Special Collections and Rare Books (SCRB) has extensive holdings related to publishing and small presses, with a specific focus on publishing in British Columbia (B.C.). The publishing industry in B.C. dates back to 1858 when Alfred Waddington wrote and published the first book to appear in the colony: The Fraser Mines Vindicated, Or the History of Four Months. About 110 more books appeared before 1900, a mixture of regional travel and information books, political and social commentary, fiction, and poetry. Not much has been recorded about B.C. publishing between 1900 and 1950—partly because publishing was done by printing business, literary or historical societies, or partnership with the Ontario firms. However, the Vancouver Sun and Province published some volumes written by their staff.

The modern era of book publishing in B.C. began during the province's 1958 Centennial, which encouraged a burst of publishing activity and demonstrated the appetite for regional non-fiction. Publishing was happening in Vancouver, Victoria, and in smaller B.C. towns, but the largest publisher was the Provincial Museum. In the 1970s, the B.C. publishing industry developed further. During this period, James J. Douglas founded J.J. Douglas, which evolved into Douglas & McIntyre, one of the province's largest trade book publishers. In the 1990s, Raincoast Distribution developed into one of the top Canadian publishers.

Other significant literary book publishing firms in B.C. include: Klanak Press, Very Stone House, Talonbooks, New Star Books, Pulp Press, Harbour Publishing, Oolichan Books, Press Gang Publishers, Sono Nis Press, Caitlin Press, Polestar Book Publishers, Exstasis Editions and Anvil Press. (KnowBC, Book Publishing).

Each entry below provides a brief description of the materials, links to archival finding aids, Library Catalogue records, SFU Digitized Collections, or links to resources outside of SFU Library. For more information specifically relating to the little magazine and small press movement, see our Little Magazines and Literary Periodicals Research Guide.

Why are some materials "unprocessed"?

The work that archivists do in preparing materials for research use is called “processing.” This involves:

identifying and describing materials
making the materials discoverable by creating finding aids (like these pages), database records, and other tools
rehousing materials in archival-standard enclosures (like acid- and lignin-free boxes and file folders)

Because we want our users to know we have relevant holdings to their research, we list and selectively provide access to our unprocessed collections.

Interested in exploring an unprocessed collection? Contact us as early as possible so we can discuss details.

Archival collections

Publishers in British Columbia

Barbarian Press fonds

Extent: [ca. 8 boxes]
Archival finding aid: MsC-124 [unprocessed]

Barbarian Press is a fine press publisher, founded in 1977 by Jan Elsted and Crispin Elsted in Mission, B.C. This unprocessed fonds contains broadsides and ephemera published by Barbarian Press.

B.C. Book Prizes fonds

Extent: 12 cm of textual records ; 5 photographs
Archival finding aid: MsC-121

The B.C. Book Prizes, including The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence, are presented annually at the Lieutenant Governor’s B.C. Book Prize Gala in April.

The fonds consists of promotional materials, most notably full-colour posters, surrounding the shortlisting and adjudication of potential winners and the subsequent selection and celebration of winners of the prestigious prizes. Also included are media clippings and press releases surrounding the event.

Derek Beaulieu (housepress) fonds

Extent: 5.74 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-125

housepress was founded by Derek Beaulieu in 1997. The micropress, run out of Beaulieu’s home, published 269 chapbooks and anthologies edited or authored by poets such as Beaulieu, rob mclennan, Neil Hennessy and Jason Christie. The press was incorporated as a limited company in 2000, with Derek Beaulieu and Courtney Thompson as directors. housepress stopped publishing in 2004, and Beaulieu founded No press in 2005. The housepress series in the Derek Beaulieu fonds consists of the publications and other records generated from the publishing activity of housepress over its seven-year existence.

Book and Periodical Development Council fonds

Extent: [ca. 31 m of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-85

The Book and Periodical Development Council researched and published information of interest to writers, publishers, librarians, and book and periodical distributors in Canada. The unprocessed fonds consists of records relating to the activities of the Book and Periodical Development Council and its committees and task forces. They include reports, research, Freedom to Read kits, bank statements, minutes, correspondence, newspaper clippings, memos, and newsletters.

Caledonia Writing Series fonds

Extent: [ca. 90 cm of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-11 [unprocessed]

The Caledonia Writing Series was a publishing venture to provide an independent forum for B.C. poets in the 1970s. The press was established and run by Barry McKinnon. The unprocessed fonds consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence to Barry McKinnon, book files (including manuscripts), business records, and publications of the Caledonia Writing Series press.

