The ACA 2023 Annual Conference is fast approaching! The ACA blog, In the Field, is featuring the profile of a few members who will be presenting at the 2023 conference. Today we are featuring the profile of Madelynn Dickerson, Head of Digital Scholarship Services at the University of California, Irvine and Christine Kim, OAC/Calisphere Service & Outreach Manager at the California Digital Library.

Q: What is the title of your conference presentation? Tell us about it in 1 or 2 sentences.

Madelynn & Christine: Our presentation is called “Aggregation and Curation in Digital Collections: Identifying Inclusive Practices and Partnerships with Community-Based Archives.” We will be sharing information about a research assessment project that we are doing as part of “Community-Centered Archives Practice: Transforming Education, Archives, and Community History” (C-CAP TEACH), a Mellon-funded initiative at the University of California. The assessment project aims to identify and describe best practices for the development of ethical and inclusive digital collections and exhibitions, while understanding barriers that community organizations may face in contributing collections to aggregators.

Q: Can you walk us through your academic and professional path?

Christine: Since starting my archival journey, I’ve been lucky enough to explore the many moving components in the ecosystem of library services. My prior experiences include processing (and digitizing) archival collections and leading student engagement activities at the University of California, Irvine, as well as coordinating community engagement for ArchivesSpace, an open source application used to manage and describe archival collection material. Since 2019, I have been at the California Digital Library supporting the Online Archive of California and Calisphere – two services that provide broad, public access to digital collections contributed by libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage organizations throughout California.

Madelynn: I have an academic background in literature and art history, and transitioned from full time contract teaching to librarianship about ten years ago. My first full time job was as evening circulation supervisor in a small academic library and from there I was pretty ambitious about gaining as much experience as I could across different areas of librarianship while simultaneously enrolled in an online MLIS program. I have been at the University of California, Irvine since 2018, where I started as the Research Librarian for Digital Humanities and History. I have been the Head of Digital Scholarship Services since 2020.

A snapshot of the Calisphere website, the statewide aggregation of digital collections contributed by libraries, archives, and museums throughout California. Calisphere provides free access to unique and historically important artifacts for research, teaching, and curious exploration.

Q: What brought you to the field of archival studies and practice? 

Christine: As an undergraduate, I was a student in both film & media studies and history programs, with my interests intersecting at the representation of historical narratives in the media. So when I started my first internship at an archives, it was as if my interests glass slipper-ed into an actual tangible career path, but now adapted to explore how archival practices – and the visibility of firsthand accounts – influence the historical record.

Madelynn: Archival studies was always something that was interesting to me, and I managed to pursue professional development and projects related to archives early in my career even though it wasn’t always directly related to my job at the time. For example, when I was working the night shift in circulation about 10 years ago, I wrote a CLIR Hidden Collections grant proposal after finding some materials stored in an old chicken coop on campus. The proposal made it to the final stages and ultimately wasn’t funded, but it was a great learning experience. Now as a Head of Digital Scholarship Services, I have formal responsibilities around digital stewardship in many areas, including digital collections.

Q: What does the theme of the ACA 2023 conference, “Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects,” mean to you in terms of overall archival orientations and practice?

Madelynn & Christine: The conference theme speaks to the importance of representation, particularly narratives that are often misrepresented or excluded in the mainstream historical record. Aggregation aims to increase discoverability of historical resources, and web usage analytics demonstrate that digital collection aggregation can amplify the visibility of records; however, whose stories do aggregation service models privilege, and whose stories are absent? How do we ensure aggregated materials maintain appropriate cultural context? Our assessment project and research are centred in identifying strategies to mitigate the disconnect, particularly with a focus on surfacing and shifting change to address the priorities expressed by community-based archives in an effort towards representative and inclusive aggregation and exhibition practices.

Q: Can you tell us about your research approach and perspectives?

Madelynn & Christine: Our assessment project is rooted in identifying pathways to support a representative aggregation of digital collections, surfacing the barriers to participation, and defining actionable strategies to responsibly surface historically excluded narratives. By extension, we are concerned with sustainable and inclusive approaches to digital exhibitions. We are working with a consultant to conduct this assessment and develop a guide for effective and meaningful collaboration with community-centred archives. Our approach involves data analysis of current participation in aggregation services, website analysis of aggregation service scope and policies, environmental scans, and interviews and surveys with community-based archives.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference?

Madelynn & Christine: We look forward to learning from colleagues about initiatives they are embarking on to facilitate belonging and inclusion in their archival practices! We are grateful for the opportunity to share a progress update on our research assessments and welcome ideas and feedback.

