Toronto’s Caravan: Civic Belonging and Spectacle in a Bygone Age of Multiculturalism
Using Archives
Please consult “Archives and Special Collections” (PPTX file).
Roma Kail (Head, Reader Services) created this presentaion.
Digital Archives
Toronto Public Library Digital Archive
A selection of over fifty photographs from the Toronto Star, taken between the 1970s and the 1990s, depicting various costumes, food, activities, arts and crafts displayed at Caravan over the decades.
The Canadian Polish Research Institute
Digitized issues of two Polish language periodicals published in Canada. It is possible to browse different issues by the date of publication, but the option to search the content by keyword is not available.
- Echo. Niezależny Tygodnik Polski, a weekly magazine: January 3, 1991–December 29, 1992
- Związkowiec, a biweekly newspaper: January 1982–December 1985.
Municipal, Local & Community Archives
Please consult the web site of each institution for the hours of operations, directions, and information on requesting and consulting the collections.
Located at 255 Spadina Road, the municipal archives collect, preserve and make accessible photographs, correspondence, manuscripts, maps, plans and architectural drawings, documents the created by the City of Toronto government, and personal papers of people, families, organizations and businesses, and other types of records.
Chinese Canadian Archive (Toronto Public Library)
An archival collection documenting the experiences of Chinese settles in Canada. The collection was jointly established by librarian Suk Yin Ng in collaboration with the Canadian-Chinese community in 2016.
Please contact Suk Yin Ng, Chinese-Canadian Archive Project Services Specialist at the Toronto Public Library to learn more about the collection: sng@torontopubliclibrary.ca.
An exhibition on the fifth floor of the library include artifacts from the archive that represent the daily life of Toronto’s Chinese-Canadian citizens.
The archives, headquartered at 4600 Bathurst Street, acquires, preserves and makes available documentary sources related to Ontario’s Jewish community: textual records, historic photographs documenting Jewish life across the province, oral histories, films (dating from the 1920s to the present), blueprints and architectural drawings created by Ontario’s most notable Jewish architects, artifacts, and other records.
Multicultural History Society of Ontario
Located at 901 Lawrence Avenue West (Suite 307), the mission of the MHSO archives is to collect and preserve archival materials related to the histories of migration and ethnicity: oral testimony, historical photographs, and textual records collections.
Toronto Public Library Special Collections & Rare Books
The Toronto Reference Library and neighbourhood branches of the TPL are home to several archival collections that may contain artifacts associated with Toronto International Caravan.
Provincial Archives
Situated near the campus of York University at 134 Ian MacDonald Boulevard, the archives collects, manages, and preserves the significant records of Ontario and promotes public access to the documentary heritage of the province in a variety of media, from textual records to film, photographs, maps and drawings.
The collections include government documents, private sector records (individuals, businesses, clubs and associations, labour and political organizations), and many other types of materials.
Relevant collection: Multicultural History Society of Ontario fonds (1405).
National Archives
The collections at LAC (housed at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa) represent the shared documentary heritage of all Canadians and spans the entire history of our country. The collection contains materials in all types of formats from across Canada and around the world that are of interest to Canadians. Books, government publications, photographs, audio-visual materials, and other kinds of records are preserved at the national archives.
Relevant collection: Leon Kossar fonds (R10467).
Additional Archives, Heritage Organizations, and Museums
Multicultural History Society of Ontario maintains a list of heritage institutions that may have additional records on Toronto International Caravan.
Associations Canada (39th edition, published in 2018) is an online directory of non-profit sector, covering Canadian organizations and international groups including industry, commercial and professional associations, registered charities, special interest and common interest organizations.
Many local cultural associations may have archives that are not listed on the MHSO web site.
created by: Agatha Barc | updated: 24 May 2018