Cobblestone Press fonds

Extent: [ca. 12 m of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-118 [unprocessed]

Gerald Giampa was a fine printer and type designer. He ran Cobblestone Press in the 1970s and 1980s, then moved to digital font design with the digital foundry, Lanston Type Company. He designed the Bodoni 26 font, named one of the top 100 types by the Type Directors Club. The unprocessed fonds consists of printed materials from Cobblestone Press and Giampa's work records, including digital font files, catalogues, sales reports, newspaper clippings and correspondence.

Jeff Derksen fonds

Extent: [ca. 4.12 m of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-105 [unprocessed]

Jeff Derksen is a founding member of Vancouver’s writer-run centre, the Kootenay School of Writing, and worked as an editor of Writing magazine. His work has been anthologized in East of Main and Verse: Postmodern Poetry and Language Writing. The unprocessed fonds consists of correspondence, magazines, manuscripts, financial records, event posters, notebooks, and artwork relating to Jeff Derksen's work as a poet and founder of the Kootenay School of Writing, in particular, the publication of Writing Magazine, issues 23-28, edited by Jeff Derksen and Nancy Shaw.

Jim Douglas fonds

Extent: 83.5 cm of textual records ; 9 photographs
Archival finding aid: MsC-192

James Jardine (Jim) Douglas was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1924 and immigrated to Canada in 1954. After working as a book peddler and sales representative off and on since he was 15, Jim founded first Douglas Agencies in 1964, then J.J. Douglas Ltd. in 1966 and established himself as one of the first major book publishers and distributors in British Columbia to generate significant sales outside of the province. He had an interest in representing Canadian authors and content, especially books about Indigenous peoples and culture, guidebooks and histories. This later grew into the internationally renowned publishing firm Douglas & McIntyre in 1979, from which he retired in 1982 when he sold his shares to partner Scott McIntyre.

This fonds contains textual and photographic materials compiled by Jim Douglas, primarily relating to his various business and professional work in the field of book publishing. There is also printed material he compiled while researching legal topics relevant to publishing such as libel, copyright, contract and professional standards.

Douglas and McIntyre fonds

Extent: [ca. 305 m of textual records and graphic material]
Archival finding aid: MsC-138 [unprocessed]

Douglas & McIntyre, founded by Jim Douglas and Scott MyIntyre, has published over 2,000 adult trade, children's trade, and educational titles. The company focuses on First Nations art and culture, literary fiction, popular memoir, Canadian issues and politics, food and wine, art and architecture. Greystone Books, an imprint of Douglas & McIntyre, publishes adult non-fiction in the areas of natural history and science, the environment, popular culture, health and sports.

The unprocessed fonds consists primarily of textual records that reflect various aspects of the firm’s activities. It includes materials related to current titles, editorial projects, catalogues, promotional material, financial information, professional associations, manuscripts, marketing book files, house administration, production files and graphics, and chronologies. It also contains the archives of the Canadian Pacific Publishing Society, and books published by Douglas & McIntyre, including the imprints Greystone Books, Groundwood Books, and Western Producer Prairie Books.

Duthie Books fonds

Extent: 2.96 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-184

Duthie Books Ltd. was founded in 1957 by Bill Duthie (1920-1984), who worked as a publisher's representative in Western Canada prior to becoming a bookseller. The first Duthie Books location was on Robson Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company supplied books in different languages to the general trade market and through Macneill Library Service, its wholesale library division, which distributed to school and university and public libraries. Duthie Books published a quarterly book review journal entitled The Reader, from 1981-1995; this was relaunched as The New Reader in 1996 and ceased publication in 1999.

In 1997, Duthie Books acquired Bollum's Books out of receivership. Duthie Books won "Chain Bookstore of the Year" from the Canadian Booksellers Association in 1998. In 1999, Duthie Books Ltd. underwent a strategic planning and restructuring process, and went from a peak of ten locations across Vancouver, to a single store in Kitsilano. This last Duthie Books location closed its doors in 2010. The fonds consists of materials generated from Duthie Books Ltd.'s business activities selling and marketing books in Vancouver, B.C.

