About Archives and Special Collections

The Archives and Special Collections (ASC) Team is committed to acquiring, preserving, and providing access to select special collections and archives, including rare and unique materials in all media formats, to support the teaching and research missions of the University. It also supports the records management operations of the University, including preserving and providing access to University records of enduring value. While the primary focus is on facilitating research by undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, and external scholars, as well as documenting the history of the University, it also engages with and welcomes use of the archives and special collections by members of the broader community.

For general inquiries, email archives.services@uwo.ca or call 519-661-4046 (or ext. 84046). 

Archival Records

Archives includes all fonds and collections, including both university and private records, but not rare books, local history monographs, and maps – see “Special Collections” below. Current areas of strength for archival records include:

Archivists are responsible for all aspects of archival practice including: acquisition and appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, reference service and research consultations, instruction and outreach.

For more information about specific fonds and collections held by the archives, see Finding Archival Material.

Special Collections

The James Alexander and Ellen Rea Benson Special Collections include rare books, monographs, and serials with a particular emphasis on the history of southwestern Ontario, particularly London and Middlesex County, the history of science and medicine, Canadian literature and history, Ontario private and small presses, Canadian travel and voyages, Ontario textbooks, the history of aviation, and Milton and Miltoniana. Major collections include:

Named Special Collections

  • The Dr. James Good Collection of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  • The G. William Stuart Jr. Collection of Milton and Miltoniana
  • The Hannah Collection on the History of Science and Medicine
  • The Beatrice Hitchins Memorial Collection of Aviation History
  • The J.J. Talman Regional Collection
  • The H.G. Wells Collection
  • The Dr. Eddy Smet Collection of Comic Books

Other Special Collections of Note

  • Canadian Voyages and Exploration to 1900
  • Shakespeare and Shakespeariana
  • Canadian Black History and Abolitionism
  • Walt Whitman
  • Canadian Poetry
  • Medieval Manuscripts
  • The John Davis Barnett Incunabula
  • Mini Book Collection
  • Small press publications

The Serge A. Sauer Map Collection provides a comprehensive print and digital collection of world-wide coverage comprised of general and thematic, small and large scale maps; national, provincial or state, regional, and thematic atlases and related geographical materials. However, emphasis is placed on Canada, particularly Ontario and the Great Lakes. Although the main prominence is on contemporary publications, material portraying historical periods is also collected as appropriate. In addition to the large collection of maps (approximately 230,000 sheets) there are: atlases, air photos, and globes (various Earth, Moon, and other planets). While English is the primary language of the collection, maps and atlases are produced in the national language(s) of the countries in which they are published, so many languages are collected.