Search the collection

You can search the collection at any time via our Online Collections Portal and our Digital Exhibition sites. If you have any questions about either site, please contact Queeries.

For more information about what types of collections we have, visit Our Collections page.

Book your Appointment

Research visits are scheduled by appointment so staff can help identify materials and have them ready when you arrive. You do not need to be an academic or professional researcher to use The ArQuives. Students, artists, writers, filmmakers, family historians, community members, and curious visitors are welcome.

If you’d like to request materials for your in-person research, please contact Queeries to schedule a time to come in.

Our appointment hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 11-4:30 pm and on Wednesday evenings, 5-8 pm.

Our staff will be in touch about your request and help you set up an appointment to view the material.

What to learn more about what a research visit is like? Contact Queeries — we are happy to help you get started.

Once you have your appointment set, learn more about visiting the space here.

Accessibility

Masks are optional at The ArQuives. We encourage visitors, researchers, volunteers, and staff to make the choice that best supports their health and comfort. Masks will continue to be available onsite. Visitors are asked to help keep the space respectful and accessible for people with different health needs.

Research Fees

The ArQuives rates for research and reproduction can be found here.

Reading Room Rules

You can find a copy of our Reading Room Rules here.

Deep Storage

Some materials are stored off-site so The ArQuives can preserve more of the collection safely. These materials are still available for research, but require extra time and handling. Some of our collection are housed in a deep storage facility, including our fiction collection, digitized periodicals, T-shirts, and a handful of personal and organizational records (or fonds). Our Reference Archivist will notify you if you’ve selected materials that are housed in deep storage. These records are accessible; however, The ArQuives:

  • needs at least two weeks’ notice (10 business days) for retrieval
  • charges a $60 Document Retrieval fee payable online by selecting “retrieval of any materials stored off-site.”

Audiovisual Collections

Remote Researcher Services

The ArQuives offers a remote researcher service for a fee of $50/hour to be paid in advance. This service involves speaking to a reference archivist at queeries@arquives.ca and selecting materials you’d like looked at in your stead by an archivist through our Online Collection Portal. The archivist may direct you elsewhere should they know of a more efficient or effective resource.

Materials that have been deemed helpful through conferring together, will either be emailed to you or summarized should that suffice.

Remote research depends on staff availability, complexity of the question, and amount of material involved. We will confirm scope, fee, and timeline before beginning. Because archival research takes care and time, we usually cannot accommodate urgent requests.

Become a Member

There are three ways to become a member of The ArQuives! By making a financial donation, donating your records, or volunteering!