Ralph Hancox fonds

Extent: [ca. 9 boxes]
Archival finding aid: MsC-249 [unprocessed]

Ralph Hancox was a writer and journalist, publisher, Nieman Fellow, and Adjunct Professor and Professional Fellow Emeritus of SFU Publishing. The unprocessed fonds includes correspondence and manuscripts of Hancox’s writings when he worked for the Peterborough Examiner and as the Chairman of Reader's Digest Canada. It also contains various later personal correspondence files – including a small file of personal correspondence with Robertson Davies, drafts and notes relating to Hancox’s published texts, memorabilia, photographs, and books.

William Hoffer fonds

Extent: 1.4 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-90

William (Bill) Hoffer was born on May 29th, 1944 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began his bookselling career in 1969 with the opening of Falstaff Books, a used bookstore, in Vancouver. He later moved his store to 58 & 60 Powell Street, Vancouver, where he worked until his retirement. Hoffer was acknowledged as an authority on Canadian literature in the antiquarian book trade. He published several special edition books, including works by W.P. Kinsella, Susan Musgrave, Robert Bringhurst, Elizabeth Smart, John Metcalf, and Ernest Hemingway. During his career, Hoffer was engaged in several literary feuds, and was a strong critic of government subsidization of the arts. He was particularly disdainful of Canada Council, and wrote several critiques to this effect.

The fonds consists of records reflecting Hoffer`s bookselling and publishing activities during the 1980s. Records include correspondence, fiscal files, client files, journals, book catalogues, galleys, proofsheets, critical pieces, articles, and review.

Reg Lissel fonds

Extent: 14 cm of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-117

Reg Lissel grew up in northern Alberta and was a bookseller in the early 1990s. He owned a bookstore in downtown Vancouver before he commenced his handmade paper business. Lissel is inspired by handmade Western and Japanese papermaking arts. His paper mill is his two-storey apartment located at Shanghai Alley in Vancouver’s Chinatown. He published a paste paper sample book, TOPOS, in 2006. The fonds consists of samples of handmade papers, paste papers and drafts of TOPOS.

Margison Brothers Printers

Extent: 24.5 cm of textual records ; 2 photographs
Archival finding aid: MsC-114

Margison Brothers Printers was founded in 1907 by three brothers, Oswald, John and Arthur Margison. It is the oldest surviving printing company in Victoria, British Columbia. The fonds primarily contains examples of printed material created by the Margison Brothers Printers from 1959-1999. The fonds also contains some business records, including a cash book and sales tax information, as well as various printing-related publications.

Jim McIntosh fonds

Extent: 10 cm of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsC-89

Jim McIntosh began his career as a representative of W.B. Saunders, a publishing company from Philadelphia specializing in medical textbooks. In 1975, he opened a bookstore in Vancouver called Colophon Books with a focus on Canadian fine arts. Gradually, McIntosh branched into books on modern literature and avant-garde titles by American and Canadian authors. Colophon Books also published limited editions of chapter books and broadsides by Canadian poets. McIntosh collaborated with Jim Rimmer of Pie Tree Press. Colophon Books closed in 1995. This fonds consists of records related to McIntosh’s publications and bookselling activities of Colophon Books.

Mother Tongue Press fonds

Extent: [ca. 1.2 m of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-114

Mother Tongue Press was a small independent Canadian fine press located on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, run by Mona Fertig and Peter Haase. Mother Tongue publishes books of B.C. fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction, and the series, The Unheralded Artists of B.C., dedicated to recognizing forgotten 20th century B.C. artists (1900s-1960s). Mother Tongue started as a small international literary periodical; they also published letterpress limited editions of poetry. In 2008, Mother Tongue Press expanded and entered trade publishing as Mother Tongue Publishing. The fonds consists of broadsides, chapbooks and business records generated by Mother Tongue's publishing activities.

New Star Books fonds

Extent: 4.89 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-100

An informal writing collective was formed in Vancouver in 1969 and eventually grew into the “York Street commune”. They published books first as the Georgia Straight Writing Series and then as the Vancouver Community Press, before political and social trends shifted their editorial focus from literary works more towards titles relating to contemporary affairs and political non-fiction. This new direction was marked with a further name change to New Star Books in 1974. In the 1990, the company reincorporated poetry and prose fiction into its repertoire.

This fonds consists of records covering the time period of 1971 to 2007 that were created or received by various staff of New Star Books in their business activities. Record types include correspondence, invoices, purchase orders, balance sheets, newspaper clippings, book reviews, financial statements, grant applications, legal transactions or communications, sales figures, book tour schedules, typesetting instructions, style sheets, draft layouts, photographs, and one draft manuscript.

