VPL Virtual Vault
What is the VPL Virtual Vault?
VPL’s Virtual Vault is a digitized collection of rare and historical books from our collection. The collection features rare, unique, and historically valuable books, periodicals, directories, and pamphlets relating to the history of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest; works of Canadian literature; and children’s titles that are representative of the best of publishing and illustrating for children from 1728 to the 1950s. More titles will be made available as the project progresses.
The Internet Archive Scribe
The Internet Archive Scribe
The books in this collection are being scanned in partnership with the Internet Archive Canada. A trained technician scans each book, page by page, using a machine called a Scribe. This machine was developed by the Internet Archive to digitize books without causing harm to the book. The Scribe is on loan to VPL and can be found at the top of the escalator on Level 3 at the Central Library for the duration of the digitization project.
Who can access this collection?
The digitized titles are available to anyone in the world and can be accessed from the Internet Archive in two ways:
- Older books that are out of copyright are freely available and can be viewed or downloaded without restrictions.
- Books that potentially could still be in copyright in Canada are part of the lending library. These titles will be available under a model called Controlled Digital Lending and require a free registration with the Internet Archive.
What is Controlled Digital Lending?
Controlled Digital Lending is a lending model in which libraries scan and digitize print material in their collections and then lend the digital version instead of the physical version. Under this model, the library treats the digital version like the print version—it can be lent to only person at a time, it cannot be copied, it must be returned before the next person can use it, etc.
How can I explore the collection?
Books in the VPL Virtual Vault can be found in two ways:
- Browsing the entire collection through VPL’s online catalogue
- Browsing the entire collection on the Internet Archive website
How do I borrow books from the lending library?
To borrow a book, users are required to create a free Internet Archive account. No account is required to read books that are out of copyright.
Privacy Notice: Once logged in to Internet Archive, any reviews, favourites, booklists, or other activity on their platform may be publicly visible unless you change your settings to private. The Internet Archive privacy policy can be accessed at their Internet Archive's Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Copyright Policy page.
What is the loan period for books in the lending library?
Titles can be borrowed for one hour or 14 days. One hour loans will be automatically renewed as long as a borrower has their browser open, as long as no one else has requested the book.
Can I place a hold?
Yes, if a particular book is being used by someone else, you can join a waitlist. When the hold becomes available, you will receive an email notification.
What devices can be used for reading the books?
Books can be read on computers, phones, and tablets using the Internet Archive’s website. They can also be downloaded for offline reading, but we recommend reading online for the best experience. Please see the Internet Archive help pages for instructions.
