Scope and Content Monthly ACA Newsletter
February 2023, Volume 4, Issue 2
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Click here if you are having trouble reading the newsletter.
Scope and Content is issued the first Thursday of each month. If you have any comments or feedback, please contact the Communications Committee.
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Welcome, everyone, to February and Black History
Month!
We have a number of updates for you in this
month’s newsletter, but before jumping in, I want to acknowledge this
important month in our national commemoration calendar. If you haven’t yet
taken time to learn about the many amazing achievements and contributions Black
Canadians have made to their communities and to this country, please take this
opportunity to do so. Some resources to check out are the many interesting
links featured on the “February is Black History Month” page
hosted on the Canadian Heritage website, including, but certainly not limited
to:
And, of course, do check out the Archives of
Ontario Frederick Douglass Day 2023 event to be held in-person and virtually on
February 14 from 11:30 am-3:00 pm ET. Find the Eventbrite registration
link here. |
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Ancestry Lunch & Learn: Handwriting Recognition - The Future of Indexing
Join
Jared Akenhead (Senior Manager, Content Acquisition, Ancestry) and Adam
Goodman (Principal Project Manager, Content Productions, Ancestry) on Wednesday, March 29 at 12:00 pm ET / 9:00 am PT
to find out more about the latest development in Ancestry’s handwriting
recognition (HWR) technology; why other solutions fell short; and the
unique features that will change the future of indexing. Jared and Adam
will present a case study around the indexing of the 1950 US Census and
share details about the process that ultimately resulted in publishing
the HWR index on its platform. What does this mean for future indexing
projects and where do we hope this will lead. . . 1931 Canadian Census????
Please join us for this fascinating “lunch and learn” event!
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Announcement: ACA–ASA Reciprocal Membership
Agreement
I’m delighted to announce the finalization of
a reciprocal membership agreement between the ACA and the Australian Society of
Archivists! What does this type of agreement mean for ACA members? Well,
essentially it means that ACA members have access to ASA resources and offerings
(conferences, workshops, courses, etc.) at ASA membership rates. Likewise holds
true for ASA members accessing ACA resources and offerings. So if you’ve always
wanted to take one of the ASA’s many fabulous self-directed courses, now would
be a great time to do so! While we are still working out the details (i.e.,
developing forms, office procedures, etc.) for how to facilitate this
agreement, rest assured I will let you know as soon as all is in place and
ready to receive your registrations! |
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Update: Canadian Museum Policy Renewal
If you haven’t already, please take some time to review the policy documentation provided on the PCH museum policy renewal website as well as the “Preliminary Results of Museum Policy Stakeholder Survey” (Dec. 2022) provided on our website. Based on this documentation, and the consultation input process thus far, it is imperative that Canada’s archival communities rally together over the next couple of months to ensure our voices and concerns are heard during this policy renewal consultation process. While I am currently working with CCA (soon to also be working with AAQ) on collective advocacy strategies at an association level, I cannot stress enough how critical your participation in this process is. Why? Because according to the PCH website linked above, “the next Museum Policy, for the period beyond 2023, will set out aspirations for the museums of the future and have an impact on how we protect our heritage and how Canadians will be able to access it. These aspirations will be supported through a range of funding programs, legislative measures and services.” PCH uses the umbrella term “museum” to encompass “heritage institutions, including museums, art galleries, archives, heritage sites, botanical gardens and zoos,” and therefore a new policy will be one which directly impacts all federal funding structures to which archives can apply for the next 30-plus years!
So whether you are a student, a new professional, or a seasoned practitioner, I strongly urge you to keep an eye out for PCH invitations to participate in virtual roundtable sessions planned from now up until April 2023. As well, ACA is planning to invite Mr. Ken Amaral (Policy and Research Analyst, Heritage Policy and Legislation Directorate Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada) and colleagues to a virtual Town Hall, through which they will be asked to speak to our concerns and questions with regards to policy development and funding structures. Stay tuned! |
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That’s it for this month’s update. As always, please feel free to email me directly, or use the Raise an Issue
form if you have any concerns about the ACA or any suggestions on how to
make your association better. We always appreciate your feedback! Warmest regards,
Erica Hernández-Read,
ACA President
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Call for Nominations: Board of Directors
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The Nominations and Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the following ACA Director (Board) positions that are up for election: - Vice President (2-year term)
- Secretary (2-year term)
- Director-at-Large (2-year term)
The term of office for these positions is two years and will begin the first week of July following the AGM, which takes place on June 14, 2023 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT on Zoom. You may RSVP here: ACA Annual General Meeting - 2023.