Nightwood Editions fonds

Extent: 1 m of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsC-55

Nightwood Editions is a literary publisher that came into existence in 1983, when David Lee and Maureen Cochrance purchased blewointment press, renamed it and moved it from Vancouver to Ontario. Founded in 1963 by the poet bill bissett, blewointment began by publishing mimeographed magazines of experimental poetry and, within a few years, books that extended the boundaries of language and visual image, including work by bpNichol, Steve McCaffery, Andrew Suknaski, Lionel Kearns and d. a. levy.

Post-1983, as Nightwood, the press published a wide assortment of titles, in subjects as diverse as jazz music, poetry, fiction and film. Later, the company added a line of children's titles with west coast themes and critically acclaimed and award-winning poetry and fiction by new writers. In 2003, Nightwood joined forces with Junction Books, a Toronto chapbook publisher, and in 2004 acquired Bluefield Books. In 2005 the press came full circle with its relaunch of the blewointment imprint. Books under the blewointment name maintain bissett's original commitment to grassroots and innovative poetry.

Nomados Literary Publisher fonds

Extent: [ca. 0.6 m of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-149 [unprocessed]

Nomados Literary Publishers is a small press started in 2002 by Meredith and Peter Quartermain, in Vancouver, B.C. Nomados publishes chapbooks by Canadian poets including Christine Stewart, Jen Currin, Edward Byrne, Margaret Christakos, and Jay MillAr. The unprocessed fonds consists of chapbooks, page proofs, editorial and production notes on 43 titles published by Nomados from 2002-2014. It also includes correspondence, publicity and distribution records.

Nunaga Publishing fonds

Extent: 1.68 m of textual records ; 132 photographs ; 1 audio cassette
Archival finding aid: MsC-189

The Nunaga Publishing Company was formed in 1972 by Rick Antonson, Brian Antonson, and Mary Trainer upon the publication of a book they co-wrote, entitled, Slumach’s Gold: In Search of a Legend. Nunaga went on to publish books by other British Columbian authors and became a registered limited company in 1974. Nunaga purchased the rights to Canadian Frontier Magazine in 1974, and published the Canadian Frontier Annual from 1976-1978. The company’s Canadian sales representatives were McIntyre and Stanton in the West, and Belford Books in the East.

Nunaga changed its name to Antonson Publishing in 1977 and continued to publish nonfiction books including, Vancouver Defended: History of the Men and Guns of the Lower Mainland Defences, 1859-1949 by Peter Moogk, and Prison Doctor by Guy Richmond. Over eight years, Nunaga/Antonson published twenty-five titles. In 1980, Antonson Publishing sold the rights to and backlist stock of its books to Douglas & McIntyre (D&M) and wound up its publishing activities. After the sale, Rick Antonson became Vice President and General Manager of Douglas & McIntyre. He left publishing to work in B.C.’s tourism industry in the mid-1980s, but remained a member of D&M’s board of directors into the mid-2000s. The fonds consists of records documenting the business activities of Nunaga Publishing and its president, Rick Antonson.

Polestar Press fonds

Extent: 3.96 m of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsC-78

Polestar Press was founded in Victoria, British Columbia, by Julian Ross in 1981. The company moved to Winlaw, British Columbia, and later to Vancouver. Polestar Book Publishers has specialized in fiction, poetry, sports books, and books for young adults, and launched its Sirius Books imprint which features books about dogs. Polestar acted as a distributor for Garamond Press of Toronto, and also distributed selected audio recordings from Nettwerk Productions, and magnetic poetry kits. Polestar Press was purchased by Michelle Benjamin in 1995. Early in 2000 the press was bought by Raincoast Books where Polestar is the fiction division of the Raincoast imprint. The fonds consists of manuscripts, page proofs, editorial and general correspondence, contracts, promotional and biographical materials.

Jim Rimmer (Pie Tree Press) collection

Extent: 1.86 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-41

Jim Rimmer was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1934. In 1950, he undertook a six-year apprenticeship with local printer and publisher J.W. Boyd and Sons. He subsequently worked as a journeyman compositor for several B.C. newspapers. From 1972 to 1999, Rimmer ran a freelance design office, working as an illustrator, graphic designer, and type designer.

In 1974, Rimmer founded Pie Tree Press where he printed numerous broadsides and books, including Alison’s Fishing Birds, commissioned by Colophon Books. He subsequently produced four major limited edition publications, for which he did the typesetting, illustrations and book-binding. Over the course of his career, Rimmer taught drawing and typography classes at many local colleges and universities and held workshops in hand-setting, printing, and book-binding.