L’édition 2023 de la conférence annuelle de l’ACA approche à grands pas! En prévision, le blogue de l’ACA, In the Field, publie des entretiens avec quelques conférenciers au programme cette année. Aujourd’hui nous vous présentons Simon-Olivier Gagnon, doctorant en archivistique au département des sciences historiques de l’Université Laval.

Q: Quel est le titre de votre présentation? Parlez-nous de votre sujet en une ou deux phrases.

Simon-Olivier: Les archives d'en bas en France et au Québec, du singulier au(x) collectif(s), de l'individuel au(x) commun(s).

Avec les collègues du projet de recherche Autres archives, autres histoires : les archives d’en bas en France et au Québec mené conjointement entre le Québec (Université Laval) et la France (Université d’Angers), nous discuterons des relations entre archives et pouvoir ainsi que des modalités d’émergence, d’affirmation et d’animation de projets d’archivage alternatifs.

Q: Pouvez-vous nous présenter votre parcours académique et professionnel? 

Simon-Olivier: Pendant mon parcours en sociologie qui s’est terminé avec une maîtrise portant sur Michel Foucault et le souci de soi, j’ai travaillé dans diverses radios communautaires au Québec, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest, en France et en Écosse. Mon expérience au sein de ces radios m’a amené à m’intéresser à leurs archives, et ce, dans le contexte particulier d’anniversaires commémoratifs. La thèse que je réalise actuellement s’intitule « Archives et radios communautaires : concevoir une archivistique communautaire ». Il est possible de suivre le cours de mes recherches et mes publications via mon carnet de recherche.

Q: Qu’est-ce qui vous a amené.e à vous intéresser au domaine de la théorie et de la pratique archivistiques?

Simon-Olivier: Je crois que tout a commencé avec ma pratique de l’échantillonnage musical (sampling) et de la réalisation de musique instrumentale de hip-hop (beatmaking). Pendant des heures, à la fin de mon adolescence, j’écoutais des vinyles pour repérer des extraits de mélodies à découper et à actualiser dans un montage sonore. Après mes études en sociologie, j’ai voulu revenir à ce type de rapport aux documents sonores et à leur interprétation. J’aurais pu me diriger en recherche-création, mais j’ai voulu me former à la discipline archivistique avec tous les enjeux sociaux, culturels et éthiques qui s’ensuivent.

Q: Le thème de la conférence 2023 est Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects. Qu’est-ce que ce thème signifie pour vous en lien avec la pratique et les axes de recherche en archivistique? 

Simon-Olivier: Les liens archivistiques ne sont pas visibles à l’œil nu, ils méritent d’être révélés, exposés, mis en scène. C’est ce que nous avons réalisé dans le projet 2012 : Mémoires à faire, un projet portant sur les archives du Printemps québécois. Dans le cadre de ce projet collectif, nous avons, à notre manière, contribué à restituer au public certaines archives (radiophoniques, sonores, textuelles, etc.) de ce mouvement étudiant. C’est ainsi par notre intervention archivistique que des liens archivistiques se sont révélés entre une communauté de documents et des producteurs.

Les cinq épisodes du balado 2012 : Mémoires à faire sont disponibles sur différentes plateformes d’écoute et sur Internet Archives. Les archives pertinentes au projet, comme des tracts, des affiches, des photographies, ont par la suite été disposées dans deux vitrines, dans les locaux de L’Orchestre d’Hommes-Orchestres ainsi que dans celles de notre diffuseur CKIA-FM Radio Basse-Ville.

Photos prises à l’occasion de la marche d’écoute collective, le 24 septembre 2022. Crédit photo: Débora Flor.

Q: Pouvez-vous nous parler de vos approches et de vos perspectives de recherche? 

Simon-Olivier: Mon rapport aux archives vient de gens qui sont animés par une passion : ce sont des amateur·trice·s, des non-professionnel·le·s, des chercheur·e·s indépendant·e·s, des dilettantes qui manipulent des documents et qui finissent, somme toute, par sauver des pans entiers de l’histoire. Ces gens-là, qui demeurent trop longtemps et trop souvent dans l’ombre, jouent un rôle quant à la mémoire de la société civile, des organismes communautaires et, plus largement, des mouvements culturels contestataires et de la contre-culture. Je m’intéresse à la figure que j’associe à « l’archiviste ad hoc », aux gestes de cette figure, au sein des radios communautaires et universitaires.

