These Are Unprecedented Times: How Archives and Archivists Changed, Struggled and Thrived Through Challenging Periods
The Archives Association of Ontario is pleased to announce its Call for Posters for the 2022 Annual Conference to be held virtually from May 25-27, 2022.
The 2022 Conference Program Committee invites poster proposals broadly connected to the conference theme of “These Are Unprecedented Times.”
We especially welcome and encourage posters by and from archivists who identify as part of minority communities. We also welcome posters from students, new graduates, and emerging archivists, or those archivists associated with under-represented institutions or collections. All individuals who work with archival records are invited to submit a proposal.
Potential subjects for consideration include but are not limited to:
Changes to archival work through and post the COVID-19 pandemic or other major upheavals – practical and theoretical;
Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession and in our collections;
Responding to key movements such as Black Lives Matter, Truth and Reconciliation, etc.;
Developing better connections and engagement with known and new research communities;
Straddling the demands of rapid digital advances and the spectre of technological obsolescence;
Other topics related to archival practice will be considered.
Poster proposals should include an abstract of up to 250 words and a biographical note of no more than 100 words for each participant.
The due date of proposal submissions is March 31, 2022.
If successful, the presenter(s) will be later required to submit a short video (under 5 minutes) of their poster presentation and be available to attend a live Q&A during the conference.
On behalf of the AAO 2022 Conference Program Committee
Archives Association of Ontario (AAO)
aao@aao-archivists.ca
The AAOEe wants you for the Chapter Executive in 2022-2023!
What does the AAOEe do?
The Archives Association of Ontario East / est (AAOEe) Chapter is a volunteer-led organization under the umbrella of the Archives Association of Ontario (AAO). The Chapter serves and engages our membership, provides programming, and promotes archives, heritage, and information management to the public through events. We also connect with the AAO Board to support its efforts to build membership and advance the organization’s development.
Why do we need volunteers?
The AAOEe is managed by volunteers and all the work we undertake requires the time and energy of an engaged team. The combined efforts of our Executive allow us to bring tours, workshops, speakers, and other events to the Eastern Ontario region.
We are currently looking for new members to join the Executive to help shape the Chapter’s yearly program, develop activities for our membership, assist emerging professionals and advocate for the archival community.
What do we want to do?
The AAOEe must be responsive to your needs and interests. To this end, we want to build a diverse Executive that reflects our membership. Whether you are new to volunteering, a student, an established archivist, or a member of an allied discipline (such as heritage or information management), all voices are welcome and respected.
By contributing just a few hours each month, you will ensure that our Chapter continues to represent and bring engaging programming to our community. Our approach is friendly and informal, and our meetings are casual.
The Executive meets roughly 8 times per year and consists of the following roles, all of which are one-year terms that are elected at the Chapter AGM (April 2022) and are open for the 2022-2023 year. In addition to the responsibilities described below, all members contribute some time to program development and implementation.
For more information on any of the roles below, and to discuss how you can contribute, please contact the AAOEe Chapter Executive at aaoeast@gmail.com.
Which role do you want to fill?
The Treasurer looks after the Chapter’s finances. Duties include preparing budgets and financial statements, writing cheques, managing deposits and investments, and reporting on the previous year’s finances at the AAOEe AGM. Time commitment: 3-4 hours per month, with additional time required for the AGM.
The Secretary is the official record keeper for the Chapter. They take minutes of all meetings and distribute documentation to the Executive and the general membership as required. Time commitment: 2 hours per month.
The Member-at-Large position assists the Executive to build capacity in subject areas that may be pertinent to the broader membership.
For example, the Communications Officer is a portfolio assigned to a Member-at- Large. The Communications Officer updates the AAOEe Facebook page with upcoming events, tours, and workshops. Other social media tools may also be used.
The Member-at-Large may be elected at the AGM with assigned responsibilities, or it may be project based and appointed by the Executive at any point in the year. The role often builds upon the subject expertise of the volunteer. Time commitment: flexible, 2-4 hours per month.
Note: the AAOEe encourages student participation, particularly through the Member- at-Large position. There is no limit on the number of Member-at-Large positions.
For more information on any of the roles described above, and to discuss how you can contribute, please contact the AAOEe Executive at aaoeast@gmail.com.
The AAO is seeking an enthusiastic and engaged archival professional to lead the growth and continued maintenance of Archeion (www.archeion.ca) as Ontario’s archival information network.
