As you may already know, there have recently been a number of attempts to ban or censor books written by members of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, and to defund public libraries who do not comply with these heinous efforts. In response, the Board of the ACA has issued a letter of solidarity with the American Library Association, in support of their work fighting book bans.

The letter can be found here: ACA_LetterofSolidarity_ALA-2023-04-20signed.pdf

For more information on the ALA's work, please look here:

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data

https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/

Kyle Pugh (he/him),
ACA Treasurer

***MUSEUM POLICY RENEWAL - PUBLIC SURVEY ***

The Department of Canadian Heritage has recently released the following email inviting input into the Museum Policy renewal process via public survey:

The Department of Canadian Heritage wants to know what Canadians think. While we continue to consult with heritage stakeholders, we also want to capture Canadians’ views and expectations on current and emerging priorities in the heritage sector through an online survey.

We are happy to announce that the Canadian Museum Policy: Public Consultation Survey is now accessible via the museum policy website at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/renewal-museum-policy.html

This survey is directed at the Canadian public. We invite you to help us promote and communicate the importance of this survey by sharing the link to all your contacts.

Please consider taking some time to submit your feedback via this survey, and forward this invitation on to your friends and colleagues.

Your input matters!

Regards,

Erica

Erica Hernández-Read, M.A.S.
President
Association of Canadian Archivists
Email: acapresident@archivists.ca
Web: www.archivists.ca

Congratulations!

Please join myself, and the ACA Board of Directors in offering a hearty congratulations to archivists Donald Johnson, Jeremy Mohr and Shelley Sweeney for their recent receipt of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal!

The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (QPJM) recognizes outstanding individuals of all ages and from all walks of life, who have built and continue to build a strong, vibrant society and province through their service, contributions, and achievements.

Both Donald and Jeremy have made tremendous contributions, over many years, not only to the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan but to many other archival communities - Donald at the provincial and national levels (including the SCCA's Response to the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Taskforce), and Jeremy to the Saskatchewan Council of Archives and Archivists. While, most of us know of Shelley’s incredible work both at the University of Manitoba Archives and in championing the preservation of Manitoba’s history and her indefatigable promotion of her provinces cultural fabric and diversity.

Donald, Jeremy and Shelley - we always knew you were fabulous, and we're so glad others finally recognized it too!

For more information on Donald and Jeremy’s award please visit the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan News and Events page linked here. For more information on Shelley’s award presentation please visit the AMA Newsletter, March 2023 edition here.

Erica Hernández-Read

ACA President

"This reappointment will ensure continuity for the many important projects that Library and Archives Canada has begun in the last several years under Leslie Weir's stewardship. Library and Archives Canada plays a vital role in ensuring that Canadians can access and contribute to our shared heritage. Thanks to Leslie's leadership team and staff, Canadians benefit from our rich archives and resources, which help us learn about our past."

Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage 

GATINEAU, QC, March 15, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez announced the reappointment of Leslie Weir as Librarian and Archivist of Canada for a four-year term, effective August 30, 2023.

Since her first appointment in August 2019, Leslie Weir has led Library and Archives Canada through a series of exceptional challenges and major initiatives. In addition to guiding the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic, she oversaw the development of the library's Vision 2030 strategic plan and the launch of digital and service transformations to better serve Canadians. Weir has also helped guide major building projects, such as the Gatineau 2 Preservation Storage Facility and Ādisōke, the joint facility with the Ottawa Public Library.

Before joining the library, Ms. Weir was university librarian at the University of Ottawa, where she founded the bilingual School of Information Studies in the Faculty of Arts. She previously worked at the National Library of Canada, Statistics Canada Library and Côte St. Luc Public Library in Montréal.

In her career, Weir has played a key role in launching many significant library and archives research projects. She was a founding architect of the Scholars Portal, a research infrastructure initiative for Ontario universities, hosted at the University of Toronto. As President of Canadiana.org, she oversaw the launch of the Heritage Project, which digitized 60 million heritage archival images in partnership with LAC, which are publicly accessible. She also played a leading role in the development of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and the Canadian Digital Content for the Social and Human Sciences Project.

Weir has served as President of both the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Ontario Library Association, as well as Chair of the Ontario Council of University Libraries. She is a Professional Division Chair and member of the Professional Council at the International Federation of Library Associations. She has received numerous awards, including the CLA/Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship (2015), the Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (2016), the Ontario Council of University Libraries Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship (2018).

Weir holds a Master's degree in Library Science from McGill University and a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University.

