The Oxford English Dictionary defines temperance as "the practice or habit of restraining oneself in provocation, passion, desire, etc.; rational self-restraint." By the early 16th century, the word had evolved to mean avoiding the excessive consumption of alcohol or food. Three hundred years later, however, the definition narrowed in the United States to mean the total abstinence from liquor in any of its forms, and that is probably what springs to mind today when, or if, the term is used at all.

The Fisher Library is fortunate to have an extensive collection of temperance materials that date back to the late 19th century, representing the history of the movement in Canada, the United States, Great Britain, and beyond. The names of the groups responsible for the publication of these journals and ephemeral materials reflect the almost militaristic crusade they had undertaken: The International Order of Good Templars, The Royal Templars of Temperance, Grand Lodge of Scotland, and perhaps most familiar of all, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. If the organizations’ names weren’t evocative enough of their mission, the titles of their publications certainly were, such as "Licensed Curse", "Delusion: The Menace of the First Drink", "The Parasite" and, my personal favourite, "Lips that touch liquor shall never touch mine".

Thanks to the hard work of our Access Service Associate, Jayson Meghie, this collection is now catalogued and ready to be consulted. When searching in the catalogue, use the search term "Collection of Temperance Collection."