Scope and Content Monthly ACA Newsletter
October 2023, Volume 4, Issue 10
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Click here if you are having trouble reading the newsletter.
Scope and Content will be published November 2, 2023. If you have any comments or feedback, please contact the Communications Committee.
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Fall has come upon us quickly and I am not certain where all the time has gone, but here we are in the last few months of 2023, and so it feels like a good time to be introspective. Some may remember that I was originally a part of the Association of Canadian Archivists in the early 2010s until I moved away from Alberta at the end of 2013, albeit not as heavily involved now. One thing that has stuck out to me is how adrift and alone I felt while I was not a part of the ACA, or my provincial organization, and it emphasized how much a sense of community makes one feel included and supported. It is scary to try and be alone in a profession that many outside of do not understand or see the value in. As soon as I was able to, I rejoined the ACA and my provincial organization, and it truly felt like I had come back home. This was a large push behind my decision to become more involved with the Board and its associated committees. The hope is to create an environment for others that I feel myself as a part of this community, and I can only encourage other members that as the calls come out looking for volunteers and committee members that you consider throwing your hat into the ring. I will now get off my soapbox, but I would like to conclude this little blurb by thanking everyone for the work we all do to make our profession inclusive, diverse, forward thinking, and truly supportive.
Angela Fornelli, Vice President
vice-president@archivists.ca
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ACA-ASA Reciprocal Agreement For the past several months, the Board of Directors of the Association of Canadian Archivists and the Council of the Australian Society of Archivists have been working out the practical logistics of our reciprocal membership agreement. I’m pleased to announce that the ACA-ASA reciprocal membership agreement is now ready for implementation! Please read on for more information on how this agreement benefits ACA members and how you can become engaged in ASA activities. What does “reciprocal membership” mean for me? |
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Benefits for ASA Members:
- Access to all professional development opportunities offered by the ACA at ACA member rates
- Open digital access to ACA’s Archivaria journal, both archived & current issues
- Receipt of digital version of ACA’s monthly Scope and Content newsletter
- ACA member rates on the purchase of commercially produced Association publications
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Benefits for ACA Members:
- Access to all professional development opportunities offered by the ASA at ASA member rates
- Open digital access to ASA’s Archives and Manuscripts journal, both archived & current issues
- Receive digital version of ASA’s monthly newsletter
- ASA member rates on the purchase of commercially produced Association publications
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How do I take advantage of this reciprocal membership agreement?
Simply fill out the ACA-ASA Reciprocal Membership form.
Once filled and submitted, a copy of your application will go to offices of both the ASA and ACA. Within three (3) to five (5) business days, you will receive confirmation for membership and gain access to the members-only section of the ASA's website. You will begin to receive emails, correspondence, and invitations from the ASA. Also, be sure to watch for emails that may contain discount codes and other benefits of reciprocal ACA-ASA membership.
Is there an extra cost to participate in this reciprocal membership agreement?
Absolutely not! This reciprocal membership agreement was established as a benefit to membership for existing and future members of both the Association of Canadian Archivists and the Australian Society of Archivists.
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Reminder: Upcoming Changes to Membership Fees
With our early bird membership renewal campaign just around the corner, I thought it prudent to remind members of the upcoming changes to our membership fees for 2024. Please see the ACA’s new fee structures below: |
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Individual Membership Fees for 2024 based on salary bands
- $0 to $19,999 = $75.00
- $20,000 to $29,999 = $100.00
- $30,000 to $39,999 = $150.00
- $40,000 to $49,999 = $190.00
- $50,000 to $59,999 = $235.00
- $60,000 to $69,999 = $250.00
- $70,000 to $79,999 = $265.00
- $80,000 to $89,999 = $280.00
- $90,000+ = $295.00
- Student: $75.00 / 3 years
- Retired: $125.00
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Institutional Membership Fees for 2024 based on number of staff - 0-5 = $285.00
- 6-10 = $750.00
- 11-20 = $1,000.00
- 21-50 = $1,850.00
- 51-250 = $2,750.00
- 251-1000 = $16,000.00
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ACA Hashtag Party
You’re invited to the ACA Hashtag Party! On the last Thursday of every month, the ACA Social Media Team organizes a hashtag party, which takes place virtually on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). There is a different theme for each month, which we announce on social media and Arcan-l in advance. On the day of the party, you can share materials in your collections related to that theme, tag us and use the hashtag, and we’ll re-share your post. The goal of the parties is to engage more with institutions across Canada, see what kinds of materials other institutions have, and promote weird, fun, and interesting items from your own collections.