The ACA Nominations and Awards Committee (NAAC) is currently inviting nominations from the Canadian archival community for the following honors: 

• ACA Fellows
• Membership Recognition 
• Larry Dohey Award
• New Professional Award 
• Honorary Archivist Award 

Information on each award as well as the nomination process can be found on the Honours and Awards page: https://archivists.ca/Honours-and-Awards

Closing date for nominations is April 14th, 2023.

For more information, contact: Alice Albarda (NAAC.Co-Chair2@archivists.ca) or Shannon Hodge (NAAC.Co-Chair1@archivists.ca), co-chairs, NAAC.  

Date and Place of Presentation

Awards shall be bestowed at the Awards Celebration during the ACA Annual Conference in Charlottetown, PEI June 28 to July 1, 2023.

Nominations Open for the ACA Board of Director Elections

Online Form

Nominations Open January 30 - April 5, 2023, 11:59 pm (PT)

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 14th, 2023 on Zoom. You may RSVP here: ACA Annual General Meeting - 2023

The slate of candidates will be presented to the Board once nominations have close, April 5, 2023. Online voting will open June 1, 2023 following the Members Input Session. You may RSVP here: Members Input Session

Nominations close, April 5, 2023 (11:59 pm PT).

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. 

You may download the nomination form for signature here and submit your nomination form, online using the link below: 

 20230130_nomination form ACA directors.pdf

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. 

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). 

Dear Colleagues,

As promised, here is the latest update on the work being done by the Department of Canadian Heritage towards the renewal of the Canadian museum policy:

The Department of Canadian Heritage is reaching out to provide you with an update on the renewal of the Canadian museum policy. We are pleased to announce that the museum policy website is now live and provides information on the renewal process. The website will be updated regularly as the Department navigates through the different phases of this important renewal. The website will soon contain links to a discussion guide, to an online survey which will be open to all, as well as updates on public consultations and engagement with Indigenous partners.  The website will also allow the heritage sector and the general public to provide input on how they would like to see the museum policy evolve for the future. You will find the link to the museum policy website here: 2022-23 Consultations on renewal of the Museum Policy - Canada.ca

The Department would also like to take this opportunity to share with you the preliminary results from the Museum Policy Stakeholder Survey which was conducted in November 2022. As you may remember the survey was directed at heritage institutions and stakeholders, asking them to provide their views on current and emerging priorities in the museum and heritage sector. The purpose of the survey was to validate the needs and gaps of Canada’s heritage institutions. You will find national level preliminary results in the PDF document attached to this email. A more in-depth analysis is currently underway and will break down the data by province and territory; that survey report will be made available later this spring.

Finally, we would like to thank all the associations and stakeholders who have provided their assistance throughout this process. Your support has been key in helping to move forward this important initiative.

Please be sure to visit the website for the latest developments on the renewal of the Canadian museum policy. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Thank you

Ken Amaral (il/he)

Policy and Research Analyst, Heritage Policy and Legislation Directorate

Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada

ken.amaral@pch.gc.ca / Cell: 343-548-9144

We will keep you posted as we know more, in the meantime please take a moment to review the results of their Nov. 2022 Stakeholder Survey.

Museum Policy Stakeholder Survey Preliminary Results - January 2023_EN.pdf

Regards,

Erica Hernandez-Read

President

Email: acapresident@archivists.ca

Association of Canadian Archivists

Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island; Photo by Robyn Biggar

City: Charlottetown

Dates: June 28 to July 1, 2023 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott, Prince Edward Island

A sense of belonging is a fundamental human need – as the story of Anne of Green Gables, PEI’s most famous (fictional) daughter, so vividly demonstrates. As peoples of many regions, ages, faiths, genders, abilities, sexualities, racialized or ethnic backgrounds, we want to see ourselves, our stories, and our experiences reflected in the historical memory of the many environments to which we feel we belong.  Archivists and archival practitioners now realize how many aspects of archival work contribute to peoples’ experiences of inclusion and exclusion in a community. Through our actions towards historical memory, people may or may not see their stories and experiences reflected, leaving them with feelings of belonging or disconnection, or at worst exclusion.

The 2023 ACA Program Team invites proposals that reflect on the theme of “Belonging” from the perspectives of archival theory and practice, related disciplines and professions, and/or diverse lived experiences of archives, records, and memory work.  What does ‘belonging' or conversely, ‘not belonging’ mean to you within your archival context or experience?

