Nearly 30,000 students, researchers and history buffs looking for information about people and places in Coquitlam flocked to the city’s online archives last year.
According to a 2024 report from archivist Jamie Sanford that went before the city’s committee last week, the Quest digital platform saw a 55 per cent uptick in its page views over 2023.
And many of the online eyes came from outside of Canada to look at historical images and records, including from the United States, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Ireland, Philippines, Australia and Japan.
As well, archives staff fielded 135 reference requests from the public and civic employees, and welcomed 43 researchers into the archives office — located in the same building as the City Centre branch of the Coquitlam Public Library — to review archival material.
Sanford also told the committee at its Feb. 24 meeting that the archives division took in “a bumper” 15 sets of donations, or fonds, last year, including from:
- Riverview Horticultural Centre Society
- former Coquitlam NDP MLA John Cashore
- former Coquitlam councillor Terry O’Neill
- former Coquitlam MP and MLA Fin Donnelly
- former Coquitlam recreation director Don Cunnings
- ArtsConnect
- Tri-City News (final print and bound volumes from 2023)
In fact, the imminent closure of the News’ online publication was raised at the committee meeting, with Coun. Matt Djonlic pressing Sanford to collect as many community stories and photos as possible from the outlet.
Sanford said interns have been brought in to digitize thousands of the News’ donated photos as part of a multi-year project.
As for 2025, Sanford said his division, which includes archives and records officers Leah Rae and Kristin Simmons, will focus on growing acquisitions, arranging and describing archival holdings, producing online historical exhibits and increasing the archives’ social media presence.
Started 11 years ago by archivist Emily Lonie, under the leadership of city clerk Jay Gilbert, the Coquitlam Archives has a mandate to preserve and make records accessible.
Do you have photos or archival material to donate to the Coquitlam Archives? Call 604-927-3900 or email [email protected]. The Coquitlam Archives’ reference room at 1171 Pinetree Way is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.; it is also open by appointment Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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