For the past few weeks, our ASTU class have been working very hard on our archives project. It is very inspiring and eye-opening to see all the different approaches in exploring and making these archives that are only available in the Rare Books and Special Collection library at UBC more accessible by the public.
Whilst browsing the UBC student newspaper The Ubyssey a few days ago,I came across an article titled “then and now: photos of UBC’s changing campus” which I found relatable to what we are currently studying in ASTU class. Will McDonald, editor of this article, presented an interactive timeline with images of the UBC campus from as early as 1937 and present-day. McDonald placed two photographs taken at the same location but in different time periods together, and readers can drag the photos across to see the changes that have happened in these places. These photographs from the UBC Library and AMS Archives provide a glimpse of what the physical environment and student life at UBC was like in the 90s. As you can see from the photos, UBC has definitely changed dramatically over the years. I found it interesting to see the expansion and addition of new buildings, such as the clock tower and Buchanan tower (as well as the numerous construction sites on campus). The Student Union building, however, hasn’t changed much over the years. The combination of both historical and modern elements is what makes the UBC campus so special. The visual elements of this article was particularly effective in engaging with the audience and at the same time allowing readers to compare and contrast these differences.
For their archive project, my classmates Michele, Lois, Dora and Henry, who worked on the Chung collection, explored the Yip Sang family’s experience in Canada by looking at language and writing. I really appreciate that they recognized the value of the visual knowledge gap, and provided visual language examples from the copybooks and diaries in their project. As an amateur photographer and a visual learner myself, i found that these visual archives are powerful, alternative means to give voice to the past. I am sure you have all heard the expression: “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Although visual archives are sometimes overlooked, I still find it an incredibly compelling element in this unique story-telling process.