The slate of candidates will be presented to the Board once nominations have closed, April 5, 2023. Online voting will open June 1, 2023 following the Members Input Session. You may RSVP here: Members Input Session.
All members in good standing will receive an online ballot via email. Institutional members should ensure that their designated delegate is clearly identified and up to date in their membership profile. If you need support entering your delegate name or updating your form, please reach out to the ACA Office.
See here for a full description of the Board positions and the commitment required for each elected position.
See also the ACA Nominations and Elections Policy here.
Directors must be individual members in good standing. Institutional members may have their designated delegate nominated for the Director-at-Large position. Nominations must be supported by five (5) ACA members. Those nominated must also provide a brief biography that will be made available to ACA members in advance of the online voting period, will be posted on the ACA website, and available on the electronic ballot.
ACA Nomination Form, 2023.
The ACA welcomes more diverse and inclusive representation in the composition of its Board and Committees and encourages the nomination of all qualified individuals including women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.
Questions should be directed to Alice Albarda (NAAC.Co-Chair2@archivists.ca) or Shannon Hodge (NAAC.Co-Chair1@archivists.ca), co-chairs, Nominations and Awards Committee. The deadline for nominations April 5, 2023, 11:59 pm PT. |
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Early bird prize renewal winners
Catherine Barnwell, Tom
Belton, Julia De Ruyter, Natasha Fisher, Heather Gordon, Robin Keirstead, Alec
McAlister, Krista McCracken, Catharine McPherson, Blake Mueller, Graeme
Niedtner, Amanda Oliver, Sarah Ramsden, James Roussain, Anjani Singh, Genevieve
Weber, and Andrew Webster. We truly appreciate you making time to ensure your membership is up to date. See here for a list of the 2023 renewal campaign prizes.Thank you for your support and thank you to all who have renewed! |
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Call
for Volunteers – ACA Membership Committee
Please consider taking on a volunteer role
with the ACA Membership Committee. The
committee meets once a month to run the Mentorship Program, membership drive
campaigns, and other projects to help support the ACA community. Any questions
can be directed to the Chair, Kira Baker, at membership@archivists.ca, or go
ahead and submit your application online.
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Call
for Volunteers – ACA Governance Committee
The ACA Governance Committee is welcoming new volunteers! The
committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month to advise the Board of
Directors on the overall governance of the ACA. The committee reviews ACA
policies, supports strategic planning, and encourages consistency in all ACA
operations. Consider volunteering today by submitting an application online! |
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Call for Volunteers – ACA Communications Committee
Are you interested in becoming more engaged with the Canadian archival community? Do you have an eye for design, or do you want to build this skill? The ACA Communications Committee is looking for one more volunteer to join our social media team! You’ll be working with a small team of fun and dynamic individuals and using Canva Pro to create and help run all of the ACA’s social media accounts. This opportunity is a low time commitment, with just a one-hour meeting once a month and a few hours of independent work outside of that. It’s also a great way to develop relationships with like-minded colleagues across the country. Please send any questions to Ashlynn Prasad at communications@archivists.ca and apply online.
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2024 ACA Conference Program Team Chair
We are already looking ahead to the 2024 ACA Conference! Our next conference will be entirely virtual to align with our Equity Commitments. With that in mind, the ACA is seeking expressions of interest from folks who are interested in Chairing the Program Team for the 2024 ACA Conference.
