Scope and Content Monthly ACA Newsletter
May 2025, Volume 6, Issue 5 |
|
|
Click here if you are having trouble reading the newsletter.
Scope and Content will be published June 5, 2025. If you have any comments or feedback, please contact the Communications Committee.
|
|
|
On April 21, I attended the “Raising Your Voices for Archives” webinar hosted by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). Given recent events affecting archives, cultural property and heritage institutions both in Canada and the U.S., I wanted to learn how best to advocate for archives. While the session focused on advocacy in an American context, much of the information provided could be applied to advocacy efforts in Canada. Following are some points made that I found most helpful and interesting.
-
When dealing with government officials, stick to one issue, keep your message succinct and focused, and do not use acronyms or jargon.
The ACA plays an important role in helping our members with advocacy and outreach. Through the work of our Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee (PAAC), we are committed to developing tools and resources to guide advocacy and outreach efforts. We will also continue to make statements about issues affecting archives, records and heritage and share them on our website for members to use for their own letters of support (archivists.ca/advocacy).
Speaking of PAAC, if you are interested in learning more about the work that they do drop by their virtual open house on Thursday, May 8 starting at 10AM PT/1PM ET. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in volunteering for PAAC or any ACA Committee to ask questions and find out more about them. Please email aca(at)archivists.ca for more details.
Finally, please join us for the Members’ Input Session on Thursday, May 15 (10-11 AM PT/1-2 PM ET). This is an opportunity for members to ask questions of the Board and provide input into the work done by the ACA. Questions may be submitted anonymously in advance using this form. We hope to see you there.
Anna Gibson Hollow ACA President
|
|
|
Message from the President of the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) |
|
|
Hello from Sydney, Australia. My name is Hannah Hibbert, and I am the current President of the Australian Society of Archivists. We are also celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year. I'd like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to the ACA on your anniversary. Keep an eye on our newsletter distributed monthly and on the website for stories and images from our history. The newsletter is available to ASA members and ACA members can apply for membership with us as part of our MoU. We encourage you to take advantage of discounted access to courses and the conference. This year our conference will be held in Sydney, 10-12 November. Registrations will be open at the end of May, and we are excited to put together a program under the theme "Telling our stories: community, connection, resilience". I remind ACA members that our journal Archives and Manuscripts is available online with all articles available through open access. I encourage you to read available issues, and get in touch with our editor if you'd like to submit an article, reflection, or review.
|
|
|
As archivists and records people, it sometime feel as if our work is always in a state of flux, of getting one project done just to jump right into another, and continually trying to remember where we left off when we finally get time to begin processing records once again (or perhaps it is just me). We rarely take the time to take a step back and look at all the work we have already accomplished. As a board liaison to a Governance and the Conference Planning Committee as well as the Records Management Working Group (RMWG), it is amazing to see how members from across Canada come together to work towards not just doing the work of the committee, work group, or special interest section but to form connections and community.
The RMWG has been working to try and get an overview of the current state of Records Management at the ACA and has been working closely with our Executive Director in this endeavour. Once that is complete, they will begin the arduous work of revising policy and procedure. Governance is as always amazing to watch in action – they have done and continue to do so much work (not to mention all the last-minute things the board throws at them). Their list of accomplishments over the past year contains too many things to put here but suffice it to say it is a lot. The Conference Planning Committee and the Program and Host Teams have all been working tirelessly to make certain that the 2025 Conference and 50th Year Anniversary will be a wonderful and welcoming experience for us all.
Our profession often leaves us working in silos. We are at our desk doing our jobs which can lead to isolation, especially if you work where others don’t immediately see the value of the work we do - especially when the word “archive” has been co-opted to essentially mean storage. Having those opportunities to be with people who “speak your language” is important and gives us a sense of belonging. Perhaps this is why I feel volunteering with the ACA and attending conferences are vital to our sense of community. That said, if you don’t have time or the inclination to volunteer for a committee or working group, think about perhaps joining in on one of the special interest section meetings. They are great way to begin getting involved with archivists across Canada and opening conversations about what we are all working towards as a community.
Angela Fornelli
ACA Vice-President |
|
|
ACA Support of U.S. Archives, Libraries, Museums, & Cultural Institutions
|
|
|
The Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) stands with our colleagues working in archives, libraries, museums, and cultural institutions across the United States of America who are experiencing attacks on their professions by the current administration.We echo the concerns raised by the Society of American Archivists (SAA), the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums (ATALM), the American Library Association (ALA) and other related organizations about:
-
The large-scale destruction of government documents, including classified records,risking non-compliance with the Federal Records Act, which governs records from executive branch agencies;
-
The massive funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, who fund museums, libraries and Indigenous cultural institutions.