Pour plus d'informations au sujet du projet : 2012: Mémoires à faire | Facebook

The ACA 2023 Annual conference is fast approaching! The ACA blog, In the Field, is featuring the profile of a few members who will be presenting at the 2023 conference. Today we are featuring the profile of Shadreck Bayane, Records Specialist at the Botswana Investment & Trade Centre.

Q: What is the title of your conference presentation? Tell us about it in 1 or 2 sentences.

Shadreck: Titled “Access to information for visually impaired people: Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist the cause?” my paper will be delivered through a panel discussion. It examines key issues of accessibility to records and information for people with disabilities (visually impaired) when or if AI is deployed as a possible assistive technology.

Q: Can you walk us through your academic and professional path?

Shadreck: My professional journey dates back to two decades ago when I joined the Botswana National Archives & Records Services as an Assistant Records Officer in the Attorney General Chambers and Office of the President, respectively, after graduating from the University of Botswana with a diploma in archives and records management. I worked with revered technocrats (high ranking government officials) whose wisdom and sense of duty rubbed off on me and sharpened my intellectual pedigree from that early stage of my career.

I have since spent the better part of my career in the corporate sector with an archival science degree, after working for the Government for a year. I am a certified records analyst and currently work for the Botswana Investment & Trade Centre (BITC) in Gaborone, Botswana as a Records Specialist – having previously worked for the Botswana Public Officers’ Pension Fund (BPOPF), Public Procurement & Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and Botswana Savings Bank (BSB) in the same capacity.

I also serve as an International Correspondent for the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM)’s Newsletter, covering areas outside USA and Canada.

Q: What brought you to the field of archival studies and practice? 

Shadreck: Prior to my dive into archival studies, I had a short stint in the law enforcement field – working with legal documents. When I was contemplating what to study at the university, a friend suggested the records management course, which struck a chord with my records experience. The rest, as they say, is history.

Q: What does the theme of the ACA 2023 conference, “Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects,” mean to you in terms of overall archival orientations and practice?

Shadreck: As part of my preparations for presenting at the conference, I recently attended a PWD (people with disabilities) function whereat a question was asked as to how the rest of us can contribute to economic empowerment of people with disabilities. In the instance of archival practice, I understand this question, as read with the ACA conference theme, to be calling upon us in the profession to perform our functions and research in a manner that promotes inclusivity, diversity, and connectivity of the people we serve.

So, the ACA’s view of belonging as a fundamental human need is apt, and relatable.

Q: Can you tell us about your research approach and perspectives?

Shadreck: My research is currently focused on archives, digitization, and artificial intelligence, and the interest is bolstered by my current participation in the international scholarly project InterPARES Trust AI where the resources and expertise are world-class. I am a strong proponent of impactful research which contributes to both the academic body of knowledge, and the practical advancement of society – with a particular concentration on our marginalized communities.

Q: What are you mostly looking forward to at this year’s conference?

Shadreck: No doubt it is going to be an interesting and successful conference. Take a look at the credentials of speakers, venue, activities, the messaging around the event, and the vibe. Alluring! I look forward to joining a diversity of archivists and other allied stakeholders from all corners of the universe as we feast on the archival discourse.

The ACA 2023 Annual conference is fast approaching! The ACA blog, In the Field, is featuring the profile of a few members who will be presenting at the 2023 conference. Today we are featuring the profile of Adam Williamson, a 2^nd year master’s candidate at the University of Toronto’s iSchool.

Q: What is the title of your conference presentation? Tell us about it in 1 or 2 sentences.

Adam: The title of my presentation is “Empty Buildings and Burnt Records: Cultural Destruction and the Threat to Ukrainian Identity during the Russo-Ukrainian War.” The somber title reflects my exploration of the Russo-Ukrainian War’s impact on Ukraine’s cultural sector and what that means for Ukrainian identity. I make comparisons with the former Finnish province of Karelia during the Winter War (1939-1940) to draw parallels to better understand the impacts on Ukrainian identity. 

Q: Can you walk us through your academic and professional path? 

Adam: I am currently going into my second year as a Master of Information candidate at the University of Toronto. Prior to my master’s, I studied history at Brock University, which influences my research interests concerning archives. Professionally, my career has taken me in many interesting directions ranging from Parks Canada and the CRA to a research assistant at Brock University for a digital oral history archive. Currently, I am back at the federal government working for the National Research Council as an Information Management Policy Advisor. 

Q: What brought you to the field of archival studies and practice? 

Adam: For me, it was my exposure to oral history and digital archives as a research assistant that pulled me into the archival world. Listening to people’s stories, helping preserve them, and understanding their importance for the community’s identity connected with me. The role of identity in archives stuck with me as I continued to explore research about it. Without that first experience, I wouldn’t have found myself in the archival field. 

