Fonds consists of correspondence re establishment and premises, 1949-1961; constitution and minutes, 1949-2006; miscellaneous textual items, including poster, blueprint and calendar of community events, 1974-1976; and a sound recording of the Banff Library/Seniors Centre opening ceremony, April 20,…
6 cm of textual records. -- 1 sound recording : audio tape reel; 217cm of unprocessed textual and visual material
History / Biographical
The Banff Public Library, also known as the Banff Library, was initially sponsored by local service groups in various premises, including the Banff Clinic, 1949-1961, a home on the Whyte property, 1961-1967, and in the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation building (now Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies) from 1968-1985. In 1985, the Banff Public Library relocated to the lower floor of the new Banff Library/Seniors Centre, and in 1990 the library came under the jurisdiction of the new Town of Banff.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of correspondence re establishment and premises, 1949-1961; constitution and minutes, 1949-2006; miscellaneous textual items, including poster, blueprint and calendar of community events, 1974-1976; and a sound recording of the Banff Library/Seniors Centre opening ceremony, April 20, 1985.
Unprocessed Includes:
Box 1 consists of Banff Public Library minutes 1949 to 1994
Box 2 consists of Banff Public Library minutes 1995 to 2006
Box 3 consists of: Banff Public Library Needs Assessment, 1987, Banff Public Library Collection Assessment Project January – April 1995, Banff Public Library Renovations 1998, Banff Public Library Bylaws & Policy (1983?), Banff Public Library Plan of Service, By-Laws & Policy (1994?), Banff Public Library Rules & Regulations (1953-54?), George Stacey, Proposed Library Philosophy 1981, and Banff Public Library Goals & Objectives 1998, and Minutes of the Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee.
Also included is Proposed Banff Seniors’s Centre/Library Complex: Proposed Financing and funds, Proposal for Architectural Services, Budget for Construction and Consulting costs, Site Plan.
Documents regarding establishing a Building Committee: Letter from George Stacey, Secretary-Treasurer, Banff Library Board to W. R. Roberge, Chairman, Banff School District No. 102 requesting School District representation on the Building Committee and List of Committee members
Other various documents included are: Library Building Program Checklist, Review and remarks of the Building Committee’s visit to Lacombe, Space & design requirements; Fundraising, Planning, Clippings, One file “Banff Public Library up to 1962 clippings (incl. 1949 & before), Nine files labelled 1990-91, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 containing newspaper clippings, advertisements, and programme posters. Also included: library logo contest c. 1985, One blue receipt book containing receipts for fundraising donations for the new library at 101 Bear St. c. 1982-83, Seniors’ Centre: Plans, Anticipated Needs and Suggestions, Library Citizen Survey, and Space Plan April 1981
Leasehold Correspondence
Letter; E. J. Hart, Administrator, Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation to George Stacey, Secretary/Treasurer Banff Library Board
Letter; George Stacey, Secretary/Treasurer Banff Library Board to Cliff White, President, Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation
Letter; Lee Racine, Building and Development Officer, Parks Canada, Banff Township Office to Patricia Langridge, Chairperson Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee
Letter; Patricia Langridge, Chairperson Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee to Mr. Tom Ross, Acting Superintendent, Banff National Park
Letter; E. J. Hart, Administrator, Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation to Patricia Langridge, Chairperson Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee
Letter: Patricia E. McNamee, Librarian/Secretary/Treasurer, Banff Public Library to Patricia Langridge, Chairperson Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee
Letter: Patricia E. McNamee, Librarian/Secretary/Treasurer, Banff Public Library to Patricia Langridge, Chairperson Banff Library/Seniors’ Centre Building Committee
Box 4
Two small green photograph albums
Banff Public Library 1984-1989
Banff Public Library 2003-2007 Programming, staff events, renovations
Fourteen photos mounted on foam core with a sheet of paper describing the images. Copied and mounted by Chic Scott for a library celebration c. 2005.
Box 5
Two guest books containing visitor comments from 1999 and 2000
One file of negatives – ca. 1970? to 2000? and 1 CD-R disc containing 109 J-PEG photos dating 2000-2007
One VHS containing the Much Music Snowjob event, March 1995 containing a segment filmed in the library (staff Margaret Watson & Max Elliott).
Special program event posters
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, …
ca. 7.9 metres of textual records -- ca. 274 maps -- 29 VHS tapes -- ca.15 discs with digital files -- 21 cassettes -- photographs -- oversized materials -- USB stick with 15 sldeshows
History / Biographical
Ben Gadd (1946-) is a retired naturalist, guide, geologist, instructor, freelance writer and award-winning author based in the Canadian Rockies.