The actions of the current administration jeopardize the accountability, authenticity,integrity, and transparency of decision-making by the federal government and its mandate to safeguard the records of the nation for the people of the United States. We will continue to support our colleagues working in archives, libraries, museums and cultural institutions, and support the mission and work done by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Your Canadian colleagues are standing with you.
For more information, please see:
|
|
|
Keep your ACA Member Profile up to date! We kindly ask all our members - both new and longstanding - to take a moment to log into the Association of Canadian Archivists website and update their member information. Keeping your profile current helps us stay connected and ensures you receive the latest updates, resources, and opportunities from the ACA community. Your engagement is key to our collective success!
|
|
|
Nominations and Awards Committee (NAAC)
The Nominations and Awards Committee are pleased to announce the following candidates for the ACA Board Election:
Vice President: Angela Fornelli, City of Kawartha Lakes* Patti Harper, Carleton University Secretary: Alexandra Mills, Concordia University* Director-at-large 2: Amanda Oliver, Wilfrid Laurier University* (* indicates incumbent) For more information on the candidates consult our web site. All voting members will receive an online ballot via email. Institutional Members should ensure that their designated is clearly identified within their member profile with accurate contact information. If you need support entering your institutional delegate name or updating your membership profile, please reach out to the ACA Office. Updates will be accepted until end of day, June 10, 2025. Elections will open June 12 and close end of day June 18, 2025, 11:59 PM PT/ June 19, 2025, 2:59 AM ET.
Questions about Board of Directors elections or awards should be directed to Alice Albarda, Chair, NAAC.
|
|
|
Call for Photographs – past ACA conferences and events
Do you have any images of past ACA conferences or events? The 2025 Host Team is looking for images to help celebrate ACA’s last 50 years during the upcoming conference in Ottawa. Any questions or photographs can be emailed to Host.Team(at)archivists.ca.
|
|
|
Room Blocks set to expire The ACA has negotiated with some hotels in Ottawa for preferential room rates for ACA congress attendees. These hotels are located in the downtown area, and are linked by public transit to Carleton University’s campus. Visit our hotel list for more information. All reservations are the responsibility of the individual conference attendees. Hotels in the blocks are on a first-come, first-served basis. There are a limited
number of rooms available in each block, and the block will be released to
the public at least a month prior to the conference. |
|
|
ACAF Silent Auction
Calling on all ACA creatives! With the conference only a month away it is time to start thinking about the ACA Foundation’s silent auction. Do you have anything wild or wonderful you could donate? Please help support the Foundation’s work advancing education for students and professionals in the archival sciences, record keeping and information management. If you have any questions or have ideas for prizes, please contact Kyle Pugh at treasurer(at)archivists.ca.
Prize submissions can be made here. Bids for items will open on June 9, 2025 and online bids can be made up until auction close on June 12, 2025.
|
|
|
|
|
You could win this cute ACA 50th Anniversary Bunny in our silent auction! |
|
|
Call for Film Submissions!
Does your archive have any footage of classic university sport rivalry, vintage college promotional film, influential academics speaking, or shots of historical student life?
The Sound and Moving Image Special Interest Section (SMISIS) is accepting submissions of archival footage for the Film Bytes event at this year’s ACA conference. This year’s event theme will focus on archival films showcasing the history of Canadian colleges and universities.
Deadline for submissions: May 2, 2025
For information or to arrange submitting film footage, contact the conference host team at Host.Team(at)archivists.ca.
You can find details about Film Bytes and other conference social events here. |
|
|
Invitation: Join the PAAC Open House Meeting on May 8
The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee (PAAC) cordially invites ACA members to join our virtual committee meeting on May 8, 2025 from 10-11 am PT/1-2 pm ET. This open house meeting is an opportunity for all interested in PAAC to learn more about the committee’s work and upcoming initiatives. PAAC will also be seeking new members; if you are considering volunteering for PAAC, we welcome you to attend to ask questions and learn more. To join the PAAC open house meeting, please email aca(at)archivists.ca for the details.
|
|
|
|
|
ACA Hashtag Party
You’re invited to the ACA Hashtag Party!
What is it?
On the last Thursday of every month, the ACA Social Media Team organizes a hashtag party, which takes place virtually on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. 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.
What’s next?
