by Kim Minkus
Photograpy by Greg Ehlers

Eric Swanick

Eric Swanick's territory is an exceptional place. The special collections division of the Simon Fraser University library is an elegant space with soft lighting, built-in wooden bookshelves, and leather chairs; pedestal display cases, lit from above with modern drop-lights, exhibit rare literary materials.

It's a very special place to work and Swanick has a very special relationship with books. When he's not thinking about them, he's collecting them, and when he's not collecting them, he's writing about them. An avid bibliophile with extensive knowledge and education, Swanick is the new head of the SFU library's special collections division. He is clearly pleased. "I had been looking to work in special collections for some time and there are few opportunities such as this in Canada."

Swanick comes with impressive credentials. He was the New Brunswick legislative librarian for 16 years. Before this senior position, Swanick managed the collection for the legislative library and was the key player in the development of the respected New Brunswick Collection. He has a national profile, having served as the president of the Bibliographical Society of Canada, and he has contributed to several academic publications including Acadiensis, the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, and the History of the Book in Canada project.

In addition to a BA in history and a master's degree in library science, Swanick has an MA from the Institute of Bibliography and Textual Criticism from the University of Leeds, England, and has attended Rare Book School at Columbia University.

Swanick approaches his new position with a spirit of collaboration and enthusiasm. "It is interesting how collection possibilities come up and it is important to develop relationships with the book and academic communities," Swanick states. "You never know when a casual conversation will lead to a significant collection, but it is also important to keep abreast of research. Special collections draw upon a wide variety of resources and people and are dependent on contacts and leads beyond the staff of the library."

A recent example of this spirit of collaboration is a significant donation arranged through SFU's department of Hellenic studies. Considered historically important, the collection of journalist interviews, photographs, notebooks, and publications from Greece during the volatile sixties and seventies, will put SFU's Hellenic studies department on the map, according to the appraiser. To celebrate, the library and the department of Hellenic studies honoured British journalist Robert McDonald, who donated the collection, with a reception in special collections in April this year.

When asked about the future of the collection, Swanick says that he plans to continue to build in the areas of British Columbia and in western Canadiana, as well as the history of the book, publishing, and political cartoons. Other areas under consideration include the environment, multiculturalism, and up-and-coming authors. In support of the latter, special collections has been hosting poetry readings, most recently by poets Lisa Robertson, Roy Miki, George Bowering, and Wayde Compton.

Behind the elegant exterior is a vibrant and active department. As we wrap up our interview, Swanick receives a call from a retired English professor offering him 2,000 to 3,000 books including rare H.G. Wells material. Swanick, of course, is enthusiastic. "This is the exciting part of working in special collections, to be always open to new opportunities. We hope to build collections that can be used and enjoyed now and which will be of increasing value to scholars in years to come. Special collections is an area with great potential; we have lofty goals which are often realized through the assistance and cooperation of the academic community, university alumni, collectors, benefactors, fellow librarians, and the community at large." aq

© 2003 aq magazine