Topics could include (but are not limited to):

• Where does this profession belong? What disconnects exist between archivists, records managers, and/or IT professionals, and how can these be overcome? How are archival associations, councils, members, and associated organizations and communities working together in new ways?
• To whom do records belong? To the archives? To creators? To documented people/communities? To everyone? Who has stakes in the records and how are those understood/articulated/acted on?
• Whose experiences belong in archival records and collections?
• What groups of people or organizations are not well represented in archival collections? What impact do archival collections and/or exhibits connected with marginalized populations have on these groups’ sense of belonging in an institution, community, region, or nation?
• How are existing and emerging technologies changing arrangement, description, access, and use in ways that encourage or discourage a sense of belonging for patrons or staff? What are some innovative practices or projects that can cultivate a sense of belonging?
• What steps are being taken to develop a more diverse workforce? What kind of work has been effective in creating spaces of belonging? What barriers still must be overcome?
• How are archival services being made more inclusive for staff and users? How can archival spaces, services, practices, etc., be transformed so that more people feel like they belong in physical and virtual spaces? How do we relate to individuals or groups who do not want to ‘belong’ to the spaces archivists construct?
• How are new archivists transitioning into the profession? In what ways are archival workplaces and/or the archival community welcoming or otherwise? How does one figure out where they belong in the profession at any stage of their career?
• How can the desire to belong lead to practices shared between individuals and communities?

SUBMITTING PROPOSALS:

The 2023 Conference Program Team invites contributions, of either a practical and/or
theoretical nature, in a variety of formats including:

1. Traditional session: formal presentation of papers; approximately 20 minutes per speaker, with questions to follow as time allows.
2. Panel discussion: abbreviated presentation of papers; approximately 10-15 minutes per speaker, with discussion to follow.
3. Roundtable: brief 5-7-minute presentations with open discussion.
4. Focused Debate on a specific topic: brief presentations with open discussion & debate to follow.
5. Archival Book Club: Moderators select readings for discussion at the session; could also include creative elements like debate or voting for preferred works, as in the CBC’s “Canada Reads” broadcast.
6. Sprint Session: Is there a challenge that could be solved by a group of people in a short-term, time-bound exercise? What could you accomplish with a set amount of time, a hive mind, and no distractions?
7. Fishbowl session: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishbowl_(conversation)
8. Storytelling session
9. Other: Please share your ideas – be creative!

Use the “Call for Submissions” button on the ACA website at https://archivists.ca/ACA-2023-Belonging-Call-for-Submissions.

Submitting your session proposal in electronic form using this link is strongly encouraged.

2023 ACA Belonging Call for Submissions_FINAL.pdf

The deadline for these proposals is: Friday, January 13, 2023.

WORKSHOP PROPOSALS

For 2023, ACA will use the “Call for Submissions” button for any workshop proposals that will be associated with the Annual Conference. These submissions will go to the Professional Development Committee, which will make its decisions in Winter 2023.
https://archivists_ca.formstack.com/forms/workshopsubmissions

Note: Please be advised there will be a Call for Student Papers as well as a Call for Posters later this year, with submission deadlines early in 2023. Scholarships are available to students and are administered by the ACA Foundation

Please feel free to direct questions to:

Lara Wilson
Chair, ACA 2023 Conference Program Committee

Program.Team@archivists.ca

Program Team Members
Robyn Biggar
Jonathan Bowie
François Dansereau
Sarah Glassford
Sara Janes
Karen Suurtamm
Kelly Turner  

We have been notified by the CRA that the Association of Canadian Archivists Foundation (ACAF) charitable status has been reinstated, and that the ACAF is once again a registered charity. This letter ends a months-long process, and means that the ACAF can once again receive donations and issue tax receipts. The effective date of registration is November 6, 2021. This date means that all previous tax receipts issued  from November and December 2021 are valid.

For our generous donors who have held back receipts for 2021, you can submit them for your 2022 taxes or have 2021 reconsidered with this receipt.

The ACAF Business # is: 804138477RR0001

Thank you to the ACA Secretariat, the boards of the ACA and the ACAF for their support and input. Most importantly, a hearty thank you to our membership for your patience and understanding as this work was underway.

We are in the process of completing the new Foundation website and creating new content, but we are excited to have it up and running: https://acafoundation.ca.

Donations can be made to support the advancement of education and training in the fields of archival sciences, record keeping and information management. You will be redirected to the new website.

https://acafoundation.ca/Donate

Kind regards,

Kyle Pugh (he/him),
ACA Treasurer / ACA Foundation Chair