The next ACA Hashtag Party will take place on May 29, 2025, and the theme will be #ArchivesFilm.For this party,we’re looking forward to seeing historical film recordings in your collections, or if none are digitized, the film reels themselves!Share your materials on the day and don’t forget to tag us and use the hashtag so we can re-share your posts.
We are also looking forward to celebrating with you for the rest of the year. The dates and themes for the remaining ACA Hashtag Parties in 2025 are as follows:
Keep an eye on future issues of Scope and Content and on all our social media accounts to learn more about what each of these themes mean!
For any questions or feedback, or if you have initiatives that you would like the ACA Hashtag Party to support, please email us at communications(at)archivists.ca.
|
|
|
Carr McLean Discount Available for 2025
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-transferable. Contact the ACA Secretariat at executive.director(at)archivists.ca for the new discount code that will remain effective until December 31, 2025.
Don't forget to visit the Carr McLean table at the conference exhibitors hall! |
|
|
|
|
Archivaria 99
Archivaria 99 (Spring 2025) is now available online. It will also be available on Project Muse and Erudit within the coming days. The print issue is in production and will be mailed to members and subscribers. In accordance with the one-year rolling access window, the entire content of Archivaria 97 (Spring 2024) is now available to all readers.
Many thanks to the authors who have contributed to the new issue, the peer reviewers who have offered their time and expertise, as well as to the Archivaria Editorial Team and the ACA Office staff for all the hard work it takes to put an issue together.
In the newest issue you can look forward to reading:
Articles
Gordon Dodds Prize
Notes and Communications
-
Whither RAD: Do We Continue the “Voyage of RAD” or Prepare for the “New Canoe”?; Greg Bak, Creighton Barrett, Jennifer Douglas, Krista Jamieson, and Karen Suurtamm
Exhibition and Film Reviews
-
Liberation on the Dance Floor: Reflective Nostalgia, The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives, Toronto, ON; Tanis Franco
Book Reviews
|
|
|
Conference Planning Committee
The Conference Planning Committee needs volunteers! Are you interested in the long-term planning of the ACA’s conferences and assisting the Program and Host Teams’ work? For more information, please contact Max Otte, CPC Chair, at conference.planning(at)archivists.ca.
Chair Positions Open for ACA Special Interest Sections
We are currently seeking passionate and dedicated volunteers to chair two of our Special Interest Sections: Government Records (G.R.S.I.S.) and Environment Special Interest Section (E.S.I.S.).
As a Chair, you will play a key role in leading discussions, organizing events, and advocating for best practices within your section. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact, collaborate with fellow archivists, and contribute to the advancement of our profession.
If you are interested in volunteering for one of these important roles, please contact John Richan at DAL1(at)archivists.ca with a brief statement of your interest and experience.
ACA Financial Review Committee (FRC)
The ACA’s Financial Review Committee (FRC) is looking for volunteers for a two-year term. The FRC is responsible for reviewing financial policy, budgets, and safeguarding the financial assets of the Association. These positions are open to all members. If you're a financial whiz, or hoping to hone your budgeting chops, we're happy to have you join us!
If you have questions, please contact Kyle Pugh at treasurer(at)archivists.ca. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up using the Volunteer Form. Please note, all volunteers with the ACA are required to abide by the ACA's Volunteer Code of Conduct.
ACA Governance Committee
The Governance Committee needs volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up using the Volunteer Form. If you have any questions, please contact Shamin Malmas at shamin_malmas(at)sfu.ca.
Emerging Professionals and Student Special Interest Section
Are you a student in an archives-related program or new to the profession? Do you have an interest in growing your professional network and engaging in a supportive environment? Join our team in re-establishing the Emerging Professionals and Student Special Interest Section. We are currently looking for ACA members to help develop and implement the Special Interest Section in its earliest stages. Students and emerging professionals are integral to the ACA and the broader archival community, and this is a great opportunity for you to assist in creating a supportive space.
For more information or to express your interest, contact Carolyn Smith at Carolyn.Smith(at)dal.ca. We look forward to bringing back this Special Interest Section in the 2025/2026 year!
|
|
|
54thAnnual Conference - Association des Archivistes du Quebec
ACA Members are invited to attend the 54th Annual conference of the AAQ at member rates. The conference is in-person at Sherbrooke, from May 21 to May 23. Early bird rates end Friday April 4. Use the code 2025 ACA.
|
|
|
In the Field: The ACA Blog
|
|
|
In Case You Missed It:
Rights & Records: Filipino Community Archives and Activism by Isabel Carlin, researcher at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
ACA 50th Anniversary Logo, an interview between Olivia White, designer of the ACA 50th anniversary logo and Amanda Oliver, director at large for the ACA>
In the Field is currently preparing to launch new initiatives in 2025 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ACA. Stay tuned for more information about ways you can get involved in engaging with the history of archives in Canada!