The Program Team Chair must be an ACA member in good standing, preferably with previous experience on the ACA Board of Directors, a Program Team, a Host Team, or other ACA-related project planning experience. The Chair must also be able to attend the conference they are planning. The deadline for expressions of interest is March 6, 2023. To give you some idea as to what such chairship duties entail, please review the Draft Terms of Reference for the Conference Host Team and the Conference Program Team. Any additional questions can be sent directly to Erica Hernandez-Read, ACA President, or Jo McCutcheon. Volunteer forms can be found here. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, develop conference planning skills, and contribute to the development of the most exciting ACA event of the year! |
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Special Interest Section for Indigenous Archives (SISIA)
Join Lisa Mullins and Lorne Shapiro, SISIA co-chairs for the next monthly meeting, Friday, February 24, 2023, 1:00-2:00 pm ET. This meeting will build on the reboot meeting that took place on January 27, 2023. An agenda will be sent out to community members who register for this event. |
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Carr McLean Discount Available for 2023
The Carr McLean 10% discount is available for both Individual and Institutional ACA members for the entire membership year. This discount can be applied to any order over $100 and is non-transferrable. Contact the ACA Secretariat at executive.director@archivists.ca for the new discount code that will remain effective until December 31, 2023.
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The Association of Canadian Archivists Student Chapter at the University of British Columbia (ACA@UBC) is pleased to present its 14th annual Seminar and Symposium, Archives Unbound: Redefining Archival Concepts and Practice. This event will be held virtually on Zoom on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, 2023. Visit the ACA@UBC’s conference website to read more about the event and speakers! Registration is free for students but is necessary to receive the links to join.
This year’s two-day seminar and symposium brings together students, scholars, and practitioners whose work challenges dominant archival paradigms and who reimagine and redefine archival concepts and practices. In addition to panels on records and archives that fall outside Eurocentric definitions, we will facilitate conversations around digital archives and the ethics of digitization, archiving current events, archival businesses, and archival commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.
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ACA 2023: Belonging - Considering archival bonds and disconnects
Location: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (Delta Hotels by Marriott)
Dates: June 28 to July 1, 2023 Thank you to everyone
who submitted a presentation proposal for the 2023 Conference. The Program Team
is currently reviewing the submissions. Speakers will be notified in a few
weeks. Please feel free to direct questions to Lara Wilson, Chair, ACA 2023 Conference Program Committee: Program.Team@archivists.ca. Program Team Members: Robyn Biggar, François Dansereau, Sarah Glassford, Sara Janes, Karen Suurtamm, Kelly Turner
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2023 In-person
Conference Rates and Registration The ACA Board is excited to announce that we have approved the rates for the upcoming Charlottetown conference. Registration for the conference will open on March 15, and early-bird rates will be in effect from March 15 until May 15. The rates for the conference can be found here. I hope to see you there! Kyle Pugh, Treasurer |
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Call for Student Papers: Emerging Voices Deadline: February 10, 2023
Submissions are now open for the Emerging Voices session at the Association of Canadian Archivists 2023 conference!
Are
you an archives or information studies student with an idea that you
want to share with the community? Have you written a paper or conducted
research you would like to take to the next level? Do you want to build
your skills in public speaking and improve your resume? The ACA 2023
Conference Program Team wants to hear from you! Topics do not have to
relate to the conference theme. First-time presenters welcome! Three
submissions from this call will be chosen by the ACA Foundation Board
Members to present at the 2023 ACA Conference, June 28-July 1 in
Charlottetown, PEI. Successful applicants will receive a monetary award
and complimentary conference registration. To receive this award, you
must be an ACA student member. Submissions not selected for the awarded session may be considered for the general program. Visit the ACA website for more information about the
conference theme and call for submissions.
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Call for Posters: ACA 2023
Deadline: February 17, 2023
Many
aspects of archival work contribute to peoples’ experiences of
inclusion and exclusion in a community. What does ‘belonging’ or,
conversely, ‘not belonging’ mean to you within your archival experience?
The ACA 2023 Program Team invites POSTER proposals on the conference theme of “Belonging” from the lenses of archival theory and practice, as well as related disciplines and professions. This
is an excellent opportunity to highlight your repository, a
digitization project, a research project or another initiative, and
share your work with colleagues from across the country.
Up to 10 poster proposals will be selected to be displayed during the Poster Session at the 2023 ACA Conference, June 28-July 1, in Charlottetown, PEI.
What is a conference poster?
- Information is summarized using text and images and presented in a poster format.
