Fonds consists of matted prints of engravings made from sketches created by John Webber as official artist on Captain James Cook’s third voyage. Prints depict landscapes, animals, people, clothing styles, architecture, and events that were encountered on the voyage in places such as New Zealand, the Friendly Islands (Tonga), the Sandwich Islands (the Hawaiian Islands), Nootka Sound (Vancouver Island, BC), and Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania).

The fonds consists of personal and professional papers including correspondence, research material, reference files, drafts and copies of columns, newspaper clippings, unpublished manuscripts; personal papers of her grandparents, Joseph and Julia Anna Short; personal papers of the family of Joseph and Julia Anna Short; personal papers of her parents, Charles and Margaret (Blennerhasset) Short; personal papers of Alexander Knupp; papers relating to the Alberta Progressive Conservative Women's Association; papers relating to the Museum of the Highwood and the Pioneers and Old Timers Association; and photographs.

The fonds consists of one file titled Interview Transcripts, which contains recorded interviews, transcripts, and printed copies of transcribed interviews of research done by Sharon Fortney towards her PhD thesis titled Forging New Partnerships: Coast Salish Communities and Museums. Forney's thesis explores what motivates Coast Salish communities to participate in museum representations; considers the legal implications of such representations with respect to aboriginal rights; and analyzes of the diverse experiences of Coast Salish individuals in specific museum projects and partnerships with the goal of progressing museum and community interactions along a path to equal partnership.

The audiotapes in the fonds contain interviews with Coast Salish community members and artists regarding museums. The CD-R contains transcripts of interviews and is located in the temporary CD storage box. Sharon Fortney's curriculam vitae, thesis abstract, and 10 interviewee consent forms are located in the case file.

Fonds consists of Professor Allan L. Sherwin’s research materials relating to the biography of Bridging Two Peoples: Chief Peter E. Jones, 1843-1909 and the nineteenth and early twentieth century history of the Mississaugas (Ojibwe) of the New Credit First Nation of Hagersville, Ontario. The research materials consist primarily of photocopies of original documents including letters and papers from Library and Archives Canada, the Archives of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and various other publications. Copies of correspondence between Dr. Jones and Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, copies of The Indian, the newspaper edited by Dr. Jones and writings of various Aboriginal writers are included. Interspersed within the files is correspondence with other academics especially Canadian Historian Professor Donald B. Smith, the author of the classic biography of Dr. Peter E. Jones’s father entitled Sacred Feathers: The Reverend Peter Jones (Kahkewaquonaby) and the Mississauga Indians.

The fonds consists of her interviews and transcripts from a Blackfoot Oral History Project on traditions of the whiskey trade in southern Alberta.

Fonds consists of a copy of Wilson’s “Kitlope Report: Various Haisla Artifacts.”

Fonds consists of correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes, reports, photographs, tapes of WSA meetings, news releases, newspaper articles, legal documents, and publicity materials pertaining to the WSA. Also included are background documents and discussion papers for the Forestry/Land Use Management Plan developed by the WSA, and research materials (primarily photocopies) pertaining to forests and logging, fish and fisheries, wildlife, biodiversity and environmental matters.

The fonds consists of photographs created by Ronnie Tessler from 1986 to 1987 documenting a canoe project by the Nisga’a carver Norman Tait. The project was abandoned in the summer of 1987, and the canoe was left uncompleted. The photographs depict models for the canoe, transportation of the log for the canoe to the Museum of Anthropology, ceremonies performed throughout the project, and various stages of work on the canoe and model. Additional photographs from the same period depict a totem pole raising at Capilano Mall in North Vancouver and portraits of Les Baker, a model Tait wanted to use for a “white man” mask.

During their time living in Bella Bella, the Houstons took many photographs of the lives of the Heiltsuk First Nation community documenting the day-to-day lives of the Heiltsuk First Nation as well as ceremonial activities. The color slides document the construction, painting, and launching of the Gi’wa, a Heiltsuk canoe which sailed with the Lootaas, the Haida canoe built by Bill Reid for Expo 86. Some of the slides document the welcome feast at Bella Bella in honor of the Haida crew of the Lootaas. The color slides also document several potlatches and wedding feasts held in the community hall, and the local Sports Day parade. Slides also depict the role of the fishing in the community, such as smoking salmon and processing roe. Other photos document gravestones on a nearby cemetery island, derelict canneries, petroglyphs and pictographs, totem poles and house posts, all in or near Bella Bella.

The fonds contains a licence of occupation, investiture of hereditary chiefdom, survey records, maps, and correspondence concerning the Mi'kmaq of the northern Miramichi.