Saskatoon Public Library Local History

• Library
• Community

To collect, preserve, and make available to the public, primary and secondary source materials pertaining to the history of Saskatoon in particular, and Saskatchewan and western Canada in general.

The Local History collection comprises historic materials about the Canadian prairies, with emphasis on Saskatoon. The book collection covers key subjects in western Canadian history, including agriculture, architectural history, immigration, fur trade, Indians, Riel Rebellion, ethnic groups, world wars, biography and family history. It includes a vast collection of town histories, and Saskatoon city directories from 1908 on. Directories of major prairie cities from 1881 to 1905 are on 37 microfiche. More than half the photograph collection (about 40,000 photographs) is indexed at the item level. Other indexed collections include the Saskatoon Obituary Index, scrapbooks, pamphlets, unpublished documents (arranged by provenance), and hard-copy souvenir editions of newspapers. These can be searched in an online database available through the Saskatoon Public Library website. The periodical titles are searchable online for general content only, although there is a detailed index to the local newspaper since 1980 (online only from 1984 on). Extensive newspaper clippings are accessible by subject or name headings. Other formats held include maps, AV materials. The archives of the parent institution, the Saskatoon Public Library, are also kept in the Local History Room.

Extent: Photographs: 70,000 (est.); Textual Records: 34.43 linear metres; Books: 8,279; Pamphlets: 4,078; Souvenir newspapers: 586 titles; Newspaper clipping binders: 724; Serials: 586 titles; Maps: 1,600 (est.); microforms: 6,733 (est.)

Inclusive dates: 1883-present

Local History’s databases are accessible through the website. Books can be located via the Saskatoon Public Library catalogue (on home page). Other holdings can be located by clicking on: E-Library Services; then Databases A-Z; then (under "L") Local History Room Database List.

10:00-21:00 Monday and Thursday
10:00-17:00 Tuesday and Wednesday
10:00-18:00 Friday
13:00-17:30 Sunday (mid-September to mid-May)

• Local and Regional History (Thematic area)
• City of Saskatoon (Geographic subregion)