The Sexton Library has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Canada Council for the Arts for a project to digitize the Journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Produced from 1924 through 1974, the journal (later titled the RAIC Journal) offers a crucial documentary history of the development of architecture and architectural practice in Canada, which is of broad relevance in Canadian culture, particularly to architectural historians and to heritage practitioners. As well, this history speaks to a critical period in the development of Canadian culture and self-awareness, from the Great War memorials, through the Massey Commission era and Expo ’67, and to the OPEC oil crisis.  This 50-year period culminates with the emergence of ecologically oriented design and consciousness of Canada’s built heritage.

The outcome of the project will be the creation of an Open Access non-commercial repository of digital scans of all issues of the RAIC Journal from 1924 through 1974, along with the individual volume indices. The primary goal of the project is to enable broad and easy access for scholars and design enthusiasts to primary source material on 20th century Canadian architecture.

Congratulations to the successful project team, a partnership of librarians and architects:

Helen Powell, Sexton Librarian, Dalhousie University, Halifax – Principal Investigator
Allison Fulford, Sexton Library, Dalhousie University, Halifax – Project Manager
Steven Mannell, NSAA, MRAIC – Dalhousie University, Halifax – Principal Project Advisor
Bernard Flaman, SAA, MRAIC – PWGSC, Regina – Project Advisor
Marco L. Polo, OAA, FRAIC – Ryerson University, Toronto – Project Advisor, Liaison with RAIC