Archeion promotes access to and awareness of Ontario's documentary memory. The site electronically brings together the many diverse archival collections across the province to facilitate online searching and access to them through the use of the latest advances in open source software for archives. Archeion serves a diverse population of general and specialized researchers, including students, teachers, academics and genealogists. Participating institutions that submit descriptions to the site represent small, medium and large archival institutions from all sectors, including provincial and municipal government archives, university archives, religious archives, business archives and community Archives.
Position Duties:
Reporting to the AAO Board of Directors, the Archeion Coordinator will lead the ongoing development of Archeion on the AtoM platform as an online, multi-level, Rules for Archival Description (RAD) compliant provincial catalogue of archival holdings by delivering the following products and services:
Working with the AAO Board of Directors to encourage archival institutions to participate in Archeion, preparing written articles, listserv reminders, presentations etc., that promote the benefits of Archeion to members of the public and the archivists who serve them;
Responding to queries from contributors to Archeion;
Overseeing finding aids submitted by participating institutions to the Archeion site;
Provides remote services and workshops for Archeion contributors on descriptive standards and AtoM software;
Assisting Archeion contributors with preparation and submission of their descriptions;
Assisting Archeion contributors with the bulk uploading of records
Reviewing submissions from participating archival institutions and ensuring that they are consistent with Archeion’s standards;
Maintaining the consistency of the authority files and taxonomies on the Archeion site;
Recording all activities undertaken and preparing regular status reports, including Archeion usage statistics;
Participating in meetings and presentations as required
The Archeion Coordinator is expected to perform duties under the contract on a part-time basis, for an average of 7.5 hours per day, three (3) days per week, commencing by April 1, 2022, and ending on March 31, 2023 (with the possibility of contract renewal).
Remuneration for the services of the Archeion Coordinator will be at a monthly rate of $2,116.38 (plus HST), supplemented by a monthly office stipend of $100 (plus HST) for Internet and telephone use.
Qualifications:
MLIS or Master’s degree in archival studies or a recognized equivalent or a combination of related education and experience;
Minimum three (3) years' experience in a professional archival capacity;
Experience using archival descriptive standards;
Experience using and managing archival content management systems and databases; with AtoM experience preferred
Experience and demonstrated proficiency in project management;
Demonstrated computer skills;
Ability to multitask and prioritize;
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; and
Access to a high-speed Internet connection, computer hardware and an ability to work from home.
Asset Qualifications:
Fluency in English and French;
Demonstrated involvement in the archival profession;
Knowledge of the AAO;
Experience with inter-institutional relationships and strong collaboration skills.
Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three (3) references to Krista McCracken, AAO President, president@aao-archivists.ca by 5:00 pm (EST) on Friday February 25, 2022.
Although we appreciate all applications, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
After much consideration, the AAO Board of Directors has decided that as of March 31, 2022, the AAO will no longer be offering the Archives Advisor Program. This decision was made following an intensive operational and fiscal analysis.
As the needs of the AAO membership continue to evolve, the AAO continues to look for ways to better serve its members. This includes supporting the expansion of our professional development offerings.
The AAO Board is continuing to plan for the future and is reviewing our programming offerings and membership benefits. As such, in 2022 we will be undertaking a membership survey to further understand the needs of our members. We are tremendously grateful for all of the work of the archives advisors over the years.
In this time of transition, members can reach out to the AAO Office at aao@aao-archivists.ca or contact AAO President Krista McCracken at president@aao-archivists.ca.
Sincerely,
AAO Board of Directors
Support the AAO for GivingTuesday! Donate today for your chance to win a complementary individual AAO membership and tote bag!
By supporting the AAO on GivingTuesday, you are directly helping us develop and sustain our programs and services. Monetary donations assist the AAO in planning, organizing and offering cost-efficient workshops, conferences and other professional development opportunities for archivists and professionals in related fields.
You can help support the AAO in other ways too! Consider donating your time, talent or resources and become a volunteer or a workshop speaker! You can also help us spread the word on various social media platforms by resharing the AAO’s GivingTuesday campaign or by sharing your own message as to how the AAO has helped support you in the past.
You can donate directly on the AAO website. You will receive a tax receipt for your contribution. All donations for GivingTuesday will be put in a raffle to win a complementary AAO 2022-2023 individual membership and tote bag! The raffle draw will take place on Thursday, December 2, 2021.
Thank you for your support!
The Archives Association of Ontario is pleased to announce its Call for Papers for the 2022 Annual Conference to be held on May 25 to 27 at Brock University in St. Catharines.