Q: What does the theme of the ACA 2023 conference, “Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects,” mean to you in terms of overall archival orientations and practice? 

Adam: In my mind, it raises the important questions of how archives should serve their society, who they represent, and who falls through the gaps. This can be seen in discourses on community archives, both in terms of where they fit in the archival community and as a response to historical and current archival gaps. Archives help build community bonds through a sense of self, and this raises the question of what is the best way that archives can help build these bonds based on the communities they serve. I don’t have any answers, but I believe attempts to answer these questions are central to shaping and improving archival best practices.

Q: Can you tell us about your research approach and perspectives? 

Adam: Two major challenges shaped my research approach: my inability to read Ukrainian and the length limitation on the paper. To overcome this, I opted to select three case studies that had English-language articles written about them and used them as snapshots for the larger picture I was exploring concerning the Ukrainian cultural sector. I also decided to make comparisons to Finland during the Winter War to draw parallels and contextualize what is happening to Ukrainian identity in the short term. Underlying all of this was my use of archival theory, including the concept that archives, and other cultural institutions, are a powerful force in helping a society anchor its sense of self through the memories they hold. One perspective I brought, likely due to my history background, is that while the conflict is the result of modern politics, the question of Ukrainian identity has roots that run centuries deep.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference? 

Adam: Just attending is exciting, as this is the first academic conference I will be attending, let alone presenting at. The great thing about this conference’s theme is how it allows archivists to have different interpretations of what exactly is meant by belonging in an archival context. This is what I am looking forward to: seeing how emerging and professional archivists approach this theme and taking their perspectives with me as I continue developing as an archivist.

In celebration of the International Archives Week theme “#ArchivesUnited,” the ACA Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee has coordinated with Canadian professional archival associations to present a special series of blog posts. This series will run on the ACA blog, In the Field, from June 5-9 and aims to uplift the work of our colleagues across Canada by showcasing new initiatives, providing transparent solutions to key issues, and identifying exciting opportunities for collaboration.

C’est avec plaisir que l’Association des archivistes du Québec contribue à l’initiative de notre partenaire, l’Association canadienne des archivistes, à l’occasion de la semaine internationale des archives 2023. Nous vous partageons un résumé des activités de l’Association de la dernière année, plus particulièrement l’avancement de nos orientations stratégiques 2021-2023.

Donc, les orientations stratégiques 2021-2023 de l’Association ont été adoptées à l’automne 2019. Elles se découpent en cinq grands axes stratégiques, soit :

• La promotion et la communication
• Le membrariat
• Le développement professionnel
• Les partenariats et la collaboration
• La gouvernance

En premier lieu, l’axe Promotion et communication vise à faire connaître l’archiviste comme un expert de sa discipline engagé dans sa société.

Pour favoriser l’échange et le partage d’information auprès de nos membres, nous avons adopté une politique et un plan de communication ainsi que mis en valeur la réussite professionnelle de nos membres sur nos plateformes de communications (Maude Charest pour sa collaboration à la mise en scène de la pièce de théâtre Grosse-Île, 1847; Normand Charbonneau, fait Officier des arts et des lettres et récipiendaire du prix Jacques-Ducharme; Cédric Champagne, pour son élection à la présidence du Forum des Associations professionnelles de l’ICA, etc.). De plus, un souci particulier a été investi concernant nos interventions publiques et de lobbyisme sur les sujets d’actualité touchant la discipline archivistique, par exemple en réagissant à différents dossiers (la participation au comité consultatif sur la modernisation de la Loi sur les archives et de ses documents afférents ou à la publication d’un dossier sur la gestion de l’information dans une revue destinée à des gestionnaires municipaux).

En second lieu, l’axe Membrariat vise à dynamiser, soutenir et valoriser notre communauté archivistique.

Afin d’améliorer l’attractivité du membrariat, le sentiment d’appartenance et la fierté des membres, des capsules vidéos promotionnelles sur les avantages d’être membre de l’AAQ ont été produites, le tirage d’un abonnement aux membres présents aux assemblées régionales annuelles a été fait et des actions de sollicitation auprès des étudiant.e.s et nouveaux.elles diplômé.e.s ont été multipliées. Également, la trousse d’accueil destinée aux nouveaux membres fut renouvelée ainsi que la diffusion en exclusivité d’enregistrements d’évènements virtuels (conférence, table ronde). Aussi, lors du congrès annuel de l’Association, nous avons reconnu la solidarité des membres ayant renouvelé leur cotisation depuis plus de 10 ans.

