Three Decades of Publishing: A Guide to the Annual Publications of the Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers

L.J. Evenden, Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University

The Western Division had its start in 1959 as the BC Division when local geographers gathered at the university of British Columbia to present and discuss papers concerning geographical research and education. It is clear from the records of those early meetings that there was concern for geography in the schools as well as in post-secondary education, and teachers as well as planners stayed close to their geographical inspiration at UBC. The second meeting, held in 1960, resolved to publish certain of the papers that has been presented, and thus the Occasional Papers were born. It was common in the early years for a well-known visitor to attend the meetings, and early Occasional Papers carried short works by such scholars as Kenneth Hare and Andrew Clark.

Papers were published by Tantalus, a company formed by Walter Hardwick to provide an outlet for geographical and educational works, especially, but not exclusively, relating to British Columbia. From 1960 to 1990, the BC Geographical Series, published by Tantalus, carried the Occasional Papers with the exception of three years when the Division's papers were published in the University of Victoria's (then) new journal, Western Geographical Series. Papers for 1968, 1969 and 1970 were all published in 1970 in that latter series.During the early 1970s, the Division reorganized itself and expanded to include Alberta as well as BC, at this point becoming the Western Division. Adjacent American states were included as well, and are included to this day.

The Division also developed a formal publication policy, setting up the Occasional Papers as a fully refereed publication in a process overseen by a formally appointed editorial board. Until this time modest financial assistance had been forthcoming from university departments, most particularly UBC as a result of its long-term sponsorship of the Division; but after the development of a formal constitution and editorial policy, the Occasional Papers were largely funded by the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation. This sponsorship terminated after some nine years and since then the Division has had to find ways to self-finance the publication. Although there have been ups and downs in the Division's fortunes, the Occasional Papers have always appeared -- and almost always on time.

Confusion as to how to reference or cite the Papers has been identified from time to time. This stems from the fact that the Occasional Papers were originally a numbered series. But the BC Geographical Series, which published the Occasional Papers on the Division's behalf, carried its own, but separate, numbering system. As the BC Series also produced other materials, in addition to the Occasional Papers, the two series numbers became out of phase at an early stage. In light of this, editors of the Occasional Papers simply dropped their own reference number. Because the BC Geographical Series number continued, however, it became common for citations to omit any reference to the Occasional Papers altogether - a pity for correct referencing and a lost opportunity to highlight the work of the Division. Thus the references that follow in the list below might well be used as a model to give full recognition and correct referencing. Some librarians advise against using any abbreviation for journals because of the many complications that can arise in the world of referencing. Editors sometimes think otherwise. At the end of the 1980s the Division reassessed its publication policy and, under the newly appointed editor, Michael Edgell of the University of Victoria, established Western Geography as the organ of the Division. This new journal succeeded the Occasional Papers, 'overlapping' one more time with the BC Geographical Series which, as issue Number 47, published Western Geography, Volume 1, Number 1 in 1990. Since then Western Geography has appeared annually in its own right and is easily cited in the usual ways. For those wishing to study the geography of the west, or some of the work of geographers in the Division, the Division's Occasional Papers and the new Western Geography provide an interesting source. Librarians have not always chosen to house the BC Geographical Series on the same shelves, however, and so it is often necessary to inform students of the consolidated nature of this source. There are probably more students studying geography at a post-secondary level in the Division than ever before and the importance of this body of work should be recognized. The Occasional Papers, and now Western Geography, represent a body of material that is worth keeping in mind as we seek to add to and pass on geographical understanding from this corner of the world.

