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Victoriana Collection

About the Collection

The Victoriana collection is a collection of published materials and documents relating to the history and activities of Victoria University. It contains more than 250 titles and includes books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and other documents.

Most of the collection is located in our closed stacks and is available for on-site viewing from 9am until 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Researchers must submit a retrieval request to see most material. Retrievals take place at 10am, 1pm and 3pm Monday to Friday.

Additionally, microfiche copies of Acta Victoriana and its Index are located in the reference stacks at Pratt Library. Microform readers are available on-site. Duplicate copies of some items can also be found in the circulating stacks at Pratt. Exact locations are given in the library catalogue.

Searching the Collection

All titles are listed in the University of Toronto Library catalogue. They can be searched by using the "Advanced Search" of the Old Library Catalogue: select the Library as "Victoria University E.J. Pratt Library" and then the Location as "Victoria (Pratt) Victoriana Collection."

Highlights

Published Histories on Victoria

Biographies of Victorians

 Newspapers, journals and magazines

Title Description Year
*Followed by the Varsity Graduate (1948-1967 intermittent), University of Toronto Graduate (1967-1972), Graduate (1973-1986), University of Toronto Alumni Magazine (1986-1988), University of Toronto Magazine (1988-present) or UofT Magazine (2008-present), which are not in the Victoriana collection, but in the periodical stacks at the E.J. Pratt Library.
Victoria Reports, Vic Report Victoria newsletter/magazine 1951-1972; 1972-present
Acta Victoriana (and Index to 1990) Student literary journal 1878-present
Acta Victoriana (some issues online) Student literary journal (incomplete online coverage)
The Strand Victoria College student newspaper 1955-present
Torontonensis University of Toronto yearbook 1898-1966
Victoriad Victoria yearbook 1978-1994 (incomplete holdings)
Calendar, Victoria University Course calendar and guide 1841-1918
Calendar, Faculty of Theology, Victoria University Course calendar and guide 1908-1927
Calendar, Emmanuel College Course calendar and guide 1928-present
Handbooks, by the Victoria College Union [These are listed individually in the library catalogue] Victoria College guides for students 1964-1968, 1978, 1979
University of Toronto Monthly U of T Alumni magazine 1900-1947*

This is only a sampling of what's available in Victoriana.  Browse the catalogue for more resources.

Other Resources

  • Victoria University Archives
    The Victoria University Archives holds the corporate records of Victoria University, the records of student and alumni groups and personal papers of alumni, faculty and staff.
  • Canadiana
    The Canadiana collection, also part of the E.J. Pratt Library's Special Collections, may also contain materials relating to prominent Victorians and the history of education in Ontario.
  • Other special collections
    The Special Collections at the E.J. Pratt Library also includes the personal papers of many Victoria alumni, faculty and staff, including Northrop Frye, Augusta Stowe-Gullen, E.J. Pratt, A.P. Coleman and Norman Jewison.