Focus on Canadian Environmental History

By Julia Hendry, Archivist

The Wilfrid Laurier University Archives and Special Collections collects primary materials on the environment in Canada, with special emphases on water resources, Biosphere Reserves, and Canada’s north.  The archives aims to document aspects of environmental policy in Canada, particularly the role of non-governmental agencies and academic researchers in influencing policy about environmental conservation. Some of our holdings include the records of the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, the Canadian Environmental Law Association, and the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association.

The Laurier Archives is one of the only archival repositories in the country with a primary focus on collecting non-governmental records about the environment. As a relatively new archives, our collecting work is just beginning. Being part of a discussion about the future of environmental history would help us establish collecting priorities, ensuring that we are collecting records that will be useful to researchers.

About archivist Julia Hendry:
I have been the Head of Archives and Special Collections at Wilfrid Laurier University since January 2010. Prior to coming to Laurier, I worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago where I was the University Archivist, and before that, in charge of the historical manuscript collection. I have a great deal of experience working with historical researchers to connect them with appropriate primary sources. In addition, one of my particular areas of interest is incorporating primary documents into classroom teaching. I think that having the perspective of an archivist would enliven your discussions, and that keeping the archival community involved will help us to support the work of environmental historians now and in the future.

Contact info:
Wilfrid Laurier University Library
75 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON
Canada N2L 3C5
519-884-0710 x3825
jhendry@wlu.ca
http://library.wlu.ca/archives/specialcollections

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