The collection reflects Rimmer’s career as a designer, illustrator, printer, and publisher, and his involvement with members of the printing community and various associations. Records document Rimmer’s graphic design, typeface design and printing processes and accomplishments, and the publication activities of Pie Tree Press.

Sono Nis Press fonds

Extent: [ca. 17 m of textual records and other material]
Archival finding aid: MsC-253 [unprocessed]

Sono Nis Press was founded in 1968 by J. Michael Yates when he was associated with the department of creative writing at the University of British Columbia. The name, Sono Nis, is taken from a character in the first book published by the press, Man in the Glass Octopus (1968) written by Yates. "Sono" in modern Italian means "I am"; "nis" in Anglo-Saxon means "is not". Under Yates, the Press operated steadily as a literary house specializing in poetry and fiction in several locations within British Columbia. Emphasizing the publication of poetry and avant garde fiction, the Press issued titles by a diverse group of writers. The books were almost exclusively designed and printed in Victoria, British Columbia, by Morriss Printing. In 1976, Morriss bought out Sono Nis and relocated the Press to Victoria. Sono Nis broadened its publication list to include regional histories, literary criticism, guide books, books of general interest, and journals and biographies, as well as its literary books. In 2002, Sono Nis moved from Victoria to Winlaw, British Columbia.

The majority of the records of Sono Nis Press from 1968 to 1976 are at the National Library of Canada under the J. Michael Yates fonds. Since Sono Nis was taken over by Morriss Printing in 1976, all archival records have been retained. The unprocessed fonds includes editorial files, production files, association files, awards and promotions information, and financial records.

Stanton, Atkins & Dosil Publishers fonds

Extent: 2.1 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-187

This fonds contains material from the Stanton Atkins and Dosil publishing archives, including publication files for books by Daniel Francis, Charles Wilkins, Rick Archbold, James Delgado published between the 1990s and 2012. This fonds includes image files, drafts, correspondence and proofs, newspaper clippings and magazines

Talonbooks fonds

Extent: 119 m of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-8

Talonbooks is the leading publisher of drama in Canada and has been publishing works by influential Canadian authors for over four decades. Its repertoire features authors of international stature, writing in the literary genres of poetry, fiction and drama, as well as non-fiction books in the fields of ethnography, environmental and social issues, cultural studies, and literary criticism. The company began as a little magazine called Talon in 1963. Talon later joined with a small local press called Very Stone House and published its first poetry books in 1967. The association with Very Stone House ended a year later, and the Talonbooks imprint started appearing by itself. In 1969, Talonbooks published its first drama title, Colours in the Dark by James Reaney and its editorial focus began shifting gradually more toward drama until it became the company's area of specialization.

The fonds consists of production records, correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts, proofs and galleys, promotional material, reference files, and business records, including financial statements, transaction records, royalty statements, and inventory records.

Takao Tanabe (Periwinkle Press) fonds

Extent: 16.5 cm of graphic material
Archival finding aid: MsC-110

Takao Tanabe was born in Prince Rupert, B.C., on September 16, 1926. He is a painter, designer, typographer, private printer, calligrapher, and teacher. Tanabe attended the Winnipeg School of Art from 1946 to 1949. He taught design and typography at the Vancouver School of Art from 1962 to 1968, and also taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

The fonds contains examples of printed material created by Takao Tanabe from 1953-1994 under his private printing company, Periwinkle Press, or in collaboration with Robert Reid and Klanak Press. Printed materials include: books published by Periwinkle Press, announcement cards and posters, invitations, holiday cards, stationary, bookmarks, gift cards and promotional posters.

Tsunami Editions fonds

Extent: 73 cm of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsC-70

Tsunami Editions was a Vancouver, B.C. literary press operating between 1986 and 2001. It was founded by editor Lary Bremner (Timewell) in order to publish early works by younger poets associated with Vancouver’s Kootenay School of Writing. The editorship eventually was passed to Deanna Ferguson and Catriona Strang, who began producing full-length trade-books with the support of private donors. Later books and chapbooks were edited and produced by Ferguson and Michael Barnholden. The fonds includes manuscripts and proofs.

