History & Pioneers
Historical Chinese-Language Materials in British Columbia: An Electronic Inventory
The Historical Chinese-Language Materials in British Columbia project is a collaborative initiative of the Asian Library and the Centre for Chinese Research, both at the University of British Columbia, and the David See-Chai Lam Centre for International Communication at Simon Fraser University. The database created by the project comprises over 11,000 records of Chinese-language items such as manuscripts, newspapers, correspondence, genealogical and family records, business transaction records, association records, certificates, receipts, textbooks, and photographs. These items were documented throughout the province, and represent contributions from seventeen resource centres, seven pioneer families, and a number of individuals. The resulting database is searchable in Chinese, English, and Pinyin. In order to improve the hit rate on searches, an English-Chinese dictionary is incorporated into the index file. The dictionary automatically converts searches from vernacular Chinese to Pinyin and vice versa. The database incorporates more than 500 images of archival materials. The next stage of the project will focus on digitizing major collections. A downloadable template is available, allowing remote users to contribute records and images for items in their possession.
More information:
Email:
info@hclmbc.org
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 1746