Theme: These Are Unprecedented Times: How Archives and Archivists Changed, Struggled and Thrived Through Challenging Periods
How often have we heard the phrase, “these are unprecedented times” over the past couple of years? Regardless of the era, archives and archivists need to adapt and respond professionally and resourcefully in times of disruption and change.
The Conference Program Committee invites proposals for examinations on this general topic in past, present and future contexts.
Potential subjects for consideration include:
Submissions of proposals for complete sessions or individual papers are welcomed. Proposals should consist of a brief abstract of approximately 250 words, a mini bio, your institutional affiliation, and if you prefer to present in-person or virtually and be sent to:
The AAO Office at aao@aao-archivists.ca
The due date of applications/submissions is January 7, 2022.
Sessions may take the form of a:
Come join us in the Niagara Peninsula – the setting of much connective history, entertaining tourism attractions, unique natural beauty, and the heart of the Canadian wine industry. Forget Paris. You will love Niagara in the springtime.
While we are preparing to see everyone in person in May, there may be a need for a shift to a virtual based environment depending on ongoing pandemic measures.
On behalf of the 2022 Conference Program Committee
The fall 2021 issue of Off the Record is now available. Members can access the issue here.
The most recent issue includes a message from AAO president Krista McCracken; a profile on AAO member Rob Fisher; a joint article by Neale Borutskie and Sean Smith on the Archives of Ontario’s GLAM Wiki initiative; another article by Sean Smith introducing the Ontario archival community to Dr. Cheryl Thompson and Dr. Karen Cyrus, who are working on a project titled Mapping Ontario’s Black Archives; and a tribute to the late John David Smart by Iona McCraith.
Stay dry!
Michael
Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG) Virtual Open House
October 22nd, 2021 – 9:30am-2:30pm
You are invited to join the MAIG Executive for our virtual Open House event on October 22nd. This year, as an alternative to our annual in-person event, our municipal archives colleagues will be connecting via Zoom!
Join us in the morning for presentations by Liz Dommasch and Megan Lockhart from the Oxford County Archives, Carolynn Bart-Riedstra and Carol Small from the Middlesex Centre Archives, and Karin Noble from the Grey Roots Museum & Archives. The presentations will feature exclusive looks behind the scenes into their institutions’ facilities, storage spaces, reading rooms, processing areas, and more. Following the presentations, join us in the afternoon to connect with other municipal archive colleagues and engage in exciting archival conversations during our MAIG meeting.
Agenda:
- Liz Dommasch and Megan Lockhart, Oxford County Archives
- Carolynn Bart-Riedstra and Carol Small, Middlesex Centre Archives
- Karin Noble, Grey Roots Museum & Archives
***Note: You can enter the Open House Zoom session by simply clicking the link below. The same link can be used to attend both the morning Open House presentations at 9:30am, and the MAIG meeting after lunch at 1:00pm. A link to the Zoom session will also be posted on the MAIG webpage before the event along with the MAIG meeting agenda package.
Please find the Zoom details below:
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 885 7820 4511
Passcode: 324727
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I’m looking forward to connecting with you all at the Open House! Megan Lockhart, MAIG Chair
NEW EDITION: Municipal Archives Interest Group - Annual MAIGazine Publication
On behalf of the MAIG Executive, I am pleased to present the 17th issue and 2021 edition of the Municipal Archive Interest Group’s yearly publication, the “MAIGazine”. The theme for this year’s issue was inspired by the resilience and optimism displayed by our colleagues in spite of an ongoing pandemic and features exciting updates from municipal archives throughout the Province, along with information on our fall virtual Open House. Please find the current issue available on the MAIG webpage.
For more information about MAIG or to view previous issues of the “MAIGazine” please visit our page on the AAO website: http://aao-archivists.ca/maig.
Thank you to everyone who submitted articles and news for the 2021 Edition! If you have comments or suggestions on how to improve future issues of the “MAIGazine” feel free to contact our Executive.
Best Regards,
Megan
The summer 2021 issue of Off the Record is now available. Members can access the issue here.
The most recent issue includes a message from incoming AAO president Krista McCracken, a profile on AAO member Amy Furness, an article by Olivia White about how she identified a mysterious image of a girl with fairy wings, the 2021 AAO awards announcement, and much more. The cover photo comes courtesy of Oxford County Archives. Thank you to Megan Lockhart for giving us permission to use it.
The excellent fall 2020 issue is now available to all.
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705-1 Eglinton Ave. East
Toronto ON
M4P 3A1
(647) 343-3334