En troisième lieu, l’axe Développement professionnel vise à assurer le développement des compétences et l’accompagnement des membres et des gens intéressés à la pratique archivistique.

Ainsi, une plateforme de formation à distance, Azimut, fut lancée en septembre 2022, permettant la tenue de formations se déroulant sur plusieurs semaines, complémentaire aux activités de formation existantes. Une veille des formations disponibles a été effectuée tout en continuant de sonder nos membres et non-membres afin de connaître leurs besoins en formation. Également, notre programme de mentorat, soutenant l’intégration au marché du travail de nos membres, se poursuit.

En quatrième lieu, l’axe Partenariats et collaboration vise à maximiser les partenariats et la collaboration dans le respect de nos valeurs et au bénéfice de l’AAQ et de nos membres.

L’association a veillé à consolider ses partenariats associatifs et institutionnels tant au Québec par des échanges avec le Regroupement des archivistes religieux (RAR), le Réseau des services d’archives du Québec (RAQ), qu’au niveau international en signant des ententes et réalisant des activités avec l’Association des archivistes français, l’Association des archivistes franco-belges, l’Association des archivistes suisses et le Conseil international des archives. De plus, l’Association a également lancé son programme de bénévolat AGIR (volet supervision de stage et volet accompagnement professionnel auprès d’organismes à but non lucratif – à venir).

En dernier lieu, l’axe Gouvernance vise à moderniser la structure de l’AAQ en adéquation avec les autres orientations.

Ainsi, nous avons procédé à une analyse SWOT de l’Association afin de cerner notre champ d’action et de démarrer les réflexions sur nos valeurs. L’Association a aussi veillé à réviser et actualiser ses guides administratifs.

En résumé, bien que la pandémie de COVID ait ralenti la mise en œuvre de certaines activités, elle a également amené de nouvelles opportunités touchant nos cinq axes stratégiques. Nous remercions nos membres pour leur soutien et nos bénévoles pour leur temps et leur énergie.

En terminant, nous espérons que vous avez passé une bonne semaine internationale des archives!

by Cameron Hart

In celebration of the International Archives Week theme “#ArchivesUnited,” the ACA Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee has coordinated with Canadian professional archival associations to present a special series of blog posts. This series will run on the ACA blog, In the Field, from June 5-9 and aims to uplift the work of our colleagues across Canada by showcasing new initiatives, providing transparent solutions to key issues, and identifying exciting opportunities for collaboration.

In 2022-23, despite continuing challenges, SCAA continued to show our commitment to refining and improving our services for all our members, which include individuals and institutions from across the heritage field. The inclusion of several Working Groups to the Boards this past year reflects this commitment.

The Indigenous Working Group replaced the Diversity Working Group, which involves Indigenous members to steer the group, and the chair acts more as a support role in providing resources. A mandate for the working group is still being worked on. Initiatives are in place to encourage new First Nations/Metis organizations to join SCAA, including the continuation of the waiver of institutional membership fees. Future initiatives around examining archival practices, particularly those regarding outdated language used in archival description, are another of their priorities, along with connecting with the Council of Nova Scotia Archives to discuss their Reconciliation framework, particularly their environmental scan of membership. An SCAA Board Member is a co-chair of the “Response to the Report of the TRC Commission Taskforce” of the Steering Committee on Canada's Archives in response to Call to Action #70. The framework document was released in 2022.

The Revenue Working Group was part of SCAA’s 2020-24 Strategic Plan. A group was formed to investigate other forms of self-generated revenue, so as not to wholly rely on the generous funding of the SaskLotteries/SaskCulture, which is approved through the 2023-24 fiscal year. The group is reviewing membership dues and will look to include a variable institutional scale as well as introduce a retired/student/non-salaried category. Another potential source is the publication of one of SCAA’s public awareness projects, the Unforgettable: Extraordinary Items from Saskatchewan’s Archival Collections book project. This coffee-table book includes articles by archivists and researchers along with photographs of items found in Saskatchewan’s archival collections.

As work continues with the MemorySask database, a MemorySask Working Group is being established and they will review and refine policies and procedures to make MemorySask a more powerful tool to research portions of the Saskatchewan history and culture.

Our Archives Advisor has been limited in site visits due to the pandemic, but the Advisor has begun to travel again, and the addition of Zoom videoconferencing has enabled them to hold many of these meetings virtually. Their activities go beyond site visits, though, and the following is a sample.