Last month’s party took place on Thursday, September 28, and the theme was #ArchivesFashion! We loved getting a glimpse of all the wild, elaborate, and inventive clothing represented in archival institutions across Canada. Thank you to everyone who participated!
The next party will take place on Thursday, October 26, and the theme will be #QueerHistoryMonthCanada! We were approached recently by activists who have been trying to establish a 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month in Canada since as early as 2012. In 2018, the movement started to gain steam thanks to efforts from advocates at McGill University, but sadly, the pandemic derailed those efforts.
The activists who approached us are hoping that 2023 will be a fresh start, and as archivists, we can help! For this month’s hashtag party, we encourage you to share materials from your collections – or initiatives that your institution is undertaking – that uplift queer people and queer history in Canada. On the day, don’t forget to tag us @archivistsdotca on X, @aca_canada on Instagram, and @AssociationofCanadianArchivists on Facebook so we can see what you’ve got – and don’t forget to use the hashtag so that your posts can support this broader initiative!
To learn more, please visit the 2slgbtqia+ History Month Canada Facebook page, and follow them on Instagram @2slgbtqiahistorymonthcanada.
The final ACA Hashtag Party for 2023 will take place on November 30, 2023, and the theme will be #ArchivesActivism. Please note that the former theme for October, #ArchivesFavouriteFormats, will now take place in the new year. For any questions, or if you have similar initiatives that you would like the ACA Hashtag Party to support, please email us at communications@archivists.ca.
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#ArchivesFashion #Tartan From the St Andrew's Society of Montreal Archives, 1968 St Andrew's Ball with guests of honour General Sir William and Lady Turner.
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Call for New Co-Chair: The Technology and Archives Special Interest Section (TaASIS)
The Technology and Archives Special Interest Section (TaASIS) needs a new co-chair! The committee would like to give a big shoutout to thank former co-chair Andréa Tarnawsky for all the amazing work they did for TaASIS from 2020-2022!
ACA members who are interested in taking on this role or who have questions can reach out to TaASIS.Chair@archivists.ca. Your level of experience in digital archives or tech doesn't matter; all that is needed is a desire to become more engaged with like-minded practitioners and students who share the same interests as you.
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Nominations and Awards Committee (NAAC) Volunteers Needed
The ACA is looking for volunteers for the Nominations and Awards Committee to be a part of the process to recognize and celebrate ACA members.
The mandate of NAAC is to manage the ACA Honours and Awards program as well as to support the succession of qualified members to serve on the ACA Board of Directors and its committees by facilitating the transparent search, nomination, and election process.
If this sounds like something that would be of interest to you and if you are an ACA member in good standing, please contact Angela Fornelli, Vice President of the ACA (vicepresident@archivists.ca), or fill out the ACA Volunteer form here! |
2023 Mentors and Mentees Meeting
All 2023 Mentors & Mentees are welcome to join us on Wednesday, October 18 at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 pm ET for a Mentorship Program Meet-Up event. This is a virtual gathering on Zoom to get to know other mentees and mentors from across the provinces in a casual, friendly environment. Hosted by the Membership Committee, we'll have some prepared questions to get the conversation started, but folks are also welcome to pose their own questions/topics and we'll see where the conversation takes us. The event is free, but registration is required to attend. If you have any questions about the event, please reach out to the ACA Mentorship Coordinators: mentorship.program@archivists.ca.
Registration for the 2024 Mentorship Program will open November 15, 2023. Visit here for more information on the program, or contact the ACA Mentorship Coordinators: mentorship.program@archivists.ca.
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MASIS Fall Meet-Up
On September 29, Jamie Sanford, City Archivist at the City of Coquitlam, and Angela Fornelli, City Archivist at the City of Kawartha Lakes, held a fall meet-up for the Municipal Archives Special Interest Section. The group met virtually, with the discussion being centred around the wants and needs of the Special Interest Section and planning activities for the rest of 2023/2024. The group is committed to meeting more frequently and increasing participation from members.
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Membership Committee Update
This summer the Membership Committee has welcomed several new faces. Peter Houston and Curtis Frederick took over as co-chairs from Kira Baker, who stepped down after many years in this leadership role. We thank Kira for all her hard work over the years and wish her the best! Audrey Gan-Ganowicz has also joined the team as has Kaitlin Normandin, who, while no longer our board liaison, will be staying on as a committee member. We want to thank each of these folks for contributing their time and energy to this Committee!
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Call for Early Bird Prize Donations
The Membership Committee is seeking potential gift prizes for the Early Bird Prize draw. This annual draw is held in January and awarded from the pool of ACA members who renew early in the fall/winter months. If you or your institution would be willing to donate a prize, please let us know at membership@archivists.ca. Thank you!
