Scope and Content Monthly ACA Newsletter
March 2023, Volume 4, Issue 3
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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 to March, everyone!
I don’t know about you, but for me February seemed to fly by! For some, this passage of time means that spring is just around the corner – I’m looking at you, Victoria, BC (flower count, indeed…). For others – many, many others – it means the beginning of another 1-2 months of winter. For those who must still bear winter’s chill embrace, I raise my toque to you and say, “Hang in there, my archival comrades. This too shall pass!”
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Update: Canadian Museum Policy Renewal Process
On February 23, I attended the first of several planned roundtables hosted by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Joining me at this 2 ½-hour meeting were archival colleagues representing the territorial and provincial archival associations and councils, as well as colleagues from the AAQ and CCA. During this meeting, all were invited to speak to the following five themes identified by the Department in their Discussion Guide: 1) The role of museums in society; 2) Resilience and sustainability in the museum sector; 3) Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples; 4) Embracing equity, diversity, and inclusion; and 5) Preservation and access as core museum functions. Unsurprisingly, the first point of discussion raised by your archival colleagues was the need to remove the word “museum” from the conversation and instead replace it with the terms “heritage” and “heritage institutions” in the interests of both inclusivity and appropriate representation.
Overall, this meeting went very well. The tone was respectful, and all were given time to express their concerns and provide their input into the identified themes. And while it appeared that the six Department representatives in attendance “heard” our concerns, we as a community have not done all we can do to ensure our input is actually incorporated into the new “Museum” policy. Far from it, in fact, our work has just begun.
YOUR INPUT MATTERS: As mentioned, the Department has outlined five distinct themes within a Discussion Guide. Under each of these themes is a series of questions, and according to their website, the Department is “…interested in your views and welcome(s) detailed responses regarding the questions set out in this discussion guide.” Therefore, it is imperative that each of us takes time to read this Discussion Guide and formulate and send our responses, ideas, and suggestions to the Department as soon as possible. Their email is politiquemuseale-museumpolicy@pch.gc.ca.
As archivists, archival practitioners, and record keepers, we need to state and restate en masse our shared concerns to this Department, to actively demonstrate our community’s requirement for change to a policy and federal funding framework that has never fully supported our professional obligations. So, no matter what stage you are at in your career, please share your input now so together we can lobby for the policy changes we so desperately need! |
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Ancestry Lunch & Learn: Handwriting Recognition - The Future of Indexing
Don’t Forget to Register!
Ancestry Virtual “Lunch & Learn”: March 29 @ 12 noon ET / 9 am PT
Join Jared Akenhead (Senior Manager, Content Acquisition, Ancestry) and Kaysie Ziebarth (Project Manager, Content Production, Ancestry) 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 Kaysie 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 on for this fascinating “lunch and learn” event! Register now for this free event. |
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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 will be 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 is April 5, 2023, 11:59 pm PT. |
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Call for Volunteers – ACA Public Awareness & Advocacy Committee
The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee (PAAC) is seeking additional volunteer members-at-large! Do you have a passionate interest in equity and social justice issues? Or do changes to privacy or copyright legislation drive you ‘round the bend? Or perhaps you are just tired of explaining the differences between an archivist and a librarian? Be an advocate, join the team, and let’s change the world.
PAAC responds to requests for advocacy from Individual and Institutional Members, as well as issues arising with national and international scope, and is seeking members with expertise or interest in issues relevant to the records and archives profession or issues upon which the records and archives profession may have an impact. Positions will remain open until filled. Submit your online application here. |
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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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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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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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Special Interest Sections
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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, March 31, 2023, 1:00-2:00 pm ET. This
meeting will build on the reboot meeting that took place on February 24,
2023. An agenda will be sent out to community members who register for
this event. |
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Special Interest Section for Archives of Religious Organizations: Community archiving
The Society of American Archivists defines a community archives as “documentation of a group of people that share common interests, and social, cultural and historical heritage, usually created by members of the group being documented and maintained outside of traditional archives.”
Join the Association of Canadian Archivists – Special Interest Section for Archives of Religious Organizations for a panel discussion on community archives.
Date: Thursday, May 25, 3:00 pm ET
The Archives:
- The Toronto Information Network for Independent Music Co-operative (TINI Music Co-op)
- Nature London
- Madonna House
- Anglican Diocese of Huron parishes
- Catholic Women’s League
The Panelists:
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Simon Patrick Rogers, John M. Kelly Library at the University of St. Michael’s College
- Winifred and David Wake, Nature London
- Dez Nacario, Huron Diocese of the Anglican Church in Canada
- Kathy McVady, St. Sergius Archives, becoming the Department Head in 2016
- Kathleen Winter, Catholic Women’s League records at the Calgary Catholic Pastoral Center
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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 The program team has been busy contacting speakers, organizing plenary sessions, and working with the ACA Foundation to confirm the Student Session: Emerging Voices. At-a-Glance will be shared with the everyone on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. We can't wait!
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 Posters: ACA 2023
Deadline Extended: March 3, 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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Trade Show and Exhibitors
The 2023 Trade Show will take place on Thursday, June 29 and Friday June 30, 2023 at the Delta, PEI in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
This year, we will be meeting in person. We are expecting more than 225 delegates from across Canada, the USA, and internationally to attend in person.
The Trade Show offers
an excellent opportunity for your firm to demonstrate your products or services
to leading archivists.