Archives Week is an annual event held by SCAA. Activities in February 2023 saw the return of in-person events for many members, and so saw the return of the Archives Week grant program. Institutions holding Open Houses, exhibits, workshops, etc. could again get small grants from SCAA to promote and support their events. SCAA continued to help create YouTube videos to help institutions promote themselves.

The administration of our Institutional Grants Program saw 18 applications submitted from SCAA member institutions this year. These included requests for preservation, digitization, and general archival work, but also support for projects to help make archival collections more accessible to the public. After adjudications a total of just over $38,000 was distributed to institutions.

SCAA’s Professional Development and Travel Subsidies saw individual members supported to attend virtual workshops, conferences, webinars, or other educational offerings.

The SCAA facilitates and encourages learning in the archival field by offering Educational Workshops and presentations throughout the year. In addition to basic archival practice presentations by our Advisor, additional subjects of interest were presented by experts in the field. The workshops and presentations this past year included:

• A presentation about “Reconciliation through the Treaty Relationship” by Annie Battiste of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner.
• A webinar was led by Lisa Snider (consultant) for institutions contributing to the MemorySask database.
• A multiday workshop on preservation of physical material was presented by Iona McCraith, former AAO Preservation Consultant.

The SCAA Board of Directors in 2022-23 is:

President: Mark Vajčner, retired University of Regina, Archive & Special Collections

Vice-President: Donald Johnson, Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan
Treasurer: Jeremy Mohr, Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan
Directors: William Shepherd, Swift Current Museum
Stevie Horn, Saskatoon Public Library History Room
Erin Grant, Métis Nation Registry of Saskatchewan
Sheldon Krasowski, Office of the Treaty Commissioner
Crista Bradley, University of Regina, Archive & Special Collections

SCAA is a proud member of SaskCulture, and gratefully acknowledges funding from Sask Lotteries. SaskCulture and SCAA’s support reaches lands covered by Treaties 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10; traditional lands of the Cree, Dakota, Dene, Lakota, Nakota and Saulteaux peoples, as well as the homeland of the Métis.

About Cameron Hart: After graduating in history and political science from D'Youville College, in the US, in 1996, he attended UBC's SLAIS (now iSchool) in 1997-99. In 1999 he moved to Saskatchewan on contract, and in 2009 became the full-time Archives Advisor for the SCAA, a position he continues to hold.

by Katrina Swift, Archives Advisor for the Council of Archives New Brunswick

In celebration of the International Archives Week theme “#ArchivesUnited,” the ACA Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee has coordinated with Canadian professional archival associations to present a special series of blog posts. This series will run on the ACA blog, In the Field, from June 5-9 and aims to uplift the work of our colleagues across Canada by showcasing new initiatives, providing transparent solutions to key issues, and identifying exciting opportunities for collaboration.

With rapidly changing formats and the widening distribution of news media, tracking the history of provincial news publications has reached a critical juncture.

On October 18^th, 2021, with this pressing issue in mind, the Council of Archives New Brunswick (CANB) hosted a New Brunswick Newspaper Forum with collecting institutions (museums, libraries, and archives) from across New Brunswick to discuss current collecting and preservation practices and challenges. The meeting also looked at ways to move forward in a coordinated manner in the area of newspaper collection and preservation in the province.

Institutions in attendance highlighted the need to have information from New Brunswick newspapers accessible in one place. The closest thing the province had was the New Brunswick Newspaper Directory, which was originally a 1996 book/directory created by Helen Craig but had subsequently been built into an online database hosted by the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB). However, the directory had fallen into disuse and was in desperate need of revision.

The solution decided upon at the meeting was to update the New Brunswick Newspaper Directory and improve the online database so that it was more easily searchable and accessible. Thus began the New Brunswick Historical Newspapers Project. The goal of this project is to centralize all known information and holdings of newspapers published in New Brunswick from the earliest publication (the Royal St. John’s Gazette and Nova Scotia Intelligencer in 1783) to the present day. It is a collaboration between CANB, PANB, and the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Libraries, with the support of many libraries and archives across the province, country, and continent. The data collected on newspaper holdings will be of all formats – hard copy/print, microform, and digital – and will be collected and staged on the New Brunswick Historical Newspapers Project website, hosted by UNB Libraries.

Over the past several months, the team working behind this project has been reaching out to institutions across the continent who had previously been known to hold historical New Brunswick newspapers, from small museums to the Library of Congress, to verify data to accurately reflect which institutions still hold what papers. Along with this work, institutions are being asked to add any of their additional newspaper holdings. The next phase of the project will involve doing a call-out to institutions province-wide. This way, all holdings not previously captured in the New Brunswick Newspaper Directory will be represented.

