Indigenous Research
The Explore History portal offers coverage of many topics, with access to original documents such as photos, maps and newspapers. One of its featured collections is the Indigenous Peoples of North America
Frontier Life
Original source material covering 1650 to 1920, including access to maps, photos and diaries. Some coverage of the Indigenous experience in Canada.
City of Regina Archives 150 Stories Oral History Project
An Oral History Project to support ongoing reconciliation efforts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Visit www.trc.ca and learn about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s findings and the 94 Calls to Action.
Regina Public Library Web Archive Collection
The purpose of our Web Archive collection is to preserve and provide access to web materials that document under-represented and historically significant groups in the city of Regina and the province of Saskatchewan. Find specific content related to Treaty 4 Peoples here
Regina Public Library Reconciliation page
Here you'll find programs, services and resources that support and celebrate Indigenous culture, traditions and histories.
Explore digital services specific to this audience.
Access It For Free With Your Library Card!
FAQs
Why am I not able to borrow books from the Prairie History Room and take them home with me?
The Prairie History Room has a specialized collection of resources that do not circulate. Due to the fragile condition and rarity of many of the items, they could not be easily replaced if they are damaged or are not returned to the Library. To preserve these materials and provide access to them, we must maintain a strict non-circulation policy. Of course, customers are more than welcome to make photocopies of the materials when our locations are open.
Will the Prairie History Room staff photocopy information from books or newspapers (especially obituary or death notices) and then email, fax or mail the articles to me?
No. Due to workload and time commitment, Prairie History Room staff members are unable to photocopy the materials for clients. If you live in Regina, we encourage you to visit the Prairie History Room when our location is open to photocopy the items or to print the articles from the microform reader yourself. If you are a Regina resident and have an active library card, you can access the full print run of the Regina Leader-Post and its predecessor publications from home through ProQuest Newspapers.
If you are not a resident of Regina, you may contact your local public library to request photocopies of death notices published in the newspaper or articles from a book. In some cases, you might be required to pay for the photocopying and/or the postage costs for interlibrary loans. The staff at your local public library will be better able to explain how these charges work as well as the status of your request.
Is the Prairie History Collection catalogued and available online?
Yes. The Library's entire print and microfilm collections are available for searching within the Regina Public Library's online catalogue which can be searched at the top of the page. The only exception are topographical and thematic maps, which can be accessed via the in-house finding aid.
I wish to purchase a book that was published about my small town/village in Saskatchewan but I cannot find a copy anywhere. Would you be willing to sell me your copy from the Prairie History Collection?
No. Most communities only published a small number of their local history books. To purchase your own copy, try contacting the municipality's city hall, local museum or historical society to inquire about the availability of additional copies. Another possible source is to check with used bookstores in the area or with Internet booksellers.
I am told that the Prairie History Room had a collection of historic photographs of Regina. What happened to this collection?
In the early 1990s, the Library made the difficult decision to donate their photographic collection to the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan. It was felt that Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan would be better suited for the handling and long-term preservation of photographic materials than the Library. Since then, this collection has now been donated to the City of Regina Archives. Researchers can access these historical photographs by contacting the City of Regina Archives or view the city's Virtual Archives.
I just finished cleaning out my attic/basement/garage and I found a box of really old books that are in good condition. May I donate them to the Prairie History Room?
Thinking of donating to the library? Why not consider a monetary donation, or a donation of your time as a volunteer?
If you’re considering donating materials (books, DVDs, etc.) to the library, here are some guidelines to help you with the process.
- Materials must be:
- new – published in the last three years;
- not already available from the library;
- in good condition:
- free of mildew, mould, dirt or water damage; and
- free from excessive spine damage, missing pages, or missing covers.
- Media sets must be complete and include the original case art.
With this in mind, we accept:
- books;
- DVDs;
- CDs;
- video games;
- graphic novels; and
- musical instruments (gently used stringed instruments, keyboards, and light percussion)
Ensure each item meets our donation requirements. When in doubt, give only what you would consider as good quality for your own use.
RPL doesn't accept:
- Old materials – older than three years
- materials we deem to be in poor condition;
- DVDs, BluRay, CDs or videogames without their original packaging;
- encyclopedia sets;
- magazines or condensed books; or
- audio cassettes and VHS tapes
Disposal of materials
If you donate materials that are not added to the library's collection, we will dispose of them. Disposal methods include offering materials in a library book sale, donating the materials to a charity, or recycling them. Please do not use the library to get rid of unwanted items - handling and disposing of materials costs RPL money.
The Library is not responsible for informing donors about the outcome of their donations. Nor do we assess the monetary value of, or issue tax receipts for, donated materials.