We’re pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for Canadian archives, libraries, museums, and other memory institutions to take part in a digitization initiative focused on the Arctic Circumpolar region.
With funding from the Rasmuson Foundation, this project supports the digitization of primarily textual collections (including ephemera), to preserve and share materials connected to the Arctic Circumpolar region and broader Northern histories.
The project focuses on digitizing primarily textual collections, including ephemera, related to:
- The Arctic and Circumpolar regions
- Canadiana and Northern regional histories
- The fur trade, including materials tied to voyageurs and trade routes extending into Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
- Canadian railroad history, especially involving northern expansion and infrastructure
- First Nations cultures and histories, with particular attention to the North and the Northwest Coast (British Columbia)
Digitization work will be carried out by Internet Archive Canada at its Toronto digitization centre. Participating institutions will receive complete digital copies of all materials processed.
Access, Reuse & Visibility
All digitized content will be made openly available on archive.org, and featured on a dedicated portal for Arctic and Northern materials: circumpolarnavigator.org.
All funded projects must be completed by October 2026.
How to Participate
If your organization holds collections that align with this initiative, you’re invited to get involved (by December 31, 2025):
- Submit a digitization inquiry form:
https://digitization.archive.org/contact-us/ - Or express interest directly by emailing loren@archive.org
This initiative presents an opportunity to surface and share the stories, histories, and cultural heritage of Canada’s northern regions. We look forward to collaborating with institutions across the country to broaden access to these vital collections.