This project will be of key use to libraries, archives, museums, and researchers working in the field of New Brunswick studies. It will also identify and flag provincial newspapers worthy of digitization to improve access to these amazingly rich sources.

Submitted by ASA’s Advocacy and Outreach committee

In celebration of the International Archives Week theme “#ArchivesUnited,” the ACA Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee has coordinated with Canadian professional archival associations to present a special series of blog posts. This series will run on the ACA blog, In the Field, from June 5-9 and aims to uplift the work of our colleagues across Canada by showcasing new initiatives, providing transparent solutions to key issues, and identifying exciting opportunities for collaboration.

The Archives Society of Alberta (ASA) faced significant funding cuts from the provincial government in the past few years. Our funding cut from Alberta Culture impacted our operating budget and our capacity to support our members. Not only did this impact our staff and direct operations, but we were forced to eliminate project grants to our member institutions, which has a cascading impact on our member’s ability to continue their work.

Prior to this funding cut, the Advocacy and Outreach committee, then called Communications committee, wanted to change its focus. The committee was producing calendars and other activities which did not have the best impact for advocacy and outreach work. We recognized that in order to ensure the long-term stability of the ASA, and to restore our funding, we would need to make sure the public, and even more crucially funders, understood the importance of archives and the services we provided. The committee was unsure of where to start to improve its efforts so sought board approval to seek out an advocacy consultant to help shape our work.

The first step the consultant took was to fully understand the work we do, and what communications strategies we have used previously, to identify the strongest advocacy messaging going forward. They conducted a series of interviews with a sample of our members as well as our funders to learn their perspectives and where they thought improvements could be made. The consultants also looked at the work of other related professional associations, in order to get an environmental scan.

Based on this information, the consultant developed a “Communications and Advocacy Strategy,” a road map, and suggested key messages for the ASA and its members. One of the key components of that plan was to activate and empower all of our member institutions to advocate for archival work in our province, which are the first steps the committee has been taking.

We are working on an advocacy toolkit that will include general information on archives and archivists, information about our association, information for institutions to use, a media pitch and an elevator pitch – elements that members can utilize quickly and easily. We will continue to work ourselves, and with our members, to advocate for the ASA.

For the ASA, we had to start considering advocacy as a solution to the financial cuts we were facing. We know going forward that we need to fight for our organization and profession, and to make the importance of the ASA clear to our communities and our funders. It was an intimidating process to set out on, as in the busy work of archives, communications so often end up being run off the side of someone’s desk rather than being a focus. But for archives to stay relevant and remain a priority in policy and in funding decisions, we will need to start advocating for ourselves, and ensuring that our value is recognized.

In celebration of the International Archives Week theme “#ArchivesUnited,” the ACA Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee has coordinated with Canadian professional archival associations to present a special series of blog posts. This series will run on the ACA blog, In the Field, from June 5-9 and aims to uplift the work of our colleagues across Canada by showcasing new initiatives, providing transparent solutions to key issues, and identifying exciting opportunities for collaboration.

This past year has been a challenging and exciting time for the AABC. From managing MemoryBC to developing Disaster Response Kits and conducting site visits for archives across the province, the AABC continued its key initiatives and developed new ones. Reflecting on this year’s International Archives Awareness Week theme #ArchivesUnited, collaborating with those within and outside of the archival profession has been essential to the ongoing work of the AABC.

At the end of April, the AABC hosted a hybrid conference in collaboration with ARMA VI on the topic of "Access Ability: Exploring Themes of Access in Archives and Information Management." It was exciting having an opportunity to gather virtually and in-person for a full day of wonderful presentations. For more information on the conference, including links to presentation slides, see the AABC website.

Throughout the year, a core piece of the AABC’s advocacy and outreach efforts is educational programming. In the past year, the AABC ran three distance education courses: Introduction to Archival Practice, Managing Archival Photographs, and Managing Plans and Drawings. Over the past year the AABC also offered courses by outside experts on copyright and describing electronic records. In addition, the AABC continued hosting online webinars on a variety of topics meant to help support daily work in archival settings, including: “Archives 101 for Summer Students,” “Creating Archival Exhibits,” and “A+ Teaching with Primary Sources from the Archives.”