- Posters are on display during a session and presenters discuss their work with conference attendees as they browse the area.
- Poster dimensions: 48 inches wide (121 cm) and up to 48 inches high (121 cm)
- The poster should be professionally printed.
- The ACA will provide display stands.
Visit the ACA
website for
more information about the conference theme and call for submissions. |
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Workshop Proposals
The deadline for workshop proposals is has been extended to February 24, 2023.
The ACA Professional Development Committee invites proposals for workshops relating to all areas of archival practice for the ACA 2023 Annual Conference, Belonging - Considering archival bonds and disconnects. We are also seeking proposals for workshops to be offered throughout 2023.
Workshops will be facilitated online via Zoom and in-person at the ACA Annual Conference. An honorarium of up to $250 will be offered per workshop based on duration.
Workshops on all topics are welcome, particularly those relevant to remote working environments. Topics may include accessing, using, and working with collections in a digital environment, digital preservation, digital humanities, data sovereignty, privacy and copyright, decolonizing archives, policy development, oral history initiatives, cultural memory work, grant writing, and project management or any other skills you think might support your colleagues in their work.
Workshops can be between 1.5 and 2.5 hours long. Participation and interactivity are strongly encouraged to avoid Zoom fatigue.
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ACA Foundation – Silent Auction
Exciting news, everyone! After a multi-year hiatus, the ACA Foundation silent auction will be back at #ACA2023PEI! This year’s silent auction will be held online, so you can still participate from home!
As the conference approaches, we will be putting out a call for donations of items and other goods. If you are able, we humbly ask that you consider donating purchased or home-made goods to benefit the Foundation. |
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In the Field: The ACA Blog |
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In the Field had a remarkably successful year in 2022, publishing a range of articles which included a group of articles contributed by an ACA student chapter and a guest-edited series accompanying the Archivaria special issue on person-centred archival theory and praxis. 2023 is already off to a promising start! In January, we published a thought-provoking two-part piece by J.J. Ghaddar:
Provenance in Place (Part I): Archival Fictions from the French Revolution to Canadian Confederation
Provenance in Place (Part II): Third World Decolonization & the Vienna Convention
Stay tuned for a fun follow-up to our 2022 Archivist Authors series at the end of the month.
In the Field is a space for you to engage in discussions happening in the archival world and to share ideas and reflections. We want to read about the projects you’ve been working on, the field visits or conferences you’ve attended, and the fresh thoughts on archival theory and practice you’ve been thinking. We especially welcome submissions from students and new professionals.
To propose a blog post, check out the submission guidelines and complete the submission form. If you have any questions or if you would like to workshop an idea for a blog post with us, feel free to reach out at blog@archivists.ca. We look forward to reading your submissions! |
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Indigenous Afternoons in the Archives
Indigenous Afternoons in the Archives are back!
Dr. Mary Jane Logan McCallum (Canada Research Chair in
Indigenous People, History and Archives) and the Manitoba Indigenous
Tuberculosis History Project are happy to once again co-host Indigenous
Afternoons in the Archives in partnership with the Archives of Manitoba and the
Hudson's Bay Company Archives on the following dates:
- Thursday, February 9, 2023
- Thursday, February 23, 2023
- Thursday, March 9, 2023
- Thursday, March 23, 2023
- Thursday, April 6, 2023
- Thursday, April 20, 2023
All sessions are scheduled for 1:00-4:00 pm CT.
This program is oriented toward Indigenous people interested in
archives and archival research. Join us at the Archives of Manitoba (200
Vaughan St.) to begin or continue your journey to learn more about the past.
Photo ID is required to sign in to the Archives. For more information, email archives@gov.mb.ca and tbphotos@uwinnipeg.ca.
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The 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture
Dalhousie University’s School of Information Management presents the Horrocks National Leadership Lecture 2023 featuring Rita Tjien Fooh, the Director of the National Archives Suriname. The event will take place online on February 13 at 5:30 pm AT. It will address a growing consciousness among archival institutions from the global south that the construction of their history and identity were based on the sources and narratives compiled by former colonial powers. Click here to learn more and register. |
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2023 ASA National Conference – Call for Contributions
The Australian Society of Archivists’ 2023 hybrid conference, Rising To Our Challenges, will be held September 4-7, 2023 at the MCG in Naarm/Melbourne on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. After the success of our hybrid conference last year, we will once again be providing the option of virtual attendance.