Meeting No.	Date of Meeting	Place	Publication
1	1959	University of British Columbia	None
2	1960	University of British Columbia	Canadian Association of Geographers, Division Occasional Papers, Number 1, June 1960. Foreword by J.D. Chapman.
3	1961	University of British Columbia	Occasional Papers, Number 2, June 1961. Foreword by J.K. Stathers.
4	1962	University of British Columbia	Occasional Papers, Number 3, June 1962. Foreword by Walter G. Hardwick.
5	1963	University of British Columbia	Occasional Papers, Number 4, June 1963. Foreword by John K. Stager.
6	1964	University of British Columbia	Papers from British Columbia Meetings, British Columbia 1964. Occasional Papers in Geography Number 6, n.d., edited by Walter G. Hardwick. Foreword by John K. Stager.
7	1965	University of British Columbia	Geographical Dialogue: University Viewpoints for Teachers, BC Geographical Series, Number 3, 1965. Edited by Walter G. Hardwick; Foreword by George S. Tompkins. Comment: Comprising papers from the annual meeting and also a separate, but topically related, seminar sponsored by the UBAC Extension Department.
8	1966	University of British Columbia	The Geographer and the Public British Columbia Environment and other papers on urban growth and structure, BC Geographical Series, Number 7, Occasional Papers in Geography. Edited by Julian V. Minghi. Foreword by Julian V. Minghi.
9	1967	University of British Columbia	Geographical Perspectives: Some British Columbia Northwest Viewpoints BC Geographical Series, Number 8, Occasional Papers in Geography. Edited by George S. Tompkin. Foreword by George S. Tompkins.
10	1968	Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.	Geographica, edited by Harold D. Foster, Western Geographical Series Volume 2, Occasional Papers in Geography 11, 1970. (University of Victoria). Comment: This was the first time in several years that the Occasional Papers were numbered. This volume makes reference (in the acknowledgements) for the first time to the "Western Division".
11	1969	University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.	The Geographer and Society, edited by W.R. Derrick Sewell and Harold D. Foster, Western Geographical Series Volume 1, 1970. Comment: Note that Volume 2 was published before Volume 1 in keeping with the chronological order of the meetings. The Occasional Papers are not mentioned.
12	1970	Western Washington State College	Resources, Recreation and Research, edited by Harold D. Foster and W.R. Derrick Sewell, Western Geographical Series, Volume 3, Occasional Papers in Geography 13, 1970. Comment: This is the last time the Occasional Papers are given a number.
13	1971	University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.	Contemporary Geography Western Viewpoints, edited by Roger Leigh, BC Geographical Series, Number 12, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1971. Contemporary Geography: Research Trends, edited by Roger Leigh, BC Geographical Series, Number 16, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1972. Comment: The Occasional Papers were published in two volumes.
14	1972	Malaspina College, Nanaimo, B.C.	Malaspina Papers:Studies in Human and Physical Geography, edited by Roger Leigh, BC Geographical Series, Number 17, Occasional Papers in Geography
15	1973	Selkirk College, Castlegar, B.C.	The Kootenay Collection of Research Studies in Geography, edited by Brenton M. Barr, BC Geographical Series, Number 18, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1974. Comment: Published with assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
16	1974	University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta	Geography: The Lethbridge Papers, edited by Brenton M. Barr, BC Geographical Series, Number 21, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1975. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
17	1975	Vancouver City College, Langara Campus, Vancouver, B.C.	New Themes in Western Canadian Geography: The Langara Papers, edited by Brenton M. Barr, BC Geographical Series, Number 22, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1976. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
18	1976	University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta	Research Studies by Western Canadian Geographers: The Edmonton Papers, edited by Brenton M. Barr, BC Geographical Series, Number 24, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1977. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
19	1977	Western Washington State College, Bellingham, Washington	The Bellingham Collection of Geographical Studies, edited by M.C. Brown and Graeme Wynn. BC Geographical Studies, Number 27, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1979. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
20	1978	College of New Caledonia, Prince George, B.C.	Geographical Perspective on Western Canada: The Prince George Papers, edited by Brenton M. Barr, B.C. Geographical Series, Number 28, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1979. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation. Note that papers from 1977 and 1978 were both published in 1979.
21	1979	University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta	Contemporary Geography in Western Canada: The Calgary Papers, edited by Nigel M. Waters, BC Geographical Series, Number 29, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1980 Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
22	1980	Malaspina College, Nanaimo, B.C.	Geographical Research in the 1980s: The Nanaimo Papers, edited by Nigel M. Waters, BC Geographical Series, Number 31, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1981. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation.
23	1981	Okanagan College, Kelowna, B.C.	Aspects of Human Geography: The Kelowna Papers, 1981, BC Geographical Series, Number 34, Occasional Papers in Geography 1982. Comment: Published with the assistance of the Senator Norman M. Patterson Foundation. This was the last year of this support.
24	1982	University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta	Current Issues in Canadian Geography: The Lethbridge Papers, 1982, edited by Nigel M. Waters, B.C. Geographical Series, Number 36, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1983.
25	1983	Douglas College, New Westminister, B.C.	Topics in Cartography and Physical and Human Geography: The Douglas College Papers, edited by Nigel M. Waters, BC Geographical Series, Number 40, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1984.
26	1984	Cariboo College, Kamloops, B.C.	Current Research by Western Canadian Geographers: The Cariboo College Papers, 1984, edited by Edgar L. Jackson, BC Geographical Series, Number 41, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1985.
27	1985	University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.	Current Research by Western Canadian Geographers: The University of Victoria Papers, 1985, edited by Edgar L. Jackson, BC Geographical Series, Number 42, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1986.
28	1986	University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta	Current Research by Western Canadian Geographers: The University of Alberta Papers, 1986, edited by Edgar L. Jackson, BC Geographical Series, Number 44, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1987.
29	1987	Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.	Current Research by Western Canadian Geographers: The Simon Fraser University Papers, 1987, edited by Edgar L. Jackson, BC Geographical Series, Number 45, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1987.
30	1988	Selkirk College, Castlegar, B.C.	Occasional Papers in Geography: Castlegar, B.C. Castlegar, 1988, edited by Michael C.R. Edgell, BC Geographical Series, Number 46, Occasional Papers in Geography, 1989.
31	1989	Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat, Alberta	Western Geography, Vol. 1, Number 1, 1990, published as BC Geographical Series, Number 47, 1990.
Comment: Western Geography has published the Division's refereed papers since 1990 as a separate annual journal. The editorial policy has been altered so that papers in addition to those presented at meetings of the Western Division may be submitted. The policy, and authors' instructions are printed in each issue for ready consulation.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Leah Skretkowicz of Kwantlen University College, and former divisional newsletter editor, for kind assistance on details of meeting dates.

Published on the web with the permission of the author, Len Evenden, 13/12/2002