If you’d like to submit a blog post, please read and complete this form. We look forward to your contribution! |
|
|
All proceeds raised through the ACAF store go towards advancing education by providing publicly available scholarships, bursaries and other forms of financial assistance to post-secondary students, graduates and professionals to be used for training in the fields of archival science, record-keeping and information management. Support the Foundation with this very stylish swag! Visit the ACAF store here for these items and more! Available for pick-up at the ACA conference.
|
|
|
15 oz ceramic mug "Archives are the gift of one generation to another." $15 + tax and shipping
|
|
|
Combination package - all the swag
18 oz double wall vacuum tumbler; 15 oz ceramic mug; recycled cotton tote bag; and bamboo case sticky notes!
$75 + tax and shipping
|
|
|
Laurier Archives and Special Collections - Zines: Then and Now Join Laurier Archives and Special Collections 2025 for their spring lecture! In Zines: Then & Now, artist & writer Ellie Anglin will share information about the origins of zines as a tool of self-expression, community building and resistance, and the increased importance of zines today in the face of publication bans, threats to marginalized existences and changing relationships to the internet. This free online lecture is hosted by Laurier Archives and Special Collections.
May 7, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET
|
|
|
SAA – Archivists of Religious Collections Section The Society of American Archivists-Archivists of Religious Collections Section invites you to register for their next Lunch and Learn webinar: Archival Description for Beginners (USA). Note: This webinar is geared to archivists using the American content standard. A webinar for archivists using the Canadian content standard will be delivered later this year.
This program will provide an overview of the different elements as laid out by the Society of American Archivists' Describing Archives a Content Standard, better known as DACS. DACS may have been designed for consistency in creating finding aids, but these standards can be applied to describe collection materials you are cataloguing from the general to the specific, whether you are using a material management software or a spreadsheet.
Recommended for individuals who are new to processing archives. This webinar will be recorded and made available on the SAA ARCS Resources YouTube Channel
June 5, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET.
|
|
|
Call for Papers - Tábula Journal Wars, armed conflicts, immigration and wild borders, climatic and natural disasters. The media reports on these contingencies often present apocalyptic facts and images with speculation about their repercussions in geopolitics.Through a close examination of news sources, traces of those who have suffered can be found even when overshadowed by more tempting journalistic targets – by looking through the photographs, oral testimonies, and other firsthand records accompanying them. Public sentiment often veers toward libraries and books when thinking about the cultural losses brought about by destruction, abandonment, or acts of hatred and violence against spaces of institutional knowledge. But the greatest threat to a community’s ability to rebuild can be the disappearance of records, the destruction of archives, and the legacies around identity, rights, and property that they protect. For its 28th issue, Tabula is calling for original papers on the following topics: - Documentation of human conflicts: wars, armed conflicts, immigration, wild frontiers;
- The media in conflicts;
- The elimination of documentation during conflicts;
- Documentation of climatic and natural disasters;
- Documentation of climate change;
- Archival planning in the face of human and natural disasters;
- Disaster recovery in archives;
- The role of digitalisation in emergency and disaster management;
- Essential institutional records;
- Vital personal and collective records;
- Oral and photographic memory of disasters;
- The protection of documentary collections;
- Essential records for surviving disasters;
- Violence against records and archives;
- Violence against the truth: disinformation;
- Documenting without papers: the records of othering; and
- What papers? Papers for what? Records as a form of exclusion.
View the Tabula publication rules and full Call for Papers here. Papers must be submitted through the online submission system before July 31, 2025.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
University Archivist and Head (Permanent, Full-time) University of Trent Library and Archives, Special Collection, Peterborough, Ontario Deadline: 12 May 2025
|
|
|
Conservator, Intern, (Temporary, Part-time) Friends of the Richmond Archives, Richmond, British Columbia Deadline: 19 May 2025 or until Deadline is filled
Note: Must be eligible for Young Canada Works
|
|
|
Project Archivist, (Temporary, Part-time) Archives des jésuites au Canada/The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada, Montreal, Quebec Deadline: 23 May 2025 Note: Must be eligible for Young Canada Works |
|
|
Archivist, (Permanent, Full-time) Prince Rupert City & Regional Archives, Prince Rupert, British Columbia Deadline: 30 June 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
The next issue of Scope & Content will come out on
Thursday, June 5, 2025. See you then!
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
