Goal

This archival project tells the story of the College’s founding and its founder, Lester B. Pearson and the impact this had on Canada as a peacekeeping nation as Canada celebrate 150 years in 2017, which also marks the 60th anniversary of Lester B Pearson being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in defusing the 1956 Suez Crisis.

The Project

This project involved key members of the Pearson community from its founding years through to the present. The creation of a digital archive, while a considerable task, benefited significantly from the skills and memories of Marg McAvity, the college’s first and longest-serving librarian, as well as Judy Scott who was the Assistant to the College Director for 30 years. Working with librarian, alumna and resident Dani McArthur (YR6/1981, Canada), library-support students, volunteers including alumnus Adrian Lee (YR1/1976, Canada) and Monique Grenier, an intern on placement from the Masters in Archival Studies program at the University of British Columbia, the Pearson collection and the vast store of archives now housed in the library have been sorted, digitalized and categorized.

This material will be used in the creation of a mobile digital display celebrating Lester B. Pearson and the realization of his dream. This display will then be housed in the Pearson Room on campus, with the intention for ti to be also be available on loan to other libraries, schools  and public centers throughout Victoria and the surrounding areas. The digital display will also be housed online and will be available for downloading onto personal devices.  In this way, from its inception to its eventual use by both institutions and individuals, this educational display created to commemorate the legacy of Lester B. Pearson will be available locally, nationally and internationally.

Acknowledgement

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between the Victoria Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast.

Cette initiative est rendue possible grâce au Fonds communautaire pour le 150e anniversaire du Canada, qui est une collaboration entre le Victoria Foundation, les fondations communautaires canadiennes, le gouvernement du Canada et des leaders extraordinaires de l’Atlantique au Pacifique à l’Arctique.