Research focuses on Canadian Prairie public and private collections
For release July 14, 2010
Canadian Mennonite University recently hosted a meeting of a unique history research group comprised of scholars from the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Manitoba, and CMU. With a special project of “Mapping the Pages,” the group’s purpose is to bring to light the little-known, unknown, or otherwise surprising medieval and early modern books that are in Canadian Prairie collections, either public or private.
“This group is developing a database that will facilitate the gathering of information about these books as well as their further study,” says CMU Associate Professor of English Paul Dyck. “One of the goals is that book owners will be able to enter information about their own books in the database. We see this is a natural and promising connection between our institutions and the public, and an important way to capture and share information about unique and valuable history resources.”
The project is headed by Sharon Wright of St. Thomas More College, with STMC providing support for travel, meals, and accommodation, and the host institution, CMU, providing meeting space and a luncheon meal. The group held its first meeting last year at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. This second meeting, held June 28 & 29, included trips to the University of Manitoba’s Archives and Special Collections, the Mennonite Heritage Center Archives, and the Hudson’s Bay Archives, as well as to CMU’s letterpress print shop.
2010 meeting participants were Dietrich Bartel (CMU), Sarah Benson (Theological Union, U of S), Paul Dyck (CMU), Frank Klassen (U of S), Shelley Sweeney (U of M), David Watt (U of M), and Sharon Wright (STMC).
Canadian Mennonite University is a Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, offering a broad range of undergraduate degrees and two graduate degree programs. CMU has over 1,800 students, including Menno Simons College and Outtatown students, and is member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) .
For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen
CMU Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621