Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Library And Archives Canada - Microform Digitalization

The data base at Library and Archives Canada is huge. In my other bog Veterans Of Southwest Ontario I try to deal with the data bases relating to the military. On this blog I will deal specifically with the data bases relating to genealogy.

Recently Library and Archives Canada has been releasing a data base of documents in microfilm and microfiche format. The data bases of interest to the genealogist are:

1.Form 30: Border Entry Records, 1919-1924. There are 96 microfilm reels in this collection. The first reel contains 5,165 pages so overall you will need the patience of Job to get through all of them. Also none of these records seem to be searchable.
sample page, Library and Archives Canada

2. School Files Series, 1879-1953. These on first glance appear to be records from the Department of Indian Affairs. They contain information on the reservation schools throughout Canada. The first reel of 317  contains 2,136 pages.
sample page from Library and Archives Canada

3. Ocean Arrivals, 1919-1924. Pages of immigration papers. The first reel of 310 contains 3,723 pages. Note that in these years they had no problem asking if there was any insanity in the family! I wonder if those who did not speak English realized what they were being asked?
sample page, Library and Archives Canada  

4. Sir John Thompson Fonts. These will be of more interest to historians as Sir John Thompson  was a former Prime Minister of Canada in the 1890’s.

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