Ben was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1946. He met his wife, Cia (Langdon) Gadd at Colorado College in 1965, and the couple married four weeks later. Ben and Cia had two sons, Will and Toby. Ben and his family relocated to Jasper in the late 1960s. Ben later attended the University of Lethbridge and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science in 1972.
Between 1976 and 1980, Ben taught classes at Mount Royal College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology; he later taught additional classes at Grant MacEwan College and Lakeland College. From 1981, Ben also worked as a seasonal naturalist/guide for Parks Canada. Ben left Parks Canada in 1985 to start an independent naturalist guiding business with Cia based in Jasper and other parts of the Canadian Rockies, which the couple continued to operate for over two decades.
Ben published his best-known work, "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies", through his publishing company Corax Press in 1986. The second edition of "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies" received multiple awards after its release in 1995. Ben's fiction book, "Raven's End" won the title of Best Canadian Rockies Book at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2001 and became a Canadian bestseller. Overall, Ben has authored or co-authored 11 books and received nearly one dozen awards for his achievements as a writer, researcher and guide.
Ben continued to lead guided hikes and school programs until his retirement in 2016.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, video and sound recordings, and other related material. Materials donated in 2024 include one USB stick containing
Notes
Ben Gadd fonds arrangement:
Series I : Personal records
- Subseries A : Travel guides and maps
- Subseries B : Education and early writings
- Subseries C : Personal interest files
- Subseries D : Other personal and collected
Series II : Research and publication records
- Subseries A : Handbook of the Canadian Rockies
- Subseries B : Other publications
Series III : Professional records
- Subseries A : Parks Canada Records
- Subseries B : Interpretive guiding
- Subseries C : Teaching records
- Subseries D : Other contracts and projects
Series IV : Legal and financial records
- Subseries A : Legal records
- Subseries B : Financial records
File consists of collected articles, notes and correspondence compiled by Ben Gadd for use in the creation of a Burgess Shale exhibit for Parks Canada.
File consists of collected articles, notes and correspondence compiled by Ben Gadd for use in the creation of a Burgess Shale exhibit for Parks Canada.
Notes
Some materials in file include annotations by Ben Gadd
File consists of a contract and documents outlining general conditions of employment sent to Ben Gadd on behalf of Parks Canada. Documents pertain to terms and conditions of employment for a Burgess Shale exhibit project which Ben Gadd worked on in 2009.
File consists of a contract and documents outlining general conditions of employment sent to Ben Gadd on behalf of Parks Canada. Documents pertain to terms and conditions of employment for a Burgess Shale exhibit project which Ben Gadd worked on in 2009.
File consists of design plans, an interpretive outline and an exhibit storyline draft pertaining to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed by Parks Canada. Materials were collected by Ben Gadd, as part of a work contract to assist with research and text writing for the exh…
File consists of design plans, an interpretive outline and an exhibit storyline draft pertaining to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed by Parks Canada. Materials were collected by Ben Gadd, as part of a work contract to assist with research and text writing for the exhibit.
File consists of two annotated copies of a text draft produced by Ben Gadd as part of a work contract with Parks Canada. Content pertains to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed in 2009. File includes one unedited draft with an attached letter from Ben Gadd to Jenny Klaf…
File consists of two annotated copies of a text draft produced by Ben Gadd as part of a work contract with Parks Canada. Content pertains to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed in 2009. File includes one unedited draft with an attached letter from Ben Gadd to Jenny Klafki, and one draft with edits by Parks Canada staff [possibly Jenny Klafki].
File consists of four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Produced by CFRN, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Date Range
1985-1986
[ca.1990-2000]
1993
1995
Physical Description
4 VHS tapes
Scope & Content
File consists of four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Notes
Individual contents in file:
V810 / III / / D / NV - 2 : "Cadomin Cave, June 1985 (CFRN TV clip, with Fred Kazakoff + [A?] Watson"; "Maligne Canyon, 23 [February] 86 (CBC clip, with Ted Barrus + Lee MacKenzie)"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 3 : "CBC News 6/2/93 6 PM"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 4 : "Great Albertans - Ben Gadd" [CFRN Television, October 4, 1995]
V810 / III / / D / NV - 5 : "Ben on CBC TV news re: Maligne Canyon Teahouse" [n.d., ca.1990-2000]