University of Waikato Digital Collections

The University of Waikato has a strong history of digitisation of material that supports research in New Zealand history, and in the development of finding aids for otherwise less-accessible New Zealand content.

The New Zealand Collection contains several visual collections. We hold selections of photographs, postcards, maps and posters, usually with an emphasis on the Waikato. The following material has been made available online.

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Bishop Selwyn Collection of Early Māori Documents - Presented in 1967 by Bishop SimkinA collection of 186 letters of correspondence between Māori and Bishop Selwyn covering the period 1842-1872.

The British Parliamentary Papers. Colonies: New Zealand Digitised despatches and reports relating to New Zealand from selected volumes of the British Parliamentary Papers. This project was supported by a grant from DigitalNZ.

Collotype views of Hamilton, WaikatoCollotype Views of Hamilton, Waikato, published in 1890, contains 7 leaves (1 folded) of photographic images taken by R.F. Sandes. Each image depicts a landmark feature of late nineteenth century Hamilton.

Hamilton Architecture: Looking back from 1965This collection showcases the architecture of Hamilton until 1965 providing a historical overview combined with recent examples of major works plus a brief insight into the future.

Historical maps of the Waikato Region A selection of maps of Hamilton and the Waikato.

Historical photos of the Waikato and New Zealand A selection of photographs from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Historical photos of Waikato Rugby Photographs associated with the 1956 Springbok rugby team's visit to Hamilton to play Waikato (the Mooloos).

The Illustrated London News A digital library of the New Zealand content from the Illustrated London News from Volume 1, 1842 to volume 121 in 1902.

Index of Māori Names This index is from an unpublished manuscript compiled about 1925 by the missionary Rev. Henry James Fletcher (1868-1933).

Māori Art: Canoes The Canoes section of Hamilton’s Māori Art represents a major source of information about the waka that brought the first people to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Māori Postcards ca.1890-1940This collection contains images of commercially released postcards that show aspects of the life and activities of Māori.

University of Waikato Campus Photos 1964 to 2014As part of the University's 50th anniversary celebrations the Library has put together this collection to highlight the diverse components – students, academics, the campus, buildings – that have shaped this unique University.

Waikato Region Postcards 1890-1940A collection of commercially released postcards that show the rural and urban landscape of the Waikato, and many aspects of the life and activities of the people.

For more information about these collections, or for information about the Library's digitisation projects, please contact the Library Systems Team at libyser@waikato.ac.nz