Books - new, old and create your own

I want to bring your attention to the 19th Annual Book Fair sponsored by the Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society. It will take place Saturday, November 14th, from 9:30 am to 3 pm at St. James United Church in Waterdown (306 Parkside Drive). You will be able to buy new and used books, antiquarian books, genealogy supplies, and meet local authors. Several new local history books will be available - these kind of publications are often very hard to find. Of special interest to the family researcher is a 1 hour seminar at 10:30 am given by Rick Roberts of Global Genealogy - it is called "Publishing a Local or Family History: Six Steps to Success". I will be marking it on my calendar - maybe I'll see you there.

When is a book more fun than the computer?

Just the other day the library received a donation of a copy of the 1877 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Halton. Although the library already owns several copies, (including an original 1877 copy signed by the first Reeve of Wellington Square), I was excited to accept it. Researchers love using these wonderful oversized books. They exist for all counties of Ontario, but I think what really makes them special is how visual they are - you can see the landowners names on the allotments. In addition, the atlases contain county histories, and include sketchings of important local sites and persons (read, those local folk who financially subscribed to the publication of the atlas). Yes you can access these atlases online (go to The Canadian Atlas Digital Project). Nothing beats using the print copies though. Next time you are in the Burlington Central library ask us to show them to you. You won't be disappointed.

A new blog in town

As a blogger of things heritage in Burlington, I am especially interested in the newly developed Burlington Historical Society Archives Blog. As the archivist writes "here you'll find news about what is going on in the Archives, new additions to our collection, and special events." I find the blog postings on new acquisitions especially interesting. For example, the BHS archives just received the original minute book for the Nelson Township Council, dating from the first meeting in 1836 up until 1864. Congratulations to the BHS archives on a great new blog. You can link to it from this blog - see Links You'll Like.