Dr. Dale Askey appointed University Librarian

This appointment reflects UBC’s continued commitment to advancing the Library as a cornerstone of research, teaching, and learning.

New Books at the Law Library – 26/04/07

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE1328 .H37 2024
C. Harvey & D. MacPherson, Agency and Partnership Law Primer, 6th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE5325 .M33 2024
B. McIsaac, K. Klein & S. Brown, The Law of Privacy in Canada, 2024 Student ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024). ©2024

LAW LIBRARY level 3: KE5759 .F54 2024
J. Fleming, CFE Tax: A Guide to Understanding the Basics of Canadian Income Taxation, 9th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE2779 .K73 2023
M.P.J. Kratz, Canada's Intellectual Property Law, 4th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2023).9781038202581

LAW LIBRARY level 3: KE4765 .B47 2024
R. Bessner & S. Lightstone, Public Inquiries in Canada: Law and Practice, 2nd ed (Thomson Reuters Canada, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE5799.L5 A153 2024
H. Balsara, F. M. & John Natale, eds, Canadian Taxation of Life Insurance, 12th ed (Thomson Reuters Canada Limited, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE5787 .I673 2024
J.P. Vidal, ed, Introduction to International Tax in Canada, 12th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY reference room (level 2): KE8440 .D44 2024
D. Stuart, D. Tanovich & L. Dufraimont, , 14th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024).

LAW LIBRARY level 3: KF590 .F45 2024
R.A. Feldman, Residential Tenancies, 12th ed (Thomson Reuters, 2024).

Surviving Exam Season Display

Surviving Exam Season display in the Law Library

In cIRcle: Slocan History Series

Scene of the head of Slocan Lake, c. 1900. A tree is in the foreground, overlooking a lake with more trees, mountains, and clouds surrounding the lake.

Photo courtesy: Beginnings of the Bosun Ranch : reminiscences of Joseph Colebrook Harris

The Slocan History Series by Professor Emeritus Cole Harris (1936-2022) in UBC’s Department of Geography, is available in cIRcle. The series documents the social and industrial history of British Columbia’s Slocan Valley, including early settler experiences and resource development.

The series was recently featured in a news story by UBC Library Communications & Marketing Manager, Anna Moorhouse: UBC Library makes the Slocan History Series openly available through cIRcle.

A key part of the project was collaboration with Harris’s family, and the article highlights how cIRcle services can provide long-term access and preservation of unique, local outputs created by our UBC community. This extends their reach beyond the physical copies, allowing researchers, students, and the public worldwide to engage with this regional history. This initiative underscores UBC Library’s commitment to open access and to preserving regional history for a wider public audience.

Deposit Your Research

Are you a UBC faculty member interested in making your research openly accessible? Please consult our Faculty and Staff Work page for information about adding your work to cIRcle, or Contact Us.

On writing and translating Sakura: A conversation with Kanako Nishi and Allison Markin Powell 

Join Dr. Christina Laffin, associate professor of Japanese literature, for a conversation with Kanako Nishi and book translator Allison Markin Powell to discuss what the translation of Nishi’s bestselling novel, Sakura, means in the context of the rising popularity of Japanese fiction among English readers.

Vibrant Vaisakhi: A Celebration of Spirit and Harvest

Vaisakhi (or Baisakhi), typically celebrated on April 13 or 14, marks the spring harvest. It is a time for farmers to give thanks for an abundant harvest and pray for future prosperity. The festival is celebrated by the Sikh community in India and across the global Sikh diaspora. Vaisakhi also holds deep significance for Sikhs. […]

Giving Day 2026

UBC Library connects learners with the tools, collections and spaces they need to explore ideas and excel academically. Join us today to support UBC Library on UBC Giving Day, April 8.

Around the World with Canadian Pacific Railway Travel

Travelling and tourism are prominent topics in the Chung Collection. The collection contains more than 10,000 archival items, including documents, photographs, books, and other artifacts. Many of these materials relate to travel through the Canadian Pacific Railway Company and offer fascinating glimpses into British Columbia’s history. They reveal traces of the province’s early commercial and industrial development, as well as stories of immigration and settlement in Canada. They also highlight the growth of leisure travel, especially the experience of exploring Canada by train or journeying across the world by cruise ship.

Browsing through these vintage pamphlets is like stepping back in time. They not only show the pricing and travel packages offered during that period, but also capture the excitement and romance of crossing a continent by rail or sailing to distant destinations. At the same time, the imagery and descriptions in these pamphlets reveal how people once imagined and represented different parts of the world, offering insight into the historical perspectives and cultural biases of the time.

This blog post highlights a selection of international travel promotional materials from the Chung Collection. Enjoy!

Please note that the Chung Collection may contain outdated or harmful language, stereotypes, descriptions, or imagery that reflect the perspectives of their time. Please read with historical awareness.

