National Network for Equitable Library Service

Celebrated as the saviour of Upper Canada, Major General Sir Isaac Brock was a charismatic leader who won the respect not only of his own troops, but also of the Shawnee chief Tecumseh and even men among his enemy. His motto could well have been ’speak loud and look big.’ Although this attitude earned him a reputation for brashness, it also enabled his success and propelled him into the significant role he would play in the War of 1812.

Captain Ernest Hartling, born in Spanish Ship Bay, Nova Scotia, in 1906, takes us on a voyage through a life crammed with adventure, colour, and excitement.

Gold. With that one little word and its promise of fabulous wealth, people from all parts of the world came to British Columbia in the 1850s and 1860s. Most were ill equipped for the difficult terrain, the icy water, and the inhospitable climate. Some found the motherlode. Others settled for becoming rich merchants. Most became impoverished, and a large number lost their lives. With new roads and new settlers, the gold rush helped build Canada’s West.

Between France and New France is an absorbing look at life abroad the sailing vessels which plied the North Atlantic during the French colonial era in North America. Focusing on the first half of the eighteenth century and the Seven Years’ War period, this book analyses four major aspects of the crossing: martime traffic and the outfit of vessels; the Atlantic course and navigation; the people and their occupations; and life aboard the ship. Together they present a fascinating view of sea life.

This book is a vivid reminder of the early days of library development in Ontario. The beautiful buildings which still grace Ontario towns and villages, as illustrated, are a part of our provincial heritage. By the turn of the century, a public library was perceived as an important element in the civic fabric of almost every Ontario community. However, the introduction of the Carnegie grants for library buildings gave impetus to the Ontario government programme for library development, and provided a focus for increased support of library services.

Battlefields of Canada encompasses nearly 300 years of history and features sixteen of the most significant Canadian battles as well as some of the most comic or bizarre. Profusely illustrated with sketches, photographs, and detailed maps, each chapter sets the context of the battle in terms of the struggle of which it was part, and then describes the hour-by-hour events. A brief conclusion to each chapter assesses the consequences for the victors and losers, assigning its place in Canadian history.

Mining has played a formative role in the history of Northern Ontario. It has been one of the key generators of wealth in the area since the mid-19th century, and is also responsible for much of the urban development of Ontario's northland. The twelve papers published here came out of the second annual confernce of Northern Ontario research and development held in 1990. The papers are grouped into four sections, the early years; the era of government intervention; the present and finally the future and what can be done to maintain the commnities.

Ask the Grey Sisters: Sault Ste. Marie and the General Hospital, 1898-1998 tells the story of the creation and one-hundred-year history of the Sault Ste. Marie General Hospital. At a time when Canada's healthcare system is at a crossroads and we are asked to make crucial decisions for its future, it is intriguing and enlightening to look at the colourful past of a typical community hospital. Throughout the 1890s, Sault Ste. Marie was a town in search of a hospital.

This pathbreaking book offers some nononsense truths about northern development.

The Shackleton of his day, Leopold McClintock (1819-1907) from County Louth was the leading Arctic explorer of the Victorian era. He undertook four major voyages, epic sledge journeys, and was the first to bring definite information on the lost Franklin party. He then rose to admiral and advised Robert Falcon Scott before the Discovery expedition in 1901. After his death a memorial plaque was unveiled at Westminister Abbey, portraits were hung in the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the McClintock Channel in the Arctic was named after him.