Fall/Winter hours: We are open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm and Friday by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please fill out our appointment form or email us at asc@torontomu.ca
Did you know that the collections in the Ryerson Archives & Special Collections sometimes are shown outside the University? Ryerson Associate Professor Marco Polo and Chair of Architectural Science Colin Ripley have curated a wonderful exhibition titled “Architecture and National Identity: The Centennial Projects 50 Years On” on view at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, PEI.
On view until January 11, 2015, the exhibition examines a range of public architectural projects created throughout Canada to commemorate the Centennial of Confederation in 1967. Several photographs from the Canadian Architect Magazine Image Collection, held in Special Collections, are featured in the exhibition and the accompanying catalogue, available at the Toronto Metropolitan University Library.
Did you know that Ryerson used to have a Rural centre and a ski lodge?
The Ryerson Rural Centre or Farm was located in Millbrook, about 19 km south of Peterborough. The 200 acre site was purchased in 1972 and was available for the Ryerson community to use. Activities included orientation, departmental seminars, and retreats. The farm house was equipped for over night rentals and cost an economical $2 per night. It was sold in 1980.
The Ryerson Blue Mountain Lodge was located just outside of Collingwood. The 7.5 acre resort, which was purchased in 1975, consisted of a central lodge, 4 chalets and boasted an outdoor heated pool. It was also available for booking by all members of the Ryerson Community and was accessible year round. It was sold in 1983.
To learn more about the farm and the lodge or to find out things about Ryerson you might not have known stop by Ryerson Archives & Special Collections located on the 4th floor of the Library in LIB404
Even today, just over two years since Kodak filed for bankruptcy, George Eastman’s name is unforgotten for the acute business prowess he demonstrated during the formation of his legacy, the Eastman Kodak Company. Often compared to Apple’s Steve Jobs, Eastman was known for his ingenious business strategies that began the mass commercialization of photography and put a camera in every home.
Looking at Eastman’s childhood, it is no surprise that he became such an incisive business man. Although his father, George Washington Eastman, passed away when he was only six year’s old, he still managed to found one of the oldest commercial colleges in the world, the Eastman Commercial College, that later became part of the Rochester Business Institute. Entrepreneurialism was in Eastman’s genes. His family did not fare well after the death of George Washington, and as Eastman grew up he watched his mother struggle to keep the lifestyle her family had been accustomed to. It could be said that this may have helped to motivate Eastman to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Having shown an early interest in photographs and stereoviews, Eastman’s real journey with photography first began in 1877, when he purchased his first camera to take pictures on a trip he didn’t end up making. At the time, photography was an expensive and labour-intensive hobby that required patience and a lot of equipment. Eastman began experimenting with this camera and before long he had patented his first photographic contributions: a gelatin dry plate emulsion and a mechanism for coating glass plates. With these he began the Eastman Dry Plate Company. By 1881 Eastman had turned his company into a successful and sustainable business, but it was a different invention that truly set the stage for what Eastman’s business would become: film.
Despite having already established such a prosperous business, Eastman still had bigger plans. At a time when the industrial revolution was still a recent memory, his 1932 biography by Ackerman states the four policy guidelines Eastman followed to encourage the growth of his company:
Production in large quantities by machinery
Low prices to increase the usefulness of products
Foreign as well as domestic distribution
Extensive advertising as well as selling by demonstration
Eastman wanted to find a way to replace the glass from a collodion negative, create a workable holder for that replacement, and build machinery that would be able to efficiently manufacture each invention. He looked to previous unsuccessful attempts at roll-film, such as one by Wernerke from the 1870s, and sought to improve on them and increase their usability. By June 1885, in collaboration with camera builder William Walker, George Eastman had patented and put on the market a form of roll film, a roll holder, as well as a form of sheet paper plates, a more recognizable substitute for glass. With this shift in focus towards his business, the Eastman Dry Plate Company was purchased by the Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company.
In 1889, George Eastman introduced Flexible Film in rolls, a lightweight, non-breakable substitute for glass. The transparent nitro-cellulose roll film base was cast on these 200-foot long tables.
Because of the contemporary fascination with the photography, as well as the labour intensive traits of the hobby, many people involved in the technology were eager to improve on it. During the late 1800s and into the early 1900s many ideas were popping up and photographers wanted to ensure they would receive the credit for them, by applying for patents. Eastman himself was aware of the need to protect his inventions and made sure to attain patents (through application or buying them from other inventors) for every step of his new film system, a strategy continued throughout the life of the company. He, along with his business partners at the time, bought out all their foreign patents as well, and began to initiate step 3, opening an outlet in London, U.K. in 1884. By 1886 Eastman had placed a man named Joseph Thatcher Clarke in charge of in charge of linking the United States with Europe, to help protect the company’s American inventions.
