Papal bull of Pope Innocent IV

More excitement at RBSC over the last few weeks! An extraordinary Papal document that’s nearly 800 years old has come to UBC Library and promises to be a valuable teaching and research tool. The legal decree, called a Papal bull, was written in 1245 and issued in Latin by Pope Innocent IV to the Italian convent of San Michele in Trento. It features the signatures of the Pope and 13 cardinals (including future pope Nicholas III)! Not surprisingly, we’ve been pretty excited about the new acquisition, and so has the media. Here’s a little Papal bull media roundup for your Tuesday morning enjoyment:

• MetroNews Vancouver, “UBC acquires 800-year-old papal document,” (Jan. 29)
• City TV Breakfast Television (Video), “UBC houses ancient document,” (Jan. 29)
• CTV News, “UBC library obtains 770-year-old Medieval religious document,” (Feb. 4)
• Brampton Guardian, “UBC unveils newly acquired 770-year-old document,” (Feb. 4)
• The Province, “Medieval religious document from 1245 added to UBC library collection,” (Feb. 4)
• Toronto Sun, “UBC gets 770-year-old medieval papal decree,” (Feb. 4)
• Toronto Star (Video), “UBC unveils religious document issued by Pope in 1245,” (Feb. 4)
• Globe and Mail (Video), “UBC unveils religious document issued by Pope in 1245,” (Feb. 4)
• Vernon Morning Star, “UBC unveils newly acquired 770-year-old document,” (Feb. 4)
• GlobalNews BC (Video), “UBC unveils newly acquired 770-year-old document,” (Feb. 4)
• Vancouver Sun, “Medieval religious document from 1245 added to UBC library collection,” (Feb. 4)
• Huffington Post (BC), “UBC Library Obtains Medieval Religious Document From 1245,” (Feb. 4)

Des Grieux : The Prelude to “Teleny”

It’s been exciting times here at Rare Books and Collections! With the help of PhD candidate Justin O’Hearn, RBSC has scored a coup by acquiring two exceptional examples of early gay literature, Teleny, or, The Reverse of the Medal and Des Grieux: The Prelude to “Teleny,” that share a connection with famed Victorian author Oscar Wilde. We’ve been very lucky that a number of media outlets have picked up the story of this amazing acquisition. Here’s a little media roundup for your reading, watching, and listening pleasure:

• MetroNews Vancouver, “Student’s crowd funding campaign helps UBC secure two historical novels,” (Jan. 13)
• CBC News, “UBC acquires rare, gay books with unproven links to Oscar Wilde,” (Jan. 13)
• CBC Radio One, On the Coast with Stephen Quinn, (Jan. 13) begins at 7:41
• Publishers Weekly, “Canadian University Acquires Novels With Oscar Wilde Link,” (Jan. 14)
• Georgia Straight, “UBC Library acquires two rare historic gay novels linked to Oscar Wilde,” (Jan. 14)
• American Research Libraries news, “U British Columbia Library Acquires Rare Wilde Books with Crowdfunding Assistance,” (Jan. 14)
• Global News, BC, “UBC Library acquires two rare historic gay novels,” (Jan. 15)
• The Guardian, “Gay erotic novel linked to Oscar Wilde bought after Kickstarter campaign,” (Jan. 19)

Charles Spring

Last summer, we processed a very interesting new fonds here at RBSC. The Charles E. Spring (1859-1938) fonds provides great insight into the sealing industry of British Columbia in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, as well as the on-going campaign of one man to receive restitution for the loss of his business. The son of a pioneering sealer and trader in British Columbia, Spring was educated in Victoria and worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company before taking over the family sealing business at the age of 24 upon the death of his father. Spring’s business suffered when, in 1885, United States cutters began seizing vessels caught sealing in the North Pacific in order to protect their sealing interests in Alaska. Later, in order to ease tensions between the United States and Great Britain over the Bering Sea controversy, a temporary agreement (the “Modus Vivendi”) prohibiting pelagic sealing in the Bering Sea was put in place for the 1891-1892 and 1892-1893 seasons. The resulting loss of revenue financially ruined Spring. Although Spring received a settlement for financial losses caused by the seizure of one of his ships and the “Modus Vivendi” during the 1891-1892 season, he continued to pursue claims for losses suffered due to the extension of the “Modus Vivendi” during the 1892-1893 season. He also became an active spokesman for other sealers in their claims.

Coasting license for the S.S. Mist

The Charles E. Spring fonds contains records spanning the period 1888-1937 relating to the sealing industry and Spring’s claims for financial losses. A number of items from the Charles E. Spring fonds have been digitized and are now available through the Adam Matthew research database “China, America and the Pacific: Trade and Cultural Exchange”. The database is available to UBC students and faculty with a campus-wide login, or to the larger community by visiting a UBC Library and logging on to a UBC networked computer. Database users will be able to view high-resolution scans of a number of items from the Charles E. Spring fonds, including the ledgers of several schooners, crew agreements, petitions, memoranda and memorials, correspondence, court papers, log books, photographs, and more. We’re so happy to be able to share these materials and this fascinating look into B.C.’s sealing industry with all of you.