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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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Professional Development Workshops
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Practical Approaches to Ethical Oral History
What makes for an ethical oral history project/program, and how can you use oral history in your museum? Pauline Tennent and Heather Bidzinski share their experiences using oral history in research, collections, and exhibition work while addressing some common challenges. This workshop explores what oral history is, guidelines and resources available, and how to create a balanced approach to collection management, community engagement, and programmatic needs.
Whether you are starting from scratch or dealing with historical collections, this session aims to answer some of the questions surrounding oral history projects, programs, and collections. October 18, 2023 at 1:00 - 2:30 pm (ET) / 10:00 - 11:30 am (PT)
Fees: Members $50.00, Non-Members $100.00, Students & precariously employed members $25.00, Subsidized / Supported ACA Members: $0 Speakers:
Dr. Pauline Tennent (she/her), Manager for the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR) at the University of Manitoba
Heather Bidzinski, Head of Archives and Special Collections at the University of Manitoba |
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Toward Community-Centred Reference
This workshop considers the challenges Black researchers face when consulting with reference services in archives. Participants will learn to think critically about their positionality and their current approaches to providing access. Practical suggestions will be offered to reference archivists to help them provide services that are community-centered. This workshop includes a small group activity and discussion with time for reflection.
In this workshop participants will:
- Learn how to unpack how white supremacy shows up in archives
- Learn how to identify and address oppressive practices in access and reference
- Learn how to minimize harm when providing reference services
November 2, 2023 at 5:30 - 7:30 pm (ET) / 2:30 -4:30 pm (PT)
Fees:
Members $80.00, Non-Members $150.00, Students & precariously
employed members $50.00, Subsidized / Supported ACA Members: $0 Workshop Instructor: Melissa J. Nelson is a second-generation Jamaican Canadian archivist, writer, and educator who is based in Toronto, Ontario. Her work and research interests include the preservation of Black cultural heritage and ethics of care in the preservation of anti-Black archival materials. Melissa explores her interest in history and archives in her blog, melissajnelson.com. Melissa is currently an Archivist for the Archives of Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Carleton University and a Master of Information Studies from McGill University. |
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Person Centered Description for Private Records: Practitioner Workshop
In this workshop, participants will explore ideas around person-centred descriptive practices for private records and develop questions and considerations they can use to apply person-centred descriptive practices in their home archives. November 22, 2023 at 1:00 - 3:30 pm (ET) / 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (PT)
Fees:
Members $75.00, Non-Members $125.00, Students & precariously
employed members $40.00, Subsidized / Supported ACA Members: $0
Workshop Instructors
Krista Jamieson (she/they) is a queer archivist and PhD Candidate based in Hamilton, Ontario. Krista's work centres around digital archiving, digital preservation, archival selection, and metadata (including, but not limited to description).
Daniela Ansovini (she/her) is an Archivist with the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services (UTARMS) where she is responsible for the private records of individuals and organizations affiliated with the University of Toronto. She has worked in a number of academic, community and arts organizations with interests that include donor relationships, oral history, archival appraisal, and memory work.
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Merchandise: The Foundation is excited to say that we have added our purchasable merchandise to the ACA store! If you’d like some archives swag, the materials can be found here. Great for all your upcoming holiday gift-giving!
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Archivaria 96
Archivaria 96 (Fall 2023) is coming soon, and you can preview the table of contents now. This issue includes articles on family archives (Michael Piggot), tacit narratives in the manuscript collections of Matthew Parker and Robert Cotton (Heather MacNeil), and issues of access and practising an ethics of care for magnetic media from vulnerable communities (Julia Gilmore). It also includes Loryl MacDonald's communications piece on the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board’s 2020 "Guide for Monetary Appraisals," a study in documents by Bill Russell on "Recordkeeping in the Indian Affairs Branch, 1937–1947," along with book and exhibition reviews.
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Al Cunningham Rogers has been awarded the 2023 Dodds Prize for their paper "Theoretical Approaches to the Appraisal of Graffiti Ephemera: A Toronto Case Study."
Instituted in 2011, the Dodds Prize recognizes superior research and writing on an archival topic by a student enrolled in a Master's level archival studies program at a Canadian university. The award honours Gordon Dodds (1941–2010), first President of the ACA, and Archivaria's longest-serving general editor. Submissions received for the 2022-23 academic year were reviewed by adjudication committee members Amy Marshall Furness, Brett Lougheed, Alexandra Mills, and Heather Home.