Carolyn Zonailo (Caitlin Press) fonds

Extent: 20 m of textual records and other materials
Archival finding aid: MsC-79

Since mid-1970s, Zonailo published her poetry in literary magazines, periodicals and anthologies. Zonailo founded the Caitlin Press in 1977 that published poetry and fiction until 1990. In 1991, the press was sold to Cynthia Wilson and Ken Carling and relocated to Prince George. The fonds contains records relating to the founding and running of Caitlin Press. Under Zonailo leadership the Caitlin Press published several other west coast poets including Elizabeth Gourlay, David West, Cathy Ford, Beth Jankola, Carole Itter, Norm Sibum, David Conn, Ajmer Rode, and Mona Fertig. The fonds also contains records relating to Zonailo’s academic work, personal records and work as a member of C. G. Jund Society of Montreal and editor of its letter.

Publishers outside of British Columbia

Canadian Association of Learned Journals fonds

Extent: [ca. 120 cm of textual records]
Archival finding aid: MsC-180 [unprocessed]

Canadian Association of Learned Journals was first conceived in 1989 and began to function in 1990-1991. The Association serves as a liaison between government agencies and universities in many consultation processes, promoting awareness of its members and making their needs known. Other key functions are to develop industry guidelines for member journals and to enhance the collective strengths of member journals and the journal community as a whole. The decision was made to incorporate CALJ in 2003, and it achieved official not-for-profit status in 2004. Since then their initial mandate has expanded to include issues relevant to electronic publishing such as copyright, digital rights and open access. Their current interactive online presence serves as a resource for establishing better dialogue between parties, building upon past experiences of members to enhance communications with funding agencies and the public at large.

Curt Johnson fonds

Extent: 0.5 m of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsA-13

Curt Johnson was award-winning short story writer, essayist, and novelist. From 1962 until his death, he also oversaw the periodical, December, as well as books released by his December Press. The fonds consists of a letter and proofsheets for an afterword to Anaconda, a novel by Jerry Bumpus.

Phoenix Press fonds

Extent: 39 cm of textual records and other material
Archival finding aid: MsC-77

Phoenix Press was a publishing company started by Alfred W. Purdy and B. Alexander Widen. The Press only published one book, Cougar Hunter: A Memoir of Roderick Haig Brown by Al Purdy, in an extremely limited run as a result of a dispute between Purdy and Widen.

The fonds consists of records relating to the business of Phoenix Press, and the publication of Cougar Hunter: A Memoir of Roderick Haig Brown. Records include a business agreement, correspondence, design and production files, printer proofs with edits and comments, promotional and sales records, cover artwork, and finished book.

Press of the Black Flag Raised fonds

Extent: 3 cm of textual records
Archival finding aid: MsA-28

The Press of the Black Flag Raised was operated by Robert Rose in Cambridge, Massachusetts between 1969 and 1970. The publications of the press were given away, posted on walls, and mailed to approximately fifty individuals and three bookstores. The Press was supported by donations from Denise Levertov, Robert Duncan, Harvey Brown of Frontier Press and others. The fonds includes correspondence; photo-ready copy, masters, proofs and layouts for most of the Press broadsides; financial/administrative records, ephemera.

Digital collections

British Columbia Fine Printing collection

Fine/private presses have a distinguished history in British Columbia. Founded in Vancouver in 1946, the Private Press of Robert R. Reid was the first of its kind in Canada. The British Columbia Fine Printing collection contains digitized publications and ephemera of several B.C. fine/private presses. In addition to items from Reid's early career in Vancouver, the collection features works by Takao Tanabe (Periwinkle Press), Jim Rimmer (Pie Tree Press & Type Foundry), Jan & Crispin Elsted (Barbarian Press), Rollin Milroy (Heavenly Monkey), Gerald Giampa (Cobblestone Press) and many others.

Books and other published material

Special Collections and Rare Books is also home to a number of monographs and journals that focus on the publishing industry and book history in general. The following subject heading links will lead you to resources in Special Collections and its extensive Book History Collection. Try your own search, or expand to include all of the library’s collections.

Newspapers and Journals

Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia Directory of Members
Directory of B.C. book publishers provided by the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia.

Books in Print
Publishers catalogues from Canadian literary press, Coach House Press.

Directory of Small Press/Mag Editors and Publishers
Directories of small presses, little magazines, and underground literature from Dustbooks press.

Directory of Poetry Publishers
Directories of poetry and verse publishers from Dustbooks press.

reVision
Directory of Kootenay publishers provided by Selkirk College in 1988.

The Literary Press Group Catalogue
Publishers catalogue from the association of Canadian literary book publishers, Literary Press Group.

Publishing and small press research guide: Special Collections and Rare Books

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