Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
June 08, 2000
Rural Heritage Collection finds new home at U of G
The official launch of the Rural Heritage Collection, a unique Canadian assembly of agricultural memorabilia, books, farm machinery manuals, photographs, films and corporate records, will be held June 16 during the University of Guelph's Alumni Weekend.
The collection of more than 6,000 books, 800 films and 150,000 photos was moved from the Ontario Farm Museum in Milton to U of G's McLaughlin Library. A ceremony recognizing the transfer, which was funded by the OAC Alumni Foundation, will be held in the library's Archival and Special Collections section Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Amassed over many years by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the collection represents a unique Canadian resource of agricultural materials. Over the next two years, it will be catalogued and then made available to scholars and historians. It will also be accessible on the Internet and through the library's TRELLIS catalogue.
"The collection represents an amazing range of materials," said Bernard Katz, head of special collections and library development. "Its potential use is limitless, and its importance to historians, sociologists, genealogists and economists is beyond question."
Much of the collection pertains to Ontario, but there are also broadly based items related to Canadian history, church history and gardening. It will complement existing archival collections such as the Ontario Farm Movements Collection and the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs, (519) 824-4120