The citation reads:
Written in a concise, energetic, and persuasive tone, Al Cunningham Rogers’ paper "Theoretical Approaches to the Appraisal of Graffiti Ephemera: A Toronto Case Study" does an excellent job of establishing a conceptual model for understanding the function(s) of graffiti—an inherently ephemeral, evolving, and transitory record. Borrowing from scholarship on the affective impacts of archives in the creation of an archives of feelings, particularly feminist theory and Althusser’s subject interpellation theory of call and response, Rogers skillfully makes use of close reading for a number of examples of anonymous, marginal graffiti to provide a framework for the appraisal and selection of exemplars of graffiti for an archive of everyday life.
Congratulations, Al, on your excellent work.
Cunnigham Rogers’ paper will be published in the Spring 2024 issue of Archivaria. |
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Access Conference 2023
Tickets for Access Conference 2023 are now on sale!
Access is Canada's leading library technology conference, taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the Prince George Hotel, October 23-25, 2023. It's a must-attend event for librarians, technicians, developers, programmers, and managers from all library sectors. The conference offers a single stream experience, including a variety of keynotes, presentations, panel discussions, lightning talks, a Hackfest, and pre-conference workshops. Connect with peers, learn about the latest library tech, and join the conversation. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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NAAB Masterclass: Register for the Saskatoon session!
The National Archival Appraisal Board (NAAB) & the Canadian Council of Archives (CCA) are pleased to announce that registration for the Practicing NAAB Appraiser (PNA) Masterclasses is open, with seats filling up quickly!
The Masterclass training is intended for experienced mid-to-late career archivists, librarians, museum curators, dealers or other experienced heritage professionals. Participants must meet the minimum requirements specified on the registration page.
Masterclasses are delivered by experienced professionals in archival monetary appraisal and designed to leverage your extensive archival and heritage expertise, leading you through the process required to undertake NAAB monetary appraisals, independent archival monetary appraisals, and internal monetary appraisals for your institution.
The Saskatoon Masterclass is now offered as a hybrid session! Participants can register as in-person or remote attendees. Attendees will benefit from the expertise of Brian Hubner and Brock Silversides, two seasoned appraisers with years of experience on NAAB Panels.
When: October 16 to 19, 2023
Where: University Archives and Special Collections, University of Saskatchewan
For more information, and to register, visit here.
Registration is limited and preference given to those with archival experience (acquiring and processing records). Sessions will be delivered in English only, at this time. |
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Mary Ann Shadd Cary
The Archives of Ontario (AO) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) are pleased to share that the records of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, held at the AO and at LAC, respectively, have been inscribed on the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's Canada Memory of the World Register. Adding these records to the Register recognizes the importance of this material to the collective history of Canada. This inscription represents a first-time collaboration between the AO and LAC on such a nomination.
Mary Ann Shadd Cary (1823-1893) was a journalist, author, lawyer, educator, suffragette, feminist, and abolitionist. Born on October 9, 1823, in Wilmington, Delaware, Shadd Cary moved to Canada West in 1851 where she lived for nearly ten years in Windsor, Toronto, and Chatham. A fearless advocate for racial equity and social justice, she founded The Provincial Freeman newspaper (issued from 1853 until 1857), becoming the first Black woman to publish, edit, and run a newspaper in North America. The paper fought to abolish slavery and advocated for women's rights and social reform.
Shadd Cary's voice continues to resonate today through the records preserved at the AO and at LAC. These records represent one of the most significant accumulations of material in North America by or about Shadd Cary. They have already garnered much interest over the past few years, including serving as the focus of an international transcription project in February 2023, which was developed in conjunction with the Centre for Black Digital Research, Penn State University.
The records also represent a significant cache of material for understanding Shadd Cary's thinking on various topics, such as the editorial position of The Provincial Freeman, and documents her professional relationships and friendships with several prominent African American abolitionists. The records not only offer insight into Shadd Cary's prominence within various anti-slavery societies but, more importantly, a view into her position as a free Black woman who came to Canada and was instrumental in helping to give women and Black people in Canada a voice.
This coming October 9 will mark the 200th anniversary of Shadd Cary's birth, a milestone acknowledged by this timely inscription and which the AO is also marking with a celebratory event in collaboration with the City of Toronto History Museums at St. Lawrence Hall in Toronto on October 14.
For additional information on the Mary Ann Shadd Cary records, and to explore photos from the collection online, please see:
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Digital Museums Canada Funding
Calling Canadian museums and heritage organisations...
The countdown is on! There are less than three months left to submit your proposal for Digital Museums Canada funding.
The call for proposals closes on December 1, 2023 at 5:00 pm, ET.
Learn more about the investment streams here. |
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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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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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The next issue of Scope & Content will come out on
Thursday, November 2. See you then!
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Contact Us
Suite 1912-130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Tel: 613-383-2009
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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