History of the Book in Canada Project

Search the Databases > CI / IC

Judy Donnelly, Patricia Fleming, Bertrum H. MacDonald, and Andrea Rotundo, Editors
Nica Abush, Jessica Bowslaugh, Sophie Brookover,
Sarah Brouillette, Mary D'Angelo, Eli MacLaren,
Patricia Richl, and Johanna Smith, Research Assistants

Overview	Searching	Record Structure
Record Example	Acknowledgements	Related Documents

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Basic Search | Advanced Search

he Canadian Imprints database is a comprehensive collection of bibliographic records of all known books, pamphlets, and single sheets (including printed forms intended to be completed in manuscript), government documents, and serials printed in the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec, and Ontario from 1752 to 1840. The database does not include newspapers, although newspaper prospectuses are included as well as laws printed from the type set for a newspaper such as the Quebec Gazette/Gazette de Québec.

The database was compiled from existing print bibliographies and library catalogues, and records created from primary sources.

Each record contains up to 27 fields, allowing searches by title, year, language, number of pages, and place of publication, as well as by author, gender, illustrator, printer, publisher, and subject.

The database enables researchers to analyse the output of the press by date, place, subject or printer and to identify broad patterns of printing activity in early Canada.

Searching

There are two ways to search the Canadian Imprints database: the Basic or the Advanced Search.

Basic Search
The Basic Search option allows the user to search the Author field or Keywords individually or in combination.

Figure 1: Basic Search Interface for the Canadian Imprints Database

Both the Author and Editor/Compiler/Illustrator/Translator fields will be searched for terms entered in the Author text-entry box. All the following fields will be searched for terms placed in the Keywords text-entry box:

Title
Related Title
Serial Title
Distributor
Printer/Stereotyper
Place of Printing/Publication
Publisher
Broad Subject
Subject/Genre Terms
Notes

If terms are entered in both search boxes, records containing both terms will be retrieved. Except for the Author and Editor/Compiler/Illustrator/Translator fields, where truncation may not be used, use the asterisk ( * ) to truncate terms.

Advanced Search
The Advanced Search option facilitates sophisticated queries on specific fields, and allows for the selection of Boolean operators (i.e. AND, OR, NOT) between search terms. Enter search terms into the text-entry boxes, then select the appropriate Boolean operator(s) and field(s) from the pull-down boxes.

Figure 2: Advanced Search Interface for the Canadian Imprints Database

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Record Structure

The Canadian Imprints database records are composed of the following fields:

Record ID:	Unique identification number for the record.
Author:	Person(s) or organization(s) responsible for the creation of the imprint.
Author Gender:	Gender of personal authors.
Title:	Primary title of the imprint.
Related Title:	Variations on the primary title of the imprint.
Serial Title:	Title of the work if it is a serial.
Editor/Compiler/ Illustrator/Translator:	Person(s) responsible for the editing, compilation, illustration, or translation of the imprint.
Distributor:	Person(s) or organixation(s) responsible for the distribution of the imprint.
Edition:	Edition of the work.
Printer/Stereotyper:	Person(s) responsible for the mechanical reproduction of the work, and the address, if known.
Printer - Authorized Heading:	Standardized name of printer/stereotyper.
Place of Printing/Publication:	Place of printing/publishing of the imprint.
Publisher:	Name of the person(s) or organization(s) who issued the work for sale.
Date of Printing/Publication:	Year of printing/publication of the imprint.
Frequency of Serial:	Publication frequency of the serial.
Number of Pages:	Number of pages in the work (including blanks, which are part of the printed sheets).
Illustration:	Presence of illustrations in the work.
Size:	Dimensions (height & width in cm.) of the work.
Format:	Format (folio, quarto, octavo, etc.) of the work.
Serial Volume/Issue Number:	First and last volume and issue numbers of the serial.
Language:	Language(s) in which the text was printed and published.
Bibliographical Sources:	Bibliographical source which cites the imprint.
Location:	National Library of Canada location code for the library holding the imprint.
CIHM Number:	Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions microfiche number if the item has been filmed.
Broad Subject:	Broad subject headings that describe the work.
Subject/Genre Terms:	Additional subject and genre terms, personal/corporate names, or place names which are the focus of the work.
Notes:	Further information about the imprint.

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Record Example

NOTE: If a record does not contain any data in a field, that field will not be displayed with the record.

Record ID:	473
Author:	Heart and Hand Fire Company
Title:	The rules of the Heart and Hand Fire-Company, formed at Halifax, Nova-Scotia, the 3d of April 1810: revised and ordered to be re-printed at an extra meeting holden on the 16th day of August, 1827
Printer/Stereotyper:	J. Munroe (printer / imprimeur)
Printer - Authorized Heading:	Munro, J.
Place of Printing/Publication:	[Nova Scotia - Halifax]
Publisher:	[s.n.]
Date of Printing/Publication:	1827
Number of Pages:	10 p.
Language:	English / anglais
CIHM Number:	90766
Broad Subject:	Social Life / Moeurs
Subject/Genre Terms:	Fire Departments / Brigades de sapeurs-pompiers Regulations / Règlements
Notes:	On verso of title page: "Printed by John Munroe". Contains marginalia. / Comprend des notes marginales.

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Acknowledgements

The editors wish to thank Sandra Alston (University of Toronto), Elaine Hoag (National Library of Canada), the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, and the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions for supplying catalogue records of pre-1840 imprints.

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