Encyklopedia Polskiej Emigracji i Polonii

The University of Manitoba Libraries has purchased the Encyklopedia polskiej emigracji i Polonii = The Encyclopedia of Polish Emigration and Polonia, through the generosity of the Margaret and William Stobie Library Fund. This 5-volume set is edited by Polish academic Kazimierz Doperiala, and published by Oficyna Wydawnicza Kucharski, in Torun, Poland. The coverage is mostly of individuals living outside of Poland from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, -- with a significant number of Polish Canadian and Polish American entries. It is one of the first such publications to cover the Polish diaspora in such detail, and as such is an important reference resource.

The information rich 5-volume set is available in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Slavic Collection's Reference section, under the call number: Slav Ref DK 4122 E53 2003 t. 1-5.

Visit to the U of M Archives by the Czech Ambassador

From left to right: Dr. Karel Zebrakovsky, Ms. Vladimira Zvonik, Mr. Brian Hubner; Mr. James Kominowski, and Dr. Eva Sailerova

On Monday, June 7, 2010, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Canada, His Excellency, Dr. Karel Zebrakovsky, visited the U of M Archives & Special Collections. He was accompanied by Dr. Eva Sailerova (U of M Environmental Health and Safety), President of the Czech and Slovak Association of Canada. To greet the the ambassador, were Mr. Brian Hubner (Aquisition and Access Archivist), Mr. James Kominowski (Slavic Librarian/ Archivist), and Ms. Vladimira Zvonik (Slavic Collection and U of M Archives).

Dr. Zebrakovsky was shown a display (created by Vladimira Zvonik), of publications and other ephemera material devoted to the famous local Czech immigrant, Franciszek Dojacek. Mr. Dojacek was an entrepeneur who owned an ethnic printing and publishing house at the turn of the 20th century, and later a mail order business and a music supply store. His business was geared towards the early Central and East European immigrants: the Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, Finns, Croatians, and others. Later he expanded his business from Winnipeg, and opened stores in Edmonton, Regina and Vanouver.

Dr Zebrakovsky also examined Czech language material held in the Archives' Rare Book Room, and the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Slavic Collection. In addition, he was shown material from the Hallama Family fonds. The Hallama family were Czech immigrants who settled near Grande Point, Manitoba, and were the first family in the area to own a seed drill and a gasoline tractor.

New Journal Subscription to Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema

The University of Manitoba Libraries has purchased a subscription (in electronic format) to the journal, Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema. This new journal subscription will benefit those students, faculty and researchers in Slavic Studies and/ or Film Studies. The purchase of this subscription is made possible through the J.B. Rydnyckyj Endowment Fund.

Published by Intellect Ltd.(UK), Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema, looks at Pre-Soviet, Soviet and Post-Soviet Film. This refereed journal is published 3 times annually in English, -- whose aim is to study the historical aspects of Russian film, as well as focus on the various personalities (past and present) that comprise the world of Russian cinema, including: individual actors, directors, and producers. In addition, there will articles analyzing archival film documents, and a book review section on recent publications on Russian cinema.

Russian Archives Online

Russian Archives Online (RAO) is a digital project of Archives Media Project (AMP), -- a joint venture of Abamedia, and the Russian non-profit Film and Computer World (KIKOM), in cooperation with the Russian State Film and Photo Archives at Krasnogorsk (RGAKFD). AMP is currently creating a digital catalogue of the Krasnogorsk Archives' holdings for the year 1938, focusing on its film and photograph collection. Additional galleries within this site include: Yuri Gagarin: His Life in Photos; Soviet Propaganda Posters; the Romanov Album; and Sergei Eisenstein. One may also view various videos, including: A Look Inside the Krasnogorsk Archives; Soviet Women's Athletic Awards Ceremony; the Soviet Olympic Hockey Team; and the First Soviet Woman in Space.

A recent project completed by RAO is The Khrushchev Years, which was jointly created by Abamedia and the University of Texas at Austin, -- with funding made available through the Carnegie Foundation in New York. The multimudia project, The Khrushchev Years, is currently available in Russian, but will soon be completely translated into English.

The University of Manitoba’s Archives & Special Collections is now on Twitter; and the Elizabeth Dafoe Library has arrived on Facebook.

The University of Manitoba’s Archives & Special Collections is now on Twitter; and the Elizabeth Dafoe Library has arrived on Facebook.

To read about the recent happenings at the Archives in terms of new acquisitions, collections, newly uploaded descriptions, new digital collections, and events, -- Please follow the Archives' tweets by signing up at the U of M's Archives' Twitter page.


Also, become a fan of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library’s Facebook page. See what is happening at the U of M’s Fort Garry’s Campus’s largest unit library, that serves the needs of the Faculties of Arts; Education; Environment, Earth, and Resources; Human Ecology; Kinesiology and Recreation Management; Nursing, and Social Work.

Kino - The Polish Cinema Journal

The University of Manitoba Libraries has purchased a subscription to the the Polish Cinema periodical titled, Kino. It is housed in the Slavic Collection under the call number Slav PN 1993 K475 , -- with the most current year shelved in the Slavic Collection's Current Periodical section.

This monthy periodical published in Warsaw by Wydawnictwo Czasopism RSW "Prasa-Książka-Ruch", covers current Polish cinema, as well as commentaries on films produced internationally. Kino will support the Polish Civilization course that is taught through the U of M's Department of German & Slavic Studies.