Many doubted Eastman’s commitment to his early flexible films, and it did not initially catch on with experienced photographers. Consumers, still primarily established photographers, were not able to produce as good of results as they could with their glass plates. However, Eastman had confidence that the inexpensive and effective qualities of this product would eventually lead to mass manufacturing. In reaction to poor public response, Eastman added new products to his business: American film and a developing out paper called “Permanent Bromide”, which yielded better results than his earlier paper-based films. He dreamt of popularizing photography to the extent that everyone would participate in the practice, and added a photofinishing service that could provide enlargements and prints to those who used his films. Eastman now sold films, paper, prints and enlargements, yet there was still one component missing from the Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company that was hindering his products from reaching every household, and that was a camera.
The first Kodak camera, introduced in 1888, sold for $25, loaded with enough Eastman film for 100 exposures. It produced a 2 1/2 inch diameter negative.
It was in 1888 that George Eastman coined the word Kodak, a unique, short, memorable name that could not be mispronounced, and unveiled his first box camera along with a new system of photographic image making that anyone could use. Along with the slogan “You press the button, we do the rest”, Eastman had found a new market to sell his products to that experienced photographers had refused to buy. Anyone could purchase a camera pre-loaded with a pre-loaded 100 exposure roll of film, take their 100 shots, mail the camera back to the Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company in Rochester, and wait to have their prints and the camera loaded with a new roll of film mailed back to them. Within the next decade Eastman was able to improve his technology to make photography even more affordable, and his dream a reality.
Ryerson Library Special Collections, located on the fourth floor of the Ryerson Library, holds numerous examples of the formation of the Eastman Kodak Company, particularly in Canada, including cameras, films, photographs and more! To access Special Collections give us a call or send us an email to book an appointment at: asc@ryerson.ca or 416-979-5000 ext. 4996.
References:
Ackerman, Carl W. George Eastman.
Brayer, Elizabeth. George Eastman.
Collins, Douglas. The Story of Kodak.
Jenkin, Reese. Images and Enterprise: Technology and the American Photographic Industry, 1839-1925. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1897.
Ryerson’s campus is a work in progress. Since the school’s inception in 1948, it has been slowly increasing its footprint in the downtown core through acquisition, demolition, renovation, and original construction. From the original Department of Education Buildings the campus has pushed East to Jarvis Street, South to Dundas Street, West to Yonge Street with the new Student Learning Centre, and further West with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Bay and Dundas Streets.
The following photographs are highlights from the new Archives and Special Collections exhibit documenting Ryerson’s 66 year evolution.
Ryersonian front page news story about the start of demolition and construction for Howard Kerr Hall. The Ryersonian November 29, 1956
Demolition of buildings along Victoria Street, making way for Unit 1 (Jorgenson Hall) and the Podium building. The Library site has not yet been cleared. (RG 122.10.092)
Contruction of Jorgenson Hall and the Podium Building. (RG 122.10.098)
The Library building under construction. You can see the Sam the Record Man building in the bottom left hand corner of the photo. (RG 122.10.093)
Construction of the Ryerson Athletic Centre (RAC). This was Ryerson’s first green roof building. (RG 76.14.235)
Construction of the rotunda at the front entrance of the RAC. Patrons will eventually enter into the building through the facade of the old Ryerson Hall Building. (RG 76.14.235)
The Rogers Communications Centre and bridge over Church Street. The bridge connects the RCC with Howard Kerr Hall. (RG 76.14.264)
Completed bridge between Howard Kerr Hall and the Rogers Communications Centre. (RG 76.14.1053)
Construction workers pouring concrete for main floor of new Student Learning Centre.
The changing corner of Yonge and Gould Streets.
The exhibit runs from April 11 to June 30th and is located on the 4th floor of the Library in the Special Collections windows.
The Ryerson campus is in a constant state of growth and change. The last several years have been exciting ones with the re-opening of the Image Arts Building, The Mattamy Athletic Centre, and the construction of the Student Learning Centre. But what about the first major change to the Ryerson campus – the construction of Howard Kerr Hall?
