1. Archives Acquisitions Policy
- York University archives which includes records of the governing, administrative, academic and student bodies of York which have archival value, e.g. regulations, policies, minutes, correspondence and reports of faculties, departments and administrative offices;and which are preserved for their legal and evidential values;
- Private archives which include records of selected York faculty members and individuals and organizations not associated with York but whose archival records are acquired to support the research and teaching programmes offered at York in selected subject areas. Areas of strength include Canadian writers (notably Don Coles, Margaret Laurence, Bruce Powe, Susan Swan, Joyce Wieland, Adele Wiseman), individuals and organizations associated with the arts in Canada (particularly dance and theatre) and with urban reform movements in Ontario.;
2. Special Collections Acquisition Policy
Description of Collections and Academic Programmes Supported
I. Canadiana:
By definition, a special collection implies a limited scope and definite purpose. The foundation and scope of Special Collections is Canadian studies; its focus is post-confederation Canadiana, concentrating on Ontario subjects. Materials acquired for Special Collections support research of students, faculty, post-doctoral researchers and established scholars and authors.
Collections of significance include:
1. The Canadiana Collection: Canadian imprints, which are out-of-print and/or significant to the Canadiana Collection. Included here is the Gibson Collection acquired in 1995. The focus of the collection is Ontario and Quebec and covers history, biography, the social sciences, and the fine arts. New materials are added on a very selective basis based on joint decision of the Head of Special Collections and the appropriate bibliographer. Consideration is given to publications that support, for instance, advanced and specialized research in Canadian studies, historically important and highly influential works, with comprehensiveness applied to York Canadian historians and social scientists.
2. The Canadian Literature Collection: Originally, a representative literature collection was assembled, with an emphasis on British, American and Canadian authors. This focus has been refined and now acquisitions are limited to the works of selected Canadian authors, including first editions with comprehensiveness applied to those Canadian authors, particularly Ontario writers, York faculty and students, whose literary papers have been acquired. In this group are included bill bissett, Harry Boyle, Margaret Laurence, Norman Levine, Mavor Moore, Susan Swan, and Adele Wiseman.
3. Canadian Pamphlet Collection: the CPC constitutes a major resource for students and scholars working in the field of Canadian studies. Dating from the 18th century to the present, the collection covers a wide variety of subjects that include social and political issues, religion, fine arts, and women's studies. The scope of the collection is being refined and new areas being considered are ephemeral materials generated by Toronto refugee groups and environmental organizations in the greater Toronto area.
II. Other subject areas:
The static component of Special Collections contains books of value or rarity in various subject areas, including early imprints (the earliest being a Book of Hours dated ca. 1450), and books of aesthetic importance (e.g., fine printing, binding, or illustration).
Books of importance and value whose illustrations make them subject to mutilation may be also housed in Special Collections. The collection includes a number of items solely because of format, condition, or other unusual physical properties.
Limited ongoing collecting occurs. Selection decisions are made in consultation with the appropriate bibliographer.
Languages: English and French are the primary languages of the collection.
Chronological Coverage: Focus is on post-confederation Canadiana.
Duplication: No duplicates are kept in Special Collections. The collection may include added copies to titles in the circulating collections.
Gifts: Relevant collections offered by individuals or institutions are appraised and unique items added.
Types of Materials: Monographs, periodicals, maps, pamphlets and ephemera.