AAO News

In celebration of Archives Awareness Week 2021 and our theme of Archives@home, the Archives Association of Ontario has organized an “Ask an Archivist” event, taking place Tuesday, April 6 to Thursday, April 8 between 10 am to 4 pm EDT. Each day, a roster of guest host archivists will take over the AAO Twitter account @AAO_tweet for one hour to answer your questions and comments.   

The schedule of guest archivists and their areas of expertise is listed below. Please join us for these conversations on Twitter @AAO_tweet, and don’t forget to tweet about your own Archives Awareness Week 2021 celebrations using the #2021AAW hashtag!

Monday,  5 April 2021
	2:00pm-3:00pm	Lisa Snider, Archeion Coordinator	Archeion and Researchers
	3:00pm-4:00pm	Julia Holland, Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections	Re-purposing already digitized content as puzzles
Tuesday,  6 April 2021
	10:00am-11:00am	Mary G. Kosta, The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada	How to prepare for the next pandemic
	11:00am-12:00pm	Mandy O'Brien, City of Toronto Archives	Access during the pandemic
	12:00pm-1:00pm	Krista McCracken, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre	Supporting research and community during the pandemic
	1:00pm-2:00pm	Nick Moreau, Region of Peel Archives	Archives during the pandemic
	2:00pm-3:00pm	Iona McCraith, AAO Archives Advisor	Keeping personal archives at home; any archive topic
Wednesday,  7 April 2021
	10:00am-11:00am	Natalya Rattan, John Shoesmith, Danielle van Wagner, Fisher's Rare Book Library	Outreach during the pandemic
	11:00am-12:00pm	Jennifer Grant, York University	Activities during COVID
	12:00pm-1:00pm	Adele Torrance, Ingenium	Changes to work and outreach during COVID
	1:00pm-2:00pm	Moska Rokay, Muslims in Canada Archive	Outreach during the pandemic
Thursday,  8 April 2021
	10:00am-11:00am	Megan Lockhart, Oxford County Archives	Outreach during the pandemic and digital engagement
	11:00am-12:00pm	Andrea McCutcheon, University of Toronto Archives	Supporting research during the pandemic
	12:00pm-1:00pm	Lucie Handley-Girard, The ArQuives	Community archives broadly within the pandemic
	1:00pm-2:00pm	Raegan Swanson, The ArQuives	Outreach during the pandemic
	2:00pm-3:00pm	Gina Dewaele and Amber Mandich, Elgin County Archives	Archives during the pandemic

The 2021 AAO Conference will be fully virtual and so is our 2021 Shirley Spragge Bursary fundraiser. This year, we are pleased to announce that we’re partnering with Plantables to raise money for this bursary, which supports AAO conference attendance by providing free conference registration and reimbursement of travel costs for bursary recipients.

What is Plantables? 

Plantables is a Canadian company based in Forest, Ontario, that grows organic leafy greens, fruit, vegetable and herb plants and ships them to your door exactly when they need to go into the ground or planter. 

Pick which plants you want to grow, choose when you want them delivered, and wait for your box of garden-ready plants to arrive at your doorstep. 

Purchase individual plants or choose from a variety of plant kit options.

How does the program work? 

All purchases can be made at Plantables.ca. To support this fundraiser, make sure to enter the code AAO2021 at the checkout. The AAO receives 10% of every sale made using the AAO2021 promo code. Don’t forget to share the code with your plant-loving friends and family to help us reach our $800 fundraising target!

When can I order?

Our AAO2021 code is active now, so order anytime! The campaign will be open until June 30, 2021.

Thank you for your support of the AAO and the Shirley Spragge Bursary!

The AAO Board of Directors is looking for AAO individual members to form a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group for a one-year term (2021-2022). While the specific activities of this new group will be determined by its members, the general focus of the AAO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group will be to:

• Provide advice to the AAO Board of Directors on integrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles into the AAO’s work, policies and structures and aligning with the 2020-2023 AAO Strategic Plan goal 1.3 to diversify AAO leadership and membership

• Provide guidance to assist AAO members on matters relating to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their institutions, including locating resources and training

At the completion of the one-year term, the Working Group will provide the AAO Board of Directors with DEI-related recommendations, which may include the creation of a permanent AAO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion standing committee.

Questions and expressions of interest can be sent to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group’s co-chairs Jennifer Grant (president@aao-archivists.ca) and Krista McCracken (vp@aao-archivists.ca).

In celebration of Archives Awareness Week 2021, the Archives Association of Ontario has once again organized a virtual  “Ask an Archivist” event, taking place Tuesday, April 6 to Thursday, April 8 between 10 am to 4 pm EDT. 

This year, a roster of guests will take over the AAO Twitter account @AAO_tweet for one hour around the theme of Archives@home. We invite guests to share information and answer questions about working with archives remotely, how they’ve made material and services available online, and methods used during the pandemic to support research and engagement with archival collections.

Archival staff and institutions interested in signing up for a one hour time slot are asked to contact MacKenzie Gott, AAO Web Administrator at webadmin@aao-archivists.ca by March 29th, 2021. 

Dear AAO East (AAOEe) Chapter Members, 

It is once again that time of the year when we welcome you to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM), taking place on Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 7 pm. At that time, we will be electing the Chapter’s Executive for the 2021-2022 year. 

Volunteering on the AAOEe Executive offers an invaluable professional development experience. It provides candidates with an opportunity to network with other professionals in the field, develop their leadership skills, and to apply their knowledge and skill set to the service of Ontario’s archival community. 

All executive positions are open and are one-year terms. We welcome any AAO Eastern Chapter member in good standing to put forth their name to stand for an executive position. For the descriptions of all the positions on the Executive follow the link https://aao-archivists.ca/News/8738116. If you wish to put your name forward or to nominate a member, please contact us at aaoeast@gmail.com. 

Call for nominations are open until Friday, April 9, 2021 after which nominations are closed until the AGM. At the AGM, calls for nominations will be made from the floor. 

This year, the AGM will be virtual using Zoom. We will provide further details closer to the date. 

We are also pondering a virtual social after the meeting. What that may look like we are working out.  

For a full list of current AAOEe Executive Members please check out our Bios on the AAO website, https://aao-archivists.ca/aaoee.  Our social media guru and Member-at-Large, Maria Paraschos is stepping aside from her position.  We would like to thank her and we greatly appreciate her time and effort. 

Please register through Zoom: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvