Fonds 2177 - Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). Northrop Frye Centre fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). Northrop Frye Centre fonds

General material designation

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA ON00357 2177

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1989-2013, predominant 1991-2011 (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

2.35 m of textual records
18 photographs: col.
1 poster

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1988-)

Administrative history

The Northrop Frye Centre was established in 1988 and inaugurated the following year. Initial funding was provided by Victoria University and a donation from Blair Lang. This was augmented by subsequent donations, including those from Dr. Frye, and by grants from agencies. The research centre was created to honour the contributions of Dr. Frye by instituting a formalized program that would perpetuate his work in the areas of literary criticism and theory, and the arts and religion.

Broader goals included encouraging research in the human sciences and the dissemination of humanist scholarship, and confirming and celebrating the role of Dr. Frye in Canadian scholarship. This mandate was accomplished through: the Visiting Fellow program for established scholars; the Northrop Frye Fellowship for post-doctoral candidates; the Northrop Frye Visiting Lectureship; the title Associate of the Northrop Frye Centre for junior scholars or non-academic visitors; the organization of relevant lectures and seminars given by fellows; and the publication of the multi-volume, The Collected Works of Northrop Frye, which was begun in 1992 under the general editorship of John Robson, who was replaced after his death in 1995 by Alvin Lee. Jean O'Grady served as Assistant then Associate Editor.

The Centre was originally overseen by an honorary advisory board and a smaller Management Board that included the Victoria University President as Director, and the Principals of Victoria and Emmanuel Colleges. In 1994, a restructuring resulted in the honorary board’s involvement becoming more limited, before it ultimately dissolved during the 1997-1998 academic year. Professor Brian Merrilees became the first non-President to serve as the Centre's Director in 1995. After his resignation in 2002, Merrilees was replaced by the Principal of Victoria College, David Cook, as Acting Director.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of records relating to the various activities of the Centre, including the staging of conferences/seminars and the publication of The Collected Works of Northrop Frye. The four series are: Director's records, 1989-2001; Records relating to "The Legacy of Northrop Frye" Conference, 1991-1995; General records, 1993-2013; and Records relating to The Collected Works of Northrop Frye, 1991-2011.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Records were acquired from Alvin Lee and Jean O'Grady in 2011 and from the Victoria College Principal's Office in 2015.

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Photographs are described in the photograph database: http://archival-photos.vicu.utoronto.ca/

Associated materials

See also Northrop Frye personal papers (Fonds 11) in the Victoria University Library - Special Collections.

Related materials

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

Alternative identifier(s)

Category

Administrative Bodies

Standard number area

Standard number

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description record identifier

Institution identifier

Rules or conventions

Language of description

Script of description

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places