Thanks to grant funding from the BC Arts Council, the AABC was also able to teach two offerings of the “Archives 101: Archival Practice for Indigenous Organizations” workshop. This workshop was attended by 61 participants representing 28 different Indigenous communities and organizations throughout BC and from across Canada. This workshop has an organic foundation and is continually being updated and revised each time it is offered as workshop content is developed based on discussions with community knowledge keepers and pre/post-workshop surveys that identify training priorities, questions, and issues that participants are managing.

The AABC also continued hosting “Roundteas,” free online gatherings to talk about emerging archival issues and learn about different types of archival collections that are managed by Archivists throughout the province. The informal roundtable format is a participatory discussion meant to mimic getting a tea or other beverage with colleagues. Recordings of some Roundteas are available on the AABC website. Recent topics include: “Artist Archives From A to Z” and “Nursing Archives in BC.” 

In British Columbia, the provincial Archives Awareness Week (AAW) runs the third week of November. Last year, the AABC offered a week of virtual programming, including a collaborative film screening and Q&A with the filmmakers and film participants of Unarchived with the ACA’s Public Advocacy and Awareness Committee. Additional AAW events included an Indigenous Archives Forum and a student networking session.

Archives Awareness Week was also an opportunity to bring together archivists from across the province to an engagement session with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR) and the UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC). MIRR, the IRSHDC, and the BC Archives are supporting Indigenous communities across the province as they lead the way to locate, document, and protect burial sites associated with former Indian Residential Schools and Indian Hospitals in BC. With the goal of supporting connections between communities and local archives, this session included a discussion of potential research barriers and challenges, as well as considerations of how archives in BC and Indigenous communities can work collaboratively to locate, access and transfer Residential School records. The IRSHDC is working with MIRR, to create lists of repositories (archives, libraries, museums, and other organizations) that hold records related to each school. The IRSHDC is looking to collaborate with archives, libraries, museums and other repositories to enhance these lists. More information about contributing to this important work and a recording of the engagement session is available here.

None of this would have been possible without the AABC’s British Columbia Archival Education and Advisory Service Coordinator, Lisa Glandt; British Columbia Archival Network Service Coordinator, Lisa Snider; Financial Manager, Angela Brain; and the amazing network of AABC volunteers. As we’re sure many can relate to, the AABC is navigating the constraints of limited resources and capacity, but through it all we are bolstered by the dedication of our tireless contractors and volunteers. Moving forward, the AABC looks forward to continuing our programming and outreach efforts and welcomes the opportunity to partner with archival workers and organizations from across the country.

The ACA 2023 Annual Conference is fast approaching! The ACA blog, In the Field, is featuring the profile of a few members who will be presenting at the 2023 conference. Today we are featuring the profile of Sarah Hanahem, graduate student at McGill University.

Q: What is the title of your conference presentation? 

Sarah: The title of my presentation is “How Donor-Archivist Relationships Helped Shape the Foundation of the McGill University Archives.” Through accession files, I tried to analyze the relationships between the first university archivist at McGill University and donors. 

Q: Can you walk us through your academic and professional path? 

Sarah: I first completed a bachelor's degree in communication at Université de Montréal (U de M) with a minor in comparative literature. Only in my last year of university did I come across the archival profession. I started with a year-long certificate in Archival Studies also at U de M. In 2021, I started the Master of Information Studies at McGill University, and I graduated in June 2023. I was lucky enough to work for McGill University Archives, the Quebec Lesbian Archives, and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, where I still work. 

Q: What brought you to the field of archival studies and practice? 

Sarah: During the last year of my bachelor's degree, I read Archive Fever by Jacques Derrida for a class. I think this was the first time I was confronted with the meaning of archive and how it can shape memory. I registered for the Archival Studies certificate at the Université de Montréal the following year!

Q: What does the theme of the ACA 2023 conference, “Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects,” mean to you in terms of overall archival orientations and practice?

Sarah: The theme “Belonging: Considering archival bonds and disconnects,” for me, refers to this need to feel represented in archives. I think this idea of representation needs to orient our practices as archivists, from the acquisition to the communication and use of archival documents. We should also identify gaps in current collections and find ways to fill them or at least publicly acknowledge them. 

Q: Can you tell us about your research approach and perspectives?

Sarah: The research project I completed for my Master’s used a data collection approach. I looked at over 80 accession files and tried to identify trends that could inform the relationships between archivists and donors. I was mostly interested in power imbalances and how these relationships led to gaps and silences in the archives. 

Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year's conference?

Sarah: I'm looking forward to seeing live presentations and engaging with my peers in person for the first time in a few years! I'm also looking forward to seeing how people interact with the theme of the 2023 conference through their presentations. Finally, I'm also looking forward to getting feedback on my own presentation.