Arctic Quest: The Northwest Passage

The Search for Franklin and Franklin Relics 1847-1880

A guide to primary sources held at Library and Archives Canada

The purpose of this bibliography is to provide researchers with a listing of primary printed sources for the study of the Franklin search. The focus is on Library and Archives Canada holdings, but, where significant documents are held only in other repositories, these locations are noted. Secondary sources that were published within the time period of the search for Franklin himself are included as well. Also listed are reference works at Library and Archives Canada which are particularly helpful in locating additional primary sources. Such works will be found under the headings "Bibliographies" and "Library catalogues and collection guides". Library and Archives Canada holdings for the period of Arctic exploration from 1800 to Franklin's last voyage will be found in the Bibliography entitled "Arctic exploration and the search for the Northwest Passage in the first half of the nineteenth century: Parry & Ross through Franklin's last voyage."

• Bibliographies
• Library catalogues and collection guidelines
  • General guides
  • Catalogues of specific collections
• Government documents (Chronological order)
  • Published as part of the sessional papers
  • Published separately
• Other useful reference works
• Contemporary accounts of voyages by officers and crew; journals;  correspondence; sketches; separately published reports (by date and expedition leader)
• Contemporary works about the Franklin search and those engaged  in that search, up to 1860 (in chronological order)