Maggie Shane, ATA Information and Records Manager
Exploiting the pedagogical potential of the Web starts with access to authoritative and reliable content. This article features three online collections of historical resources.
The Alberta Heritage Digitization Project (AHDP)
www.ourfutureourpast.ca
The AHDP site is a virtual treasure trove of historical, digitized documents spanning Alberta’s social, political and cultural heritage. The site is administered by the University of Calgary and site sponsors. At present, 12 categories of material are available without need for additional software downloads or complex search interfaces. Students and teachers need only visit the site to immediately access these materials. The AHDP site is rich mining for teachers looking to access good quality historical material online.
Our Roots/Nos racines
www.ourroots.ca
This digital repository houses local histories from every corner of Canada and provides unique geographical and social insights into historical accounts. This website’s highly navigable interface enables effective browsing and online viewing. The site is a collaboration of several universities (Calgary, Dalhousie, Laval and Toronto) and various partners. Our Roots grants users immediate access to far-flung collections and primary source documents.
The Glenbow Archives
www.glenbow.org/collections/archives/
The Glenbow Archives’ site admirably reflects this institution’s importance as a major research centre for Albertan and Canadian history. The largest nongovernmental archives in the country, the Glenbow Archives holds unpublished documents, manuscripts, letters, films, family histories, diaries and photographs dating from the 1860s. The Glenbow specializes in First Nations (especially Blackfoot) history, the arrival and operation of the Mounted Police, pioneer life, the oil and gas industry, the farmers’ political movement of the early 20th century, business development, organized labour, the history of women and history of Alberta theatre. Extensive online searching is available with access to scanned documents. As a first stop on this site, consider visiting the Archives Highlights page that offers immediate access to historical photographs and records related to the development of the Northwest Territories and birth of the Province of Alberta.
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