Subject Guides: History: Canada

History-specific Articles

America: History and Life
America: History and Life provides abstracts covering all aspects of the history of Canada and the United States from prehistorical times to the present. Coverage is very broad and takes in many areas including: popular culture, anthropology, folklore, sociology, cultural studies, business, the arts, law, education and genealogy. Published since 1964.
Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database (CBCA)
Contains history-specific academic journals that might not be found elsewhere (as well as other disciplines and non-academic materials)
The Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library (LHCADL) is an initiative established by the Alberta Government. It was created as a legacy to the late, the Honourable Lois Hole to continue her vision of greater learning opportunities for all Albertans.
For additional information, go to the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library information site.

Historic / Primary Sources

Library and Archives Canada
LAC acquires, preserves and provides access to Canadian documentary heritage including the Government of Canada and its institutions. Use "discover the collection" or "search the collection" tabs.
Canadiana
Historic Canadian books, newspapers, periodicals, images and nationally-significant archival materials - in 3 specialized searchable databases: Canadiana Online (monographs, serials, gov't), Héritage (archives), Early Canadiana Online
Canadiana Collection (UA Libraries)
Pre-1923 monographs dating back to the early 17th century about Canada or written and published by Canadians. Complements materials available thorugh Canadiana websites (i.e. Canadiana Online, Heritage, & Early Canadiana Online)

Peel's Prairie Provinces
Books, newspapers, photos, post-cards, maps pamphlets, and other materials related to the development of the Prairies. Check UAlberta library search for un-digitized items.

UCalgary Digital Collections (formerly Formerly Our Roots, Nos Racines: Canada's Local Histories Online)
Variety of historic materials (e.g. newspapers, music, airphotos, law/legislation, and more).

Canadian Research Index (Microlog) This link opens in a new window
Canadian government publications at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. It includes policy papers, scientific and technical reports, statistical reports, annual reports, etc. 1900-2018
Please note: The Microlog number can be used to locate the documents. If the document is not available online, submit an Interlibrary Loan Request and we will find a copy for you. Please include the Microlog ID in the patron notes.

Canadian Historical Newspapers (custom search)
Most coverage to 2010. Calgary Herald (1883-), Edmonton Journal (1903-), Globe & Mail (1844-2017), Regina Leader-Post (1883-), Montreal Gazette (1857-), Ottawa Citizen (1845-), Vancouver Province (1894-), Saskatoon Star-Phoenix (1902-), Victoria Times-Colonist (1884-), Toronto Star (1894-2019), Vancouver Sun (1912-), Windsor Star (1893-). Includes pre-cursors (list at: bit.ly/3zF8IZs). Add up to last 3 months with “choose databases -- ProQuest recent newspapers...”
Canadian [war] Letters and Images Project
Online archive of the Canadian war experience, from any war, as told through the letters and images of Canadians themselves. Contains digitized letters, diaries, photographs, etc. "History without a lens of interpretation by the present" - i.e. primary sources.
Eaton's of Canada [catalogue] 1884-1976
Significant mail order catalogue useful for historic prices, fashion, lifestyle, household furnishing, tools. Some hard copies but mostly on microfilm (TS 199 E15 1884-1964: 45 reels). To request microfilm copy the above link, then submit an RCRF Microform/Newspaper Request Form
Old Canadian Magazines website
A bit random but interesting list of some obscure magazines.

Saturday Night magazine (Toronto Saturday Night). Probably Canada's longest running general interest magazine (1887-2005).

Audio-Visual Sources

NFB Education This link opens in a new window
National Film Board of Canada. Includes more films and content than available at general public site but not the whole NFB catalogue. Earliest films seem to be 1917 or so.
Can Core Academic Video This link opens in a new window
100% Canadian content selected for strong curriculum fit (1988-present)

Chinese Times/ 大漢公報 (Canada, Vancouver)
Published in Vancouver daily from 1914 to 1992; it covered both local information and news about China and Asia generally. Totaling about 250,000 pages, this collection covers many important moments in the history of Vancouver’s Chinese community, from early immigration struggles to the establishment of a thriving home base near Vancouver’s downtown. As the longest-running newspaper in the largest Chinese community in Canada, the Chinese Times was uniquely situated to reflect the adaptation of immigrants to Canada, their participation in World War I and II, their struggle against the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923 (finally repealed in 1947), the hardships of the Depression and ongoing racism, as well as the organizational power of the Chinese community to work together in these circumstances.

Browse the Rutherford Shelves

To browse the library stacks / shelves for Canadian History, go the the FC section of call numbers (e.g. 4th floor of Rutherford HSS). The full classification link is below but some examples are:

General Sources: FC 1 - 4200
Natural History: FC 3695
Alberta History: FC 3661
Multiculturism Canada: FC 104
Canada Politics and Government: FC 75

Class FC a classification for Canadian history
Listing of "call numbers" for finding Canadian history on library stacks or call number searching

Books and Bibliographies

When looking for books on Canadian History, search the Library Catalogue by subject or keyword.

Examples of subject headings for Canadian History: (See also the names of provinces or regions with the subheading History, i.e. Alberta - History, Prairie Provinces - History or the names of specific events, i.e. Riel Rebellion, 1885)

Canadian history : a reader's guide
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Western Canada since 1870 : a select bibliography and guide by Artibise, Alan F. J.
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The Canadian military experience 1867-1995 : a bibliography = Bibliographie de la vie militaire au Canada 1867-1995 by Cooke, O. A., 1943-
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Prairie Ephemera Collection The Prairie Ephemera collection consists of a wide range of photographic and manuscript materials related to the social, economic, and cultural development of the Prairie Provinces. The photographic collection – which consists of both individual images and albums – is highly varied. Scenes of farm and urban life are both well represented. The textual materials are equally diverse, including letters, diaries, meeting minutes, political campaign materials, song books, stock certificates, performance programs and advertisements, among other things. These materials include first hand accounts from homesteaders and visitors to the region discussing the nature of Prairie life in the pioneer period and through the 20th Century.