Collaboratorium, The - Community Engaged Research

The UFV Library Heritage Collection boasts the most complete print run known to exist of the Abbotsford, Sumas and Matsqui News: 1922-1983. With funding from the BCHDP, the Library has digitized the 1922-1946 years of the newspaper and mad the content freely and openly available online.

The Abbotsford, Sumas and Matsqui News was the only Abbotsford area newspaper from 1922 until the mid-1980s, and is the successor to the Abbotsford Post (1906-1924). It constitutes an invaluable record of the Abbotsford area’s cultural history. Detailed articles illuminate historical local perspectives on provincial, federal, and international events and issues, as well as the usual information of birth and marriage announcements, obituaries, and local current events. The newspaper's coverage of local current events also trace the history of community development through information about local businesses, advertisements, infrastructure projects, city and district annual reports, and many other historical events. As such, the rich content of the Abbotsford, Sumas and Matsqui News can be considered a singular resource for local Abbotsford history.

The 1910-1924 years of the Abbotsford Post have been digitised as part of the UBC Historical Newspapers project, and is available online:

The Heritage Collection has bound copies of the Chilliwack Progress. These are currently covered with bubble wrap, so library patrons will be asked to use the microfilm copies of the Progress. The microfilms will be transferred from Chilliwack to Abbotsford.

In cases where an issue is not available via microfilm, then access to the bound newspaper is permitted. Depending on the fragility of the bound copies, users should use gloves. See the tab About the Collection for handling instructions.

See the tab Local Archives to find where there are archival holdings of other local newspapers.

The Chilliwack Museum and Archives have digitized most of the Chilliwack Progress.  Use the link below to access this resource:

Microforms consist of microfilm reels and microfiche slides, both of which are micro reproductions of the original print material. Microform reproductions are made in cases where the original materials are or will become too fragile to handle, such as newspapers, which are printed on poor quality paper. 

A combination reader/printer machine will allow you to view and print sections of the newspaper from the microfilm version. There is a machine in both the Abbotsford and Chilliwack library locations.

If you are unfamiliar with the use of microform materials, please ask for assistance.

Use research databases to search for both contemporary and historical newspaper articles. Databases can be accessed from off campus by current UFV students and employees.