All exhibitors will have an onsite and a virtual Exhibitor Booth provided at the Delta PEI and within Whova app. - Link to Exhibitor Booth page disseminated via ACA Conference social media accounts (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)
- Opportunity to submit a brief (max. 3 minutes) pre-recorded video re: services and/or products for inclusion on the conference Whova platform
- Conference registration for 2 Exhibitor representatives, access to sessions, and all conference refreshment breaks and lunches on June 29 and June 30
- Cost: $1200.00 per booth flat fee
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Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities This version of the annual ACA conference will attract more
than 225 archivists and recordkeepers working in the archives across Canada, the USA, and internationally. Conference sponsorship allows you to reach this influential group of professionals, leaders, and decision-makers. Exciting marketing opportunities are provided that will enable your organization to:
- Obtain valuable exposure and prominence with current and potential clients
- Increase corporate and organizational visibility
Show your organization's commitment to supporting the diverse
community of archivists and recordkeepers and the important work
undertaken to preserving the records of today for future generations.
There are four conference sponsorship levels to choose from, with benefits and recognition for your organization:
- Partner from $250
- Bronze from $750
- Silver from $1250
- Gold from $2750
- Platinum from $5000
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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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This past month, In the Field published a two-part piece contributed by Archivists Who Write, a writing group composed of archivists who write novels, plays, and short stories in addition to RAD descriptions. Make sure to check out Part I and Part II on the blog to meet these archivists and learn a bit about why, how, what, and where they write.
We are always looking for contributions for the In the Field blog! Have you recently attended a conference or field visit? Have you completed or are you working on a project that might be of interest to your colleagues across Canada? We’d love to read your thoughts and ideas about archival theory and practice. Check out the submission guidelines and complete the submission form to propose a blog post. We especially welcome submissions from students and new professionals.
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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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Wendy Newman Library Leadership Award
Apply for the Wendy Newman Library Leadership Award, worth up to $5000! The award will help build leadership capacity in the library sector by enabling alumni of the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto to pursue professional development opportunities at intensive library leadership development programs. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2023. |
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Canadian Museums Association – Executive Director and CEO The Canadian Museums Association and Woodland Cultural Centre are excited to jointly announce that Janis Kahentóktha Monture has been appointed as the Executive Director & CEO of the Canadian Museums Association. Monture is a member of the Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River and comes to the CMA as a highly skilled and experienced leader. Monture is the first Indigenous person to hold the role of Executive Director in the CMA’s 76-year history. |
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2023 BitCurator Forum
The program for the 2023 BitCurator Forum is live and registration is open! The BitCurator Forum brings together representatives of all levels of experience from libraries, archives, museums, and related professions engaged in (or considering) digital archives work. The Forum will balance discussion of theory and practice of digital forensics, curation, and related digital analysis workflows. There will also be hands-on activities with the BitCurator environment and other useful tools. Registration closes on March 24, 2023. |
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Archives & Things podcast
Black History Month has just ended, but you can continue celebrating and honouring Black history by tuning in to Melissa J. Nelson’s podcast, Archives & Things. One of her recent episodes features Dr. Kristin Moriah, Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Culture in the English Department at Queen’s University. Dr. Moriah speaks about her work expanding research on Black political organizing in Canada and the United States. |
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Jewish Public Library’s Archives and Special Collections
The Jewish Public Library's Archives and Special Collections team has a new website and newsletter!
As part of the Azrieli Foundation's three-year funding initiative, the Archives and Special Collections team created the JPL Curates digital platform to showcase some of the oldest, rarest, and most unusual items held in the archives and special collections at the JPL. With new high-quality images and videos aimed at embracing the tactile beauty of the books, documents, photographs, and artifacts, accompanied by carefully researched texts to provide context to the exhibitions, this website is the next best thing to holding the items yourself. Digital storytelling is one of material history's best friends: JPL Curates attempts to transpose actual storytelling into words and images which, together, create a narrative landscape with a borderless space.
Check out JPL's brand-new Archives and Special Collections newsletter, The Zamler, to learn more about our upcoming events and exhibitions, as well as get some exclusive sneak peeks of exciting announcements we have been developing for you. Sign up to receive The Zamler straight to your inbox on the first Monday of every month! |
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ICA Congress Abu Dhabi 2023
The International Council on Archives is having their annual conference in Abu Dhabi in October, and the deadline for the Call for Proposals and Papers has been extended until March 2, 2023 (that’s today)! The conference will bring together experts from around the world to discuss and exchange ideas on the most pressing issues facing the field today, under the main theme of Enriching Knowledge Societies. Click here for more information and to submit your proposal. |
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Ontario #ArchivesAtoZ
The Archives of Ontario’s #ArchivesAtoZ social media campaign will take place from Monday, April 3 to Friday, April 28 this year! Each day, a key term or important word in the archival world will be featured in the hopes of increasing the public’s general awareness about archives in a fun and engaging way. You’re invited to participate by sharing something related to that day’s word or coming up with your own! The ACA’s social media team will be engaging with all your posts, so make sure to use the hashtag to get a like, share, or re-tweet from us!
For more information,
please contact ashton.osmak@ontario.ca. |
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Sonia Nicholson Book Launch Event
A book launch celebration event for Sonia
Nicholson’s new book, Provenance Unknown, will take place on Sunday, April 2, 2023 from 1:00-4:00 pm PT
at the Roundhouse Cafe in Saanich, Greater Victoria, BC. Sonia was recently
featured in the ACA’s blog, In the Field, about Archivists
Who Write. |
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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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Richard Valpy (November 26, 1952 – January 10, 2023)
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Richard Valpy. Richard spent over 30 years of his professional career at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, NWT, much of that time as Territorial Archivist of the NWT Archives. Richard contributed to several national boards and committees, as well as wrote for Archivaria. A funeral and interment ceremony will occur in the summer in Percé, Québec. |
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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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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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