The digitization of this finding aid was made possible - in part or entirely - through the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage, the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Council of Archives.
| Fonds/Collection Number: | F0249 |
| Title: | Judith Cowan fonds |
| Dates: | 1960-2011 |
| Extent: | 5.5 m of textual records 9 audio cassettes ca. 306 photographs 3 video cassettes 4 compact discs 1 DVD 5 posters |
| Biographical Sketch/ Administrative History: | Judith Cowan, author, translator and professor, was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia. She received a BA in Modern Languages and Literature in 1965 and a MA in French Literature in 1969 from the University of Toronto. She received an MA in English Literature in 1970 from York University where she also lectured during the 1970-1971 academic year. She completed her PhD in Canadian comparative literature at l'Université de Sherbrooke in 1983. She has been a professor of Canadian, American and English Literature at l'Université de Québec at Trois-Rivières since 1973. Cowan has translated numerous poems by Quebec writers for Ellipse magazine, a magazine that specializes in translations of Canadian literature. She has also translated whole works by authors such as Gérald Godin and Yves Préfontaine. She was awarded a Governor-General's Award in 2004 for "Mirabel," her translation of Pierre Nepveu's "Lignes aériennes." She has authored and published several collections of short stories, including "Gambler's Fallacy," and has several novels in progress. |
| Scope and Content: |
Fonds consists of chronologically-arranged correspondence files that are both personal and professional in nature and include copies of letters received and, in many cases, copies of letters sent by Cowan herself. There is a considerable amount of correspondence with Cowan's family as well as copies of letters exchanged with Steven Heighton and David Helwig, among others. Fonds also consists of notes and drafts of her work as a translator including "Mirabel" as well as correspondence with the respective authors; notes and drafts of her short stories and novels, both collected and uncollected and professorial files consisting of tenure and promotion files, course evaluations and other material that documents her lengthy career as a professor at l'Université de Québec at Trois-Rivières. Fonds also includes copies of essays and/or papers written by Cowan when she was working on her university degrees, correspondence and manuscripts relating to her involvement with the literary community in Québec, and her interest in digital photography. Accession 2007-052 includes photographs of Judith Cowan receiving the Governor General's Literary Award in 2004. |
| Language of material note: | Some correspondence, translation and professorial files are in French. |
| Restrictions on Access and Use: | Some restrictions on access apply. File 2003-027/013(04) and accessions 2007-039, 2009-038, and 2011-045/002 to 2011-045/004 are closed until after Cowan's death. No restrictions on accessions 2004-044, 2007-052, 2009-034, and 2011-045/001. |
| Finding Aid: | File list is available. |
| URL of Finding Aid: | http://archivesfa.library.yorku.ca/fonds/ON00370-f0000249.pdf |
| Accruals: | The fonds comprises the following accessions: 2003-027, 2004-044, 2005-014, 2007-039, 2007-052, 2009-034, 2009-039, 2011-045. Further accruals may be expected. |
| 2003-027 2004-044 2005-014 2007-039 2007-052 2009-034 2011-045 |
|
| Immediate source of acquisition: | Donated by Judith Cowan in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011. |
| Provenance Access Points: | Cowan, Judith Elaine |
|
Date of creation: 2003/08/29 Date of last revision: 2012/01/06 |
|