ACA Fellows

The highest recognition award, Fellows are celebrated and acknowledged for their long-standing service to the Association and the Canadian archival community.

The purpose of this award is to recognize individuals whom the ACA wishes to honour for their distinguished service to the archival profession. Fellows retain this distinction for life.

Fellows of the ACA are chosen based on longstanding membership in and demonstrated commitment to the ACA, extensive professional experience in archives or related fields, demonstrated achievement in the archival world, which may include leadership in the field, scholarship, and/or other outstanding contribution and which has had a cumulative impact on the archival field.

The Fellows category was instituted in 2009, transitioning from the category of Honorary Members which was in place from 1979. Between 1979 to 2008, the Association of Canadian Archivists recognized individuals for their distinguished service to the archival profession. These individuals are now recognized as the Founding Fellows of the ACA. 

• Nominate a member for this award
• List of Fellows below
  
• List of Award Recipients  

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to honour ACA members who have contributed distinguished and long-standing service in the archival field. The Fellow Award is the highest recognition that can be bestowed by the ACA, and is a distinction retained for life.

Scope

• Any ACA member in good standing who meets the eligibility criteria may be nominated.
  
• No more than two Fellow awards will be made in any given year.
  
• The total number of Fellows of the ACA should not exceed 5% of the membership.

Responsibility

The Nominations and Awards Committee (NAAC) shall annually solicit nominations from membership through normal ACA member channels (e.g., ACA email distribution list, ACA newsletter, and any other channels which may be current).

The NAAC shall receive and evaluate all nominations. Each year, the NAAC shall either recommend the recipient(s) of the Fellow distinction to the Board for approval, or recommend that no award shall be given.

The Board of Directors is responsible for approving the nomination(s) of the Fellows.

The NAAC will invite input from a standing Fellow to provide guidance during the evaluation process.

Eligibility

All ACA members are eligible for this award, except for current:

• Board of Directors members,
• NAAC members, and
• ACA employees.

Selection Criteria

Nominees for the ACA Fellow award will be evaluated based on the evidence submitted by the nominator(s) according to the following criteria:  

• Demonstrated commitment to the ACA, including a minimum of 10 years membership, and
• Distinguished service that has had significant value for the Canadian archival community, and/or
• Nominee’s contributions demonstrate achievement in the archival profession, which may include leadership in the field, scholarship, and/or other outstanding contribution and which has had a cumulative impact on the archival field.

Nomination and Selection Procedures

• Award nominations are made by ACA members and submitted to the NAAC.
  
• Nominators shall provide evidence that the nominee meets the criteria outlined for the award.
  
• The NAAC:
• • evaluates the evidence based on the selection criteria,
    
  • selects the final recipient(s) by majority vote, and
    
  • submits the nomination to the Board of Directors for final approval.

Award

Each new Fellow will be:

• Acknowledged and celebrated at an ACA Awards Ceremony
• presented with a Fellow Award plaque and a Fellow lapel pin, and
• permanently recognized on the ACA website with an entry including their name and photograph.

Instructions for Submissions

All nominations must be accompanied by a completed nomination form describing:

• the nominee’s career, achievements and short biography, and
• minimum of two letters of support from ACA members in good standing.

Additional letters of support can be considered.

Deadline for Submissions

End of day - TBD 2025

Revocation of Fellowship

The ACA Board has the authority to review and potentially revoke a Fellow's status in any rare or exceptional circumstances where documented evidence demonstrates a Fellow’s behaviors or actions undermines the accomplishments cited as the basis for the award or is damaging to the reputation of the ACA and its members.

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