Manuscript Finding Aids

The Library houses over 750 manuscript collections covering a wide range of subject areas. Holdings range from a collection of about 40 third-century B.C. Egyptian papyri to papers of the co-discoverers of insulin: Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod; and finally to drafts, research notes, and correspondence of Canadian authors such as Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Leonard Cohen, Mazo de la Roche and Josef Skvorecky. The majority of our manuscript collections date from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries and pertain to Canadian historical, literary, artistic or scientific fields. Collections of personal papers are listed by the surname of the creator or collector, e.g. Birney, Earle. Institutional records are listed under the name of the institution, e.g. Royal Canadian Institute. Collection level records for many of the manuscript collections appear in the on-line catalogue, along with links to finding aids in pdf format.
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  • Printed material related to the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) task force of First Nations Canadians; biographical and genealogical booklets on the Kabayama family, with photographs.

    Papers, 1969-2001. 1 box.

  • Correspondence and research about Frank Plumpton Ramsey (1903-1930), mathematician, philosopher, economist.

    Papers, 1970-1982. 15 boxes.

  • Focuses on the life and activities of participants of the United Hetman Organization.

    Papers, 1939-1982. 12 boxes.

  • Journals, correspondence, drafts of speeches.

    Papers, 1955-1981. 10 boxes.

  • Includes correspondence with: Margaret Atwood, primarily about the work of Robert Bringhurst, and Sean Kane’s The Cloud Herder; Graeme Gibson; Robert Bringhurst, including drafts of works by Bringhurst; Scott Symons, partly concerning Civic Square, Helmet of Flesh, [including Morocco letters], and drafts of Civic Square; John McConnell; and extensive editorial and personal Dennis Lee correspondence that also includes draft material of poetry, prose and other material by Dennis Lee.

    Papers, 1969-2011. 18 boxes. 

  • See: Ronald Peters Gift of the Lester Douglas Personal Archives of Earl Horter, Hans Foy, David Karfunkle and Barbara Shermund under R. 

  • Consists of Katz's "Mementos" book of autographs of artists, poets, composers and others, as well as photographs of artists and writers, many of them signed.

    Collection, 1929-2000. 16 boxes.

  • Papers pertaining to the Keemlé family of Delaware, Washington, and Toronto. 

    Papers, 1 box.

  • Correspondence with writers, mainly Canadian, as well as poetry, notes on Hugh Hood's 12-volume The New Age, books and pamphlets relating to the Powys Circle.

    Papers, 1962-ongoing. 8 boxes.

  • Scrapbook on child immigration to Canada, materials on social work, typescript of Kelso's biography.

    Papers, 1919-1935. 1 box and microfilm of scrapbook.

  • Drafts for published writings.

    Papers, 1908-1934. 4 boxes.

  • Collection of manuscript and printed materials on radicalism in Canada, photographs.

    Collection. 97 boxes and items.

  • Correspondence and accounts relating to Toronto theatres, playscripts, scrapbooks, photographs.

    Papers, 1918-1959. 8 boxes.

  • Drafts for writings, correspondence, business records, printed appearances.

    Papers, 1986-2012. 32 boxes and items.

  • Correspondence with James Bain on Kingsford's research into the history of Canada and early Canadian printing.

    Papers, 1897-1895. 1 box.

  • Birthday books, photographs of pre-WWII Jewish family in Prague.

    Papers, 1933-1995. 17 boxes.

  • Printed material regarding Japanese Canadian immigrants after WWII.

    Papers, 1987-1992. 2 books, 1 magazine.