Home > Library Learning Commons > Old Library > Archives and Special Collections

McGreer Hall – Bishop’s University
2600 College St., Sherbrooke, Quebec  J1M 1Z7

All archival material is housed in locked storage in the Bishop’s University Library Learning Commons, and is made available upon request. This includes the University Archives, the Eastern Townships Resource Centre Archives, and the Quebec Diocesan Archives. To access these records, arrangements must be made in advance, at least 24 hours prior to your visit (not including weekends). It is essential to make contact with the appropriate archivist to ensure the records you need will be available when you arrive. Please read below for details and contact information.

Bishop’s University Archives
Eastern Townships Resources Centre Archives
Quebec Diocesan Archives – Anglican Church of Canada

Bishop’s University Archives

Bishop’s University Archives consists of documents which give evidence and information about the University’s history, organization, function, and structure. The mission of the University Archives is to select, describe, preserve, and make available for research those records which have enduring value to the university for administrative, legal, fiscal, and historical purposes. Archival holdings include records and publications of the administration, students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Within these collections are a variety of media such as photographs, drawings, maps, plans, microfilms, computer files, videotapes, and sound recordings. Trophies, medals, badges, and other memorabilia are also collected by the archives.

Bishop’s University has housed archives since its founding in 1843, and for many years the safe-keeping of these precious documents was the responsibility of the University Librarian. However, it was not until the creation of the Special Collections Room in 1976, that the Department of Special Collections and Archives was duly established and proper care was given to the storage of the University Archives. In 1979, a portion of the oldest records described were designated “biens culturels.“ At that time, the University Archives was not organized as it is today, but classified according to a general alphabetical and subject order. The years since have shown a complete reorganization of the archival holdings and the records are now composed of two main groups: the Record Group (administrative records) and the Manuscript Group (private records of faculty, students, alumni, and staff). Several smaller groups of records include photographs, artefacts, sound recordings, videotapes, and various other media.

Record Group (Administrative records)

  • Overview of the Record Group numbering (PDF).
  • Not all Record Group numbers contain records (e.g., a department or office has not yet transferred material to the archives);

Manuscript Group (private records of faculty, students, alumni, and staff)

  • The archival descriptions for Bishop’s University Manuscript Group holdings can be found on the Eastern Townships Archives Portal.
  • These are described according to the national standard of Rules for Archival Description (RAD).
  • Descriptions are added as they become available, and are subject to periodical revision.

A Guide to the Holdings is available for consultation in the Old Library, McGreer Hall. The guide is only a general overview. The holdings of the University Archives change frequently; therefore, it is advisable to contact the University Archivist for more details regarding a particular manuscript or record group.

NB: The University Archives holdings are stored off-site; therefore, arrangements must be made with the archivist prior to your visit.

Contact:

Anna Grant
University Archivist / Special Collections
819-822-9600 ext. 2609
anna.grant@ubishops.ca
Office: MCG – Old Library

Eastern Townships Resource Centre Archives

The Archives Department of the Eastern Townships Resource Centre (ETRC) is devoted to the conservation of the archival heritage of the Eastern Townships of Quebec for the purposes of research and teaching. Researchers may access textual documents, photographs, postcards, maps, plans, and audio-visual material pertaining to the history of the Eastern Townships and the communities therein.

The Archives Department of the Eastern Townships Resource Centre also manages the United Church of Canada’s Quebec-Sherbrooke Presbytery Archives and the Presbyterian Church of Canada’s Quebec Presbytery Archives. Researchers may consult archives of local churches, whose documents include minutes of church boards, annual reports, sermons, membership lists, newsletters, photographs and church registers.

The archival descriptions for Eastern Townships Resource Centre holdings can be found on the Eastern Townships Archives Portal.

To consult the archives of the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, please contact :

Jazmine Aldrich
Head Archivist
Eastern Townships Resource Centre
819-822-9600 ext. 2261
etrc2@ubishops.ca
Office: LLC 003

ATTENTION RESEARCHERS – PLEASE PLAN AHEAD:

At least 24 hours (not including weekends) before you visit the university campus to do some family history research, please make arrangements with the ETRC Archivist (etrc2@ubishops.ca) to:

  1. Make sure we will be available on the day of your arrival to assist you with your research, and
  2. Verify that the records you need are available.

Quebec Diocesan Archives – Anglican Church of Canada

Holdings include correspondence, minutes, annual reports, land deeds, financial records and other material dealing with the Diocese of Quebec from 1793. Early material covers both Upper and Lower Canada, as this was all part of the Diocese until 1840. The collection also has a number of early Canadian church publications and material dealing with education and social services. There are parish minutes, membership lists, and reports; a large number of civil status registers; and a valuable collection of nineteenth century organ music.

NB: The Quebec Diocesan Archives holdings are available by appointment only.

Contact:

Quebec Diocesan Archives Archivist
Library Learning Commons
819-822-9600 ext. 2567
archivist@quebec.anglican.ca