A Peiping sojourn

This promotional pamphlet from around the 1920s introduces Peiping, a former romanized name for Beijing, China. Its pages bring the city to life with descriptions of everyday street scenes and local traditions, from weddings and funerals to lively festivals, fairs, and markets. The pamphlet also highlights theatre performances, food, and a variety of places that visitors might explore. Together, this pamphlet offer a fascinating glimpse of how the city was presented to travelers nearly a century ago.

Here’s how it describes Peiping as a destination full of remarkable places to visit:

“If one stays in Japan, each city has its charm, its own special object of interest, but to really see Japan means traveling from one end of the island to the other, to the north – and then there is still the return. In Peiping and near Peiping are situated all the places of interest – the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs – so many intriguing spots that all description are dull as compared with the actuality.” 

This page describes Chinese New Year and related religious traditions.

S/S Empress of France Mediterranean cruise de luxe : Istanbul March 1931, few notes on points visited during the excursion

This 1931 pamphlet describes a shore excursion to Istanbul during a Mediterranean cruise on the Empress of France. It offers a brief introduction to the city’s history and highlights several remarkable sites that tourists could visit while in Istanbul. You might even find inspiration for your next cultural trip to explore the prehistorical marvels of the cradle of human civilisation!

Page introducing the Tchinili Kiosk and the Tower of Galata.

Fly Canadian Pacific Italy tours

This 1964 pamphlet advertises Canadian Pacific Airlines tours in Italy. It includes detailed information on the daily schedule and tour costs. At the time, a 15-day tour of Italy from Rome to Sicily cost about 400 Canadian dollars for a single room, with hotels and meals included.

Southern Italy 15-day tour, 1964

Special excursions to Hungary : holy year 1930

This 1930 pamphlet advertises 48 attractive escorted tours to Europe and back. It features a variety of itineraries to Hungary, with routes passing through many European countries. Every detail of these excursions was planned, from transportation to sightseeing. Take a look through the pamphlet and explore what these tour packages had to offer. Browse the price lists, discover the destinations, and imagine the experience of traveling across Europe almost a century ago!

Individual tourist third cabin round-trip fares, 1930

To Australia and New Zealand by the Canadian Pacific route

This 1932 booklet advertises travel to Australia and New Zealand, and train and ship travel with the Canadian Pacific. Take a look through its pages and imagine embarking on a vintage journey across the Pacific. Travelers could board the quadruple-screw motor-ship “Aorangi” or the triple-screw steamship “Niagara” in Vancouver or Victoria and set sail toward the South Pacific. Along the way, the voyage included stops in the tropical destinations of Honolulu and the Fiji Islands. From there, passengers could continue on to New Zealand or Australia to explore beautiful cities and dramatic natural landscapes.

An information page describing the geography and culture of New Zealand.

Explore the Chung Collection, one of the largest research collections on the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, featuring documents, maps, publications, photographs, and artifacts that illustrate CPR’s construction, steamship services, travel, and more.

Read more blog posts about Canadian Pacific Railway travel:

VINTAGE TRAVEL PAMPHLETS FROM THE CHUNG COLLECTION (2024)

WORLD TOUR IN THE EARLY 1930S: THE EMPRESS OF BRITAIN WORLD CRUISE (2022)

ADVERTISEMENTS FOR CANADIAN PACIFIC STEAMSHIPS: PART I (2019)

ADVERTISEMENTS FOR CANADIAN PACIFIC STEAMSHIPS: PART II (2019)

TRAVELLING WITH THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY (2018)

WORLD TRAVEL PHOTO ALBUM (2017)

REMEMBERING THE EMPRESS (2014)

CRUISING THROUGH A COLLECTION (2013)

TRAVELING IN STYLE (2012)

Others

OBJECTS OF THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

EIGHT BUSINESS LESSONS FROM THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

New Books at the Asian Library (March 2026)

Applications open for the UBC Library Writer-in-Residence Program 2026

2026 UBC Library Writer-in-Residence Deadline to apply: May 30, 2026

Applications are now open to join the 2026 UBC Library Writer-in-Residence program. This program provides a unique opportunity for a distinguished writer to engage with UBC students, faculty and community through enriching activities and events.

The Writer-in-Residence program at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) is an initiative designed to support and promote literary excellence within UBC’s academic community. Through this program, the library aims to foster a vibrant literary culture, encourage creative expression, and offer valuable insights into the writing process. The Writer-in-Residence also participates at Word Vancouver festival as a featured speaker.

The successful applicant will be an established author who has demonstrated a sustained record of excellence through publication with a recognized and reputable publishing house. While there are no restrictions regarding literary genre or form, applicants must possess a distinguished literary reputation, evidenced by critical recognition, awards, or other notable achievements within the literary community.

While residing within the Metro Vancouver area is not required, the Writer-in-Residence position requires an occasional in-person presence on UBC Vancouver campus throughout the residency period, which runs from September 19, 2026, to October 30, 2026.

Apply online by May 30, 2026. For more information on program eligibility and benefits, please visit the program website.

 

Apply now