Special Collections
The Thunder Bay Public Library is honoured to host books and literature about Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario in our Special Collections. Items from this collection are unavailable for loan and can only be accessed in person at the Brodie Resource Library so that we can preserve our local history materials for future generations. If you have any comments about our Special Collections, please email reference@tbpl.ca.
Map Collection
Our map collection contains 2000+ historical maps related to Thunder Bay and Canada which can be accessed via the Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History.
The map collection (housed at the Brodie Resource Library) includes: mineral deposits, mining, aeromagnetics, geological resources, water and forest resources, among other subjects.
Also included in the map collection are nautical maps, shipwreck maps, and maps which detail local and regional recreational areas, such as fishing and canoe trails.
Photograph Collection
Thunder Bay Public Library houses a photograph collection that includes 3,500+ photographs, some dating back to the mid-1800s. Photographs are available for use at the Brodie Resource Library or online through Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History.
Please note that each photograph in our collection may have different copyright privileges. If you'd like to use one of the photographs from our collection in a publication it will be up to you to determine copyright status. Visit our copyright page for more information or email reference@tbpl.ca with any questions.
Other Local History & Genealogy Resources
Ontario Genealogical Society Collection
Ancestry Library Edition
Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History
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We acknowledge that the City of Thunder Bay has been built on the traditional territory of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850. We also recognize the contributions made to our community by the Métis people.
