Special Library Collections in Social Anthropology, Ethnology and Cultural History

The library of the University of Aberdeen is fortunate to have a rich collection of classic works in ethnology and early exploration literature covering all regions of the world touched by the Scottish diaspora. This antiquarian collection has recently been supplemented by several recent purchases. These materials are on the University of Aberdeen library catalogue

The Anthropology of the Canadian North

A Library Support Program grant was made in 2001 by the Canadian High Commission to assist with the purchase of monographs relating to the Anthropology of the Canadian North. The grant was used to purchase a series of ethnographic and historic accounts of Canadians from McGill-Queen's University Press and Memorial University Press, as well as to purchase the renowned Mercury series from the Canadian Museum of Civilisation.


The History of Siberian, Scandinavian and North American Ethnography

In 2001 the John & Dorothy Macdonald Bequest enabled the acquisition of a unique microform archive of 19th century travel and scientific accounts. The "Sibirica" collection from IDC publishers provides the library with a collection of classic Siberianist monographs and as well as complete press runs of 19th Century and early 20th century ethnographic journals. The same bequest also enabled the library to supplement its collection of first editions of arctic exploration literature with IDC's "Native North America" and "Arctica" microfilm collection. The "Arctica" collection also contains a good list of Scandinavian historical ethnographies. This collections makes rare volumes easily accessible to students and supplements the library's collection with several new volumes. The University of Aberdeen is the only UK location for these special collections.

The holdings of two of these collections can be searched by using the keywords 'Arctica' or 'Native North America' in the "Series title" field of the library database.

pic: reindeer sledgeThe holdings of the Sibirica collection are still being catalogued. Links to a working catalogue are below.