This year's theme highlights the many archival challenges we face. In a world awash with digital data and information, how do we ensure that individuals, communities, organizations, and governments value archival organizations, respect our professional knowledge and skills, and adequately resource and support recordkeeping functions?
Your audience will be archivists and records and information professionals from small-large organizations in government, private, and community sector organizations across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
We invite proposals for invigorating, enlivening, engaging, and interactive presentations and sessions that articulate and explore how we as archivists and other recordkeeping professionals can dig deep and work together to address the issues that confront and confound us. This incorporates both the challenges within the profession that we have control over, as well as those external forces within the multi-dimensional contexts in which we operate.
The Call for Contributions closes on February 15, 2023.
To find out more about the Call for Contributions or to submit a proposal, please visit the Call for Contributions page on our website. For more information about the conference, please visit Rising To Our Challenges 2023.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at conference@archivists.org.au. |
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SAA – Archivists of Religious Collections Section Lunch and Learn
The Society of American Archivists – Archivists of Religious Collections Section is holding a Lunch and Learn session on Flickr Commons with George Oates on February 16, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET / 9:00 am PT.
Join George Oates for a presentation on Flickr Commons and the new Flickr Foundation. Learn what Flickr Commons is and how it provides a global platform for sharing photographs in the public domain, and about the revitalization taking place through the Flickr Foundation.
Upcoming events and links to recordings of all training sessions can be found here. Past recordings are available on the SAA-ARCS Resources YouTube Channel. |
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SAA Awards for Excellence – Now Accepting Nominations
Do you know of an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the archives profession? Consider nominating them for one of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Awards for Excellence for contributions to the archives profession! The committees for the awards below are looking for nominations:
The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, February 28. Details, requirements, and nomination forms are available in the links above. |
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South African Society of Archivists (SASA)
2023 Conference – Call for Proposals
You are cordially invited to submit your
proposal for conference paper presentation for the South African Society of
Archivists (SASA) 2023 conference, with the theme “Information hygiene in
archives and records management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era.”
Papers on topics that address the theme
and subthemes of the conference will be considered for inclusion in the
conference programme. Accepted papers will be considered for publication in the
Journal of South African Society of Archivists, provided the authors submit full papers.
Learn more about the submission criteria here. Abstracts
of less than 300 words should be submitted to emarutns@unisa.ac.za and mosweutl@ub.ac.bw by March 1, 2023. |
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AABC/ARMA
VI Joint Conference – Call for Proposals
The
AABC/ARMA Vancouver Island Joint Conference 2023 is coming up on April 28,
2023, and the theme is “Access Ability: Exploring Themes of Access in
Archives and Information Management.” The organizing committee is inviting
proposals related to the topic of access, including balancing accessibility and
privacy, arranging and describing collections for a broad audience, cultural
protocols for access such as those in Indigenous archives, and more! Please
submit conference proposals of 250 words and a short bio to info@aabc.bc.ca by Wednesday,
March 8. |
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Archives Society of Alberta Conference
The Archives Society of Alberta’s biennial conference will take place from May 25-27, 2023. The theme will be “Care in the Archives,” and the keynote speaker will be Jennifer Douglas. Learn more about the conference here! |
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Do
you know a member who's made big news? Is there something going on that
you think the Canadian archival community should hear about? Don't
hesitate to forward stories to the Communications Committee, and we'll help spread the word.
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Submit your job opportunity here and it will be posted to the ACA website. We will also share this opportunity on our social media channels.
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Deadline: February 13, 2023
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Archives Assistant, University of Alberta Archives part-time, temporary position Deadline: February 14, 2023
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Dean, Faculty of Information (iSchool) University of Toronto
Deadline: March 16, 2023
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Do you have news you’d like the ACA to share via its social media channels? The Communications Committee has created a form you can use to give us the details!
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Contact Us
Suite 1912-130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Tel: 613-234-6977
Email: aca@archivists.ca
www.archivists.ca
The ACA office is located on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
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