to the University of Lethbridge Library. Dr. Robert Lampard generously donated more than 6700 volumes from his collection of which will be divided up between the main library and the special collections room. The effects of this large donation is a renovated and larger archive-special collection room with a state of the art fire suppression system and a renovated reading room which has been renamed the Dr. Dorothy Lampard Reading Room in honor of Dr. Lampard’s aunt who was a founding faculty member in the Faculty of Education. If you want to read more about this donation, please see this pamphlet.
The Millman’s in Calgary have donated a large collection of material on the Hudson’s Bay Company which we will be incorporating into the library in the near future.
The Special Collection houses large collections of Southern Alberta newspapers in Print. While this material is also available in microfilm and digitally, The Special Collection has The Lethbridge Herald in print dating from 1919 to the mid-1950s and The Nanton News in print dating from 1903-2005. Having a rare collection of the print means that besides the opportunity to preserve it in a climatically controlled environment, it allows readers and researchers the opportunity to sit down and flip through the printed paper.
Maintained by University Archives
Romany Craig, Special Collections Librarian
Location: L1172
Hours: by appointment only
Phone: (403) 329‐2246
Email: romany.craig@uleth.ca