The Centre for the Study of Co-operatives was established on the University of Saskatchewan campus in 1984. Its stated mandate is to be an “interdisciplinary centre of higher learning that provides people with conceptual and informational tools to understand co-operatives
and to develop them as solutions to economic and social needs.” The current work of the centre is perhaps best captured on their blog, Contemplating Co-ops.
To meet their mandate, the Centre quickly developed a library with a broad range of resources on co-operatives and their operation both in Saskatchewan and around the world. Recently, several of these books were transported to UASC, complimenting co-operative centric archival collections such as the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool fonds, the 25th Theatre fonds and more,
Given the province’s history with co-operatives, from the early days of the Wheat Pool, to Tommy Douglas and the CCF, to the groceries, credit unions, and art and theatre collectives that flourish in the province today, it is not surprising that a school devoted to the study of co-operatives was founded here.
The images shown provide a small sampling of the types of books included in this comprehensive collection, and should provide inspiration for the various ways in which co-operatives can be studied.