hours and fees

• The archives are open Tuesday to Friday from 1-5pm. Monday, evening and weekend visits are by appointment. To make the most of your research time, call ahead to discuss your research project and book your visit.
• There is no charge for the use of the archives and staff are available to help you.
• The cost per photocopy is 20¢ per page, with the exception of large, bound documents for which photocopies cost $1 each.
• Cursory search inquiries requiring one-half hour or less will be answered at no charge. Detailed research may be carried out for you by a staff member at a cost of $25 per hour.

For more information, please contact Kris Foulds at 604 864-8087 x 112 or kfoulds@thereach.ca.

description of holdings

The archives holds research materials related to the history of Abbotsford, including

• a collection of historic photos that can be searched by subject, date, and identified people;
• transcripts of interviews with community pioneers;
• the ASM/Abbotsford News on microfilm, December 1922 to present;
• hardcopies of the Abbotsford Post, 1910 – 1924;
• maps; and
• researcher-friendly ephemera files arranged by subjects such as agriculture; business, including the Abbotsford Lumber Company and the Clayburn Company; community, group and family history, schools, events, environment, including the 1948 flood and Sumas Reclamation Project; transportation, and church history.

frequently asked questions

Ar-chives (ar’kivz) adj. 1. a place where public records or other historical documents are kept. 2. documents or records relating to the activities, right, claims, treaties, constitutions, etc. of an individual, family, corporation, community or nation.

Yes, except that archival materials may not be checked out. Bring a pencil to make notes or a little money to pay for photocopies.

The archives can become quite busy and we’d like there to be space available for you when you arrive. Also, it provides an opportunity for us to learn the topic of your research and prepare materials that might be of interest to you.

You can obtain copies of photographs for not-for-profit use in several formats to suit your needs: photographic prints, high-resolution prints on paper, photocopies and low-resolution digital files. Prints for commercial use are available by agreement and may include a Permission Use Fee in addition to reproduction costs.

A staff member or volunteer can conduct research for you. Cursory research requests of one-half hour or less will be undertaken at no charge. More detailed research can be undertaken at a cost of $25 per hour. A charge of $5 will apply to postage and handling of a cursory search response.

Yes, they include helping to maintain the Archives clipping files of local newspapers; conducting research on behalf of someone who cannot visit the archives themselves or an in-house research project; and performing background research on the photographic collection.

Interested in volunteering at the archives? Please contact Donna Dempsey at 604 864-8087 x 116 or ddempsey@thereach.ca.

online photo archives

In November 2010 The Reach launched our new online photo archives.  A selection of photos from our extensive collection will be available to search by place, year, topic and subject. 

Thanks to the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Digitization Grant for supporting The Reach in this project.  Click here to access the photo archives.

If you would like to assist with digitizing heritage photos please contact  Kris Foulds Collections Manager or call 604 864-8087 x 112.