Through the donation of a scrapbook of photographs and some of the hundreds of slides, taken by former faculty member Charles Roy Horney to the Ryerson Archives, we see the transformation that began with the demolition of the Toronto Normal School buildings and the construction of Howard Kerr Hall.
C. Roy Horney seated at his desk. (May 1957) (F 536.15.01.06)
Charles Roy Horney started teaching math and physics at Ryerson in 1952, and worked here until his retirement in 1983. During his time at Ryerson he acted as departmental head, assistant chairman and even the Registrar. He was also the coach of the Ryerson Zebras – the early men’s soccer team.
His photographs allow us to piece together a timeline of demolition and construction that was previously unknown to Archives staff. Here is a sample of the images:
Front of the Ryerson Hall Building. Egerton Ryerson statue is in its original location. This photo is one of the only colour photographs of the original Normal School buildings in the Archives’ collections. (April 26, 1961) (F 536.16.06)
Home Economics “Dream House” where students lived and studied. (April 1961) (F 536.15.04.05)
South gates for original campus out onto Gould Street. Parking lot that became Lake Devo and O’Keefe Breweries Head Office which became Heaslip House are visible in the background. (August 1961) (F 536.15.08.02)
South East corner of Unit I – Howard Kerr Hall. (September 1961) (F 536.15.01.02)
Clearing of lot in front of Ryerson Hall. Egerton Ryerson Statue and end of Howard Kerr Hall visible on the left and Oakham House and O’Keefe House visible on the right. (1961) (F 536.15.13.03)
The Egerton Ryerson statue and plinth undercover during construction. (October 1961) F 536.15.14.01
Last section of Howard Kerr Hall. The section featuring the clock and carillon tower. This section would eventually house the Principal’s office and the Board Room. (1962) F 536.15.24.01
North end of campus along Gerrard Street. Gorrie’s Motors is visible in the background. (July 1961) F 536.15.03.06
Excavation for foundation of the North and West section of Howard Kerr Hall. Partially demolished building appears to be sitting on an island. (1961) F 536.15.13.04
Same view as picture above – but building is completely demolished allowing for further foundation excavation. (October 1961) F 536.15.16.01
Construction of the steel framework on the North West corner of Howard Kerr Hall at Victoria and Gerrard Streets. (March 1962) F 536.15.17.05
Same view of building as photographed above – but with exterior brick work complete, staircase in place and “Athletes” bas-reliefs above the doors and between the windows. (1962) F 536.15.24.02
Demolition of the heating plant building. (1963) F 536.15.30.03
Looking South along East road inside Howard Kerr Hall. A juxtaposition of old and new. (1963) F 536.15.26.03
A poignant photograph – one of the last taken of the old cupola on the Ryerson Hall building. Visible underneath it is the date of construction, 1842. (1963) F 536.15.32.02
Main entrance into Ryerson Hall with the name sign visible on the right side. The facade is is the only section of the original building that still stands – as the entrance to the RAC in the Howard Kerr Hall quad. The Ryerson Hall sign is now on display in the Ryerson Archives. (1963) F 536.15.32.05
Aerial view of Howard Kerr Hall and the almost completed quadrangle. The facade is visible on the right. Construction continues on the fountain and walkways that intersected the quad. Before the construction of the RAC – there was parking around the outside circle of the quad. (c. 1964) F 536.14.206
This amazing collection of photographs is now available for viewing in our database.
An Equity Service Group of the Ryerson Student’s Union, RyePride has been raising awareness LGBTQ rights and promoting inclusivity on campus for nearly 40 years! The group offers advocacy, education and an annual memorial bursary named for Christopher Skinner.
In anticipation of World Pride 2014, coming to Toronto this June, Ryerson Library and Archives has put together a display using items from RULA and the The ArQuives – Canada’s LBGTQ2+ Archives – to highlight just some of the campaigns and events they’ve spearheaded since their beginnings in 1977. Drop by Special Collections on the 4th floor of the library and learn more about the history of RyePride at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Visit the RyePride website or contact them for more information on the programs and services they offer: ryepride@rsuonline.ca. Have a look at the RyePride Timeline for more information on the groups history.
Living in an image saturated world, it is easy to forget that photography is still a relatively new invention. Less than two hundred years ago, people saw extremely detailed and realistic images of the world captured in a permanent photograph for the first time. Needless to say, the invention of our favourite past-time, the motion picture, is even newer still. It is human nature to seek entertainment, yet we rarely consider what our great-great grandparents did for leisure. There has always been a desire to learn and discover new parts of the world, but long-distance travel was much less feasible during the 1800s, thus substitutes were made in a variety of forms of amusement. Before film and television, at a time that was full of innovation and creativity, there existed a number of forgotten optical spectacles involving the use of light and movement that have since disappeared from our generation.
Magic Lanterns
The magic lantern existed in many different formats for thousands of years and was based on the idea of projecting images with light onto a wall or surface. In fact, this idea is still one that is in popular demand, most familiarly with the projectors that are used for PowerPoint and other presentations in many classes here at Ryerson. However, this is by no means a new idea. The fascination with projection dates back to drawings made by Da Vinci that look similar to a Bull’s Eye lantern. First described in 1646 by Anthanasius Kircher, a German scholar, for use in science and philosophy, the magic lantern was quick to become a form of public entertainment.
A reflective and transparent image of a hand-painted lantern slide with a circular image, circa 1890.
Although first limited to small audiences because of the strength of its illuminants, throughout the nineteenth century significant improvements were made to the technology, such as advances in lenses, illuminants and the use of mirrors that allowed for bigger, indoor shows and more fanciful and detailed slides. Magic lanterns were eagerly adopted as a form of entertainment and were used for shadow puppet shows, to illuminate engravings and create apparitions, and with hand-painted and photographic slides.
Hand-painted lantern slide circa 1890 illustrating the 1782 poem, “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” by Robert Burns.
Especially during the nineteen hundreds, new types of magic lanterns began to appear. There were projecting microscopes, which were used in the field of biology, and magic lanterns that were used in pairs or sets of 3 that, with the aid of a fan-like device, were capable of creating dissolving views and other special effects. With the advent of photography and cinema, magic lanterns began to appear on the mass market under numerous names in a variety of formats. The Lumière Brothers used the technology for their first film screening in 1895. The 1950s saw the opto-mechanical advancements that began the popular trend of the slide projector, which was often used as a form of entertainment to show photographs to family and friends.
A motion picture projector circa 1950.
The idea behind them all was the same and they were actively used to tell stories, to educate, and to show audiences views of faraway places. Here in Special Collections we have a number of more recent examples of both slide and motion picture projectors, as well as photographic and hand-painted slides in a variety of formats.
Panoramas
Today when we hear the word “panorama” a 180 to 360-degree photograph is likely what comes to mind. However, the first patent for a panorama was issued in 1787 to Robert Barker, over 50 years before the invention of photography around 1839. It was one of the most popular forms of entertainment during the nineteenth century, yet something we rarely hear about today. Translated from Greek, the term panorama means ‘see all’ and that is exactly what they aimed to do. To really understand what the term panorama meant during the late 18th and 19th centuries, try to imagine walking through a dark corridor into a large, circular, naturally lit room in which, constructed from floor to ceiling, is a continuous representation of a distant land, a battle scene, or an escape from the industrializing city landscape that completely surrounds you. The painting has been made to appear as realistic as possible: the top edge has been masked by a veil or roof, and the bottom edge is concealed by a fence which you can walk up to. The average size of a panorama was 15 by 20 metres and took an immense amount of teamwork to build, but the results always attracted a crowd.
Hand-painted lantern slide. Panoramic slides such as this could be moved through a magic lantern to create a moving panorama type of effect.
As the popularity of the panorama took off in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the term began to take on other meanings, and new formats of the medium began to be created. Any sort of large or oversized painting began to be considered a ‘panorama’ as well as huge paintings that would only cover a semi-circle rather than 360-degrees. Another popular format of the panorama was the moving panorama. Spectators of the moving panorama were seated in an auditorium and instead of being surrounded by the panorama a long roll painting was moved across a window, often set up with curtains similar to a typical theatre stage. A mechanical cranking system was used to pull the painting across the audience’s view. Often, music, lecturers or sound and light effects would accompany the presentation of the work. Unlike the circular panorama, the moving panorama used a transportable format that could tour to new cities and towns, saving on the costly operation of construction and making it more accessible. The panorama, in any sense of the word, was truly a spectacle that gave viewers a chance to experience the world without having to travel far from home, some of which still exist and can be viewed today.
Black and white glass lantern slide in a wooden frame circa the 1890s. Handwritten on the frame is “Panorama of Cairo” suggesting the use of magic lanterns to create panorama-like effects.
For examples of full panoramas still existing today:
If you have taken a photography course at Ryerson, it is likely you have heard of L.J.M. Daguerre and his infamous diorama. The diorama often competed with the panorama and used a combination of ideas from both the panorama and the magic lantern to create a theatrical experience for the audience. The diorama consisted of an exhibition of enormous transparent paintings under changing lighting effects. With these effects, audiences could witness changes in mood and scenery, such as the weather. The illusions immediately got attention for their ability to transform paintings into three-dimensional renderings that many claimed could not be distinguished from large-scale models that used real objects. Similar to the panorama, the viewer was walked through a dark hallway into an auditorium that could hold close to 350 people, where they were kept stationary with the illuminations revolving slowly around them, only visible through screen tunnels that created depth and hid the edges of the paintings. The pictures measured close to 22 metres wide by 14 metres high and were situated 13 metres back from the front row. The viewer was kept in very dim lighting until the start of the show when the curtain was drawn up and the image was revealed. Effects were rendered through use of transparent and opaque painting techniques and coloured screens that altered the daylight passing through the back of the picture.
Information and images about Daguerre’s recently restored diorama at Bry-Sur-Marne can be found here:
Hence, our enjoyment of light, image and motion did not begin with the photograph or the motion picture. Multiple forms of entertainment experimenting with these elements existed from the 1400s through the 1800s and were very popular with audiences. Although here we have only discussed the panorama, the magic lantern, and the diorama, inventions for optical entertainment were not limited to these, and often shows would use a combination of each. If you are still curious about these forgotten forms of entertainment, visit Special Collections to find out what kinds of materials we have to facilitate further research into the subject, including books, slides and projectors. We are located on the 4th floor of the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives. Call us at 416-979-5000 ext. 4996 or send us an email at asc@ryerson.ca
Kodaslide Merit Film Projector. Manufactured from 1951 to 1956.
References:
Balzer, Richard. Optical Amusements: Magic Lanterns and Other Transforming Images – A Catalog of Popular Entertainments. Watertown, MA: Richard Balzer, 1987.
Chadwick, W.J. The Magic Lantern Manual. London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1878.
Comment, Bernard. The Panorama. Translated by Anne-Marie Glasheen. London: Reaktion Books, 1999.
Daguerre, Louis Jacques Mandé. An Historical and Descriptive Account of the Various Processes of the Daguerreotype and the Diorama. Paris: Béthune et plon, 1839. Reprinted with illustrations and an introduction by Beaumont Newhall. New York: Winter House, 1971.
Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives is pleased to announce the donation of the Robert MacIntosh Collection on the History of Toronto to the Special Collections department.
A few of the souvenir booklets in the collection, featuring photographs of the major sites to see in the city. These early keepsakes often included views of Casa Loma, the Canada Life Assurance Company building, the CNE, and Sunnyside pool.
The collection of 141 books was carefully curated by collector, author, and longtime Toronto resident, Robert M. MacIntosh. Ranging in date from 1807 – 1988, topics include historical accounts, biographies of notable Torontonians (including John Toronto himself, Bishop Strachan), tourist keepsakes through the years, maps, centennial publications, and TTC brochures.
An economist by trade, MacIntosh authored “Different Drummers, Banking and Politics in Canada” in 1992 before focusing his research on the early history and formation of the City of Toronto and publishing “Earliest Toronto” in 2006.
Books from the MacIntosh collection focused on significant individuals in Toronto history. Bishop John Strachan (often called “John Toronto”), was a staunch Tory, the city’s first Anglican bishop in 1839, and superintendent of schools. An ideological rival to many of Strachan’s views, Jesse Ketchum was a representative in the 10th Parliament of the then Upper Canada. A writer and artist, Elizabeth Simcoe was the wife of Upper Canada’s first Lieutenant Governor John Simcoe and her diary is an important account of life in early York (Toronto).
Some of the volumes that detail the history of specific streets in the City of Toronto. Yonge Street, the major artery through Toronto and once the longest street in the world, began construction in 1793 to link the new capitol of Upper Canada to Lake Simcoe. Jarvis street, now home to the only reversible lane in Toronto, was once one of the most affluent areas of the city. Taking it’s name from the original 1818 manor belonging to Dr. William Baldwin, Spadina now houses Toronto’s Chinatown, one of the largest in North America.
To view this or any of our other collections, give us a call and make an appointment: 416-979-5000 ext. 4996. Or email us at asc@ryerson.ca.
Some examples of celebratory publications and reports in the MacIntosh Collection.
The iconic Kodak girl, in her blue and white stripped dress, became synonymous with Kodak products. From the Kodak Corporate Archive and Heritage Collection at Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives.
It’s an image that is familiar to many: the fashionable, romantic woman, on a wind swept beach cradling her Kodak camera. Bearing a striking resemblance to the Gibson Girl, this representation of an independent women at the dawn of the progressive era was part of a savvy marketing strategy by Kodak that came to be known as the “Kodak Girl” (Jacob, 2011).
At this time, Kodak had begun to produce roll film, cheaper, more portable cameras, and a system that allowed film to be sent back to the company (and later your local drug store) for development. With the need for the amateur to have a darkroom and complicated and expensive chemicals and equipment was eliminated, photography was now accessible to everyone.
And Kodak knew who they should advertise to. Around the turn of the last century, women were becoming more self-sufficient and began to enjoy more freedom, engaging more often in work outside the home and past times (Nordstrom, 2012). From beach vacations to snowy winter outings to tennis matches, the modern woman was fun-loving and independent. She now felt free to go out and explore the world – and she was taking her Kodak camera with her!
Covers of Kodak catalogues from 1915 and 1918, from the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives. Accession number: 2005.003.1.01.01
Covers of Kodak catalogues from 1912, from the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives. Accession number: 2005.003
But this was not the only image of the Kodak girl; Kodak also understood, and as Dr. Kamal Munir points out helped spread, the notion that if women also wanted to be responsible mothers and wives, they would ensure that all the key moments were duly captured (2012). Women were seen as the memory keepers of the family. It was their duty to make sure that the precious moments of her children’s lives were captured. Birthdays, first steps, holidays, graduations – all needed to be recorded and saved for posterity, and it was up to women to make sure that happened. This marketing strategy proved very lucrative for the company, and theme continued in their ads for many years.
“Keep Christmas with a Kodak!” 1922 advertisements from the Canadian Kodak Corporate Archive and Heritage Collection, Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives, accession number 2005.001.1.1
“The snapshots you want tomorrow, you must take today!” 1939 advertisements from the Canadian Kodak Corporate Archive and Heritage Collection, Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives, accession number 2005.001.1.7
Over time, the Kodak Girl fell out of favour. While she was still around in film and camera advertising, her job was no longer to sell women on the idea of photography. From the mid 20th century, she was more likely to be seen in a bathing suit, often in the form of a life-sized cut out, reminding customers to re-stock their film supply before the summer holidays.
“She’s a Girl Watcher’s Dream!” Ads from 1952 and 1964 Kodak dealer circulars, showcasing the kinds of in-store display items available to help summer film sales. From the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives, Accession number: 2005.001.6.
An in-store cardboard ad for Kodak Film, [ca. 1985]. From the Kodak Canada Corporate Archive and Heritage Collection, accession number, 2005.001.03.3.104
The later Kodak girls likely did not have the same impact on female customers. Some suggest that Kodak’s neglect of advertising strategies directed specifically at women in their later marketing campaigns for digital cameras may have meant ignoring a significant portion of their potential market – possibly adding to the decline that the company has experienced since the digital boom (Munir, 2012).
For more information on the history of the Kodak company in Canada, or to browse some of the cameras and equipment they produced over its nearly 125-year history, visit the Special Collections department on the 4th floor of the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives. Call us at 416-979-5000 ext. 4996 or send us an email: asc@ryerson.ca
Gautrand, Jean-Claude. (1983). Publicites Kodak: 1910-1939. Paris: Contrejour. Get it at Ryerson
Jacob, John P. (Ed.). (2012). Kodak Girl : From the Martha Cooper Collection. Germany: Steidl. Get it at Ryerson
Munir, Dr. Kamal. (2012). The Demise of Kodak : Five Reasons. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2012/02/26/the-demise-of-kodak-five-reasons/
Nordstrom, Dr. Alison. (2012). Lovely, Smart, Modern: Women with Cameras in a Changing World. In Jacob, John P. (Ed.), Kodak Girl: From the Martha Cooper Collection (65-70). Germany: Steidl.
West, Nancy Martha. (2010). Kodak and the Lens of Nostalgia. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia. Get it at Ryerson
![An in-store cardboard ad for Kodak Film, [ca. 1985]. From the Kodak Canada Corporate Archive and Heritage Collection, accession number, 2005.001.03.3.104](https://library.torontomu.ca/asc/files/2013/10/Kdak_Girl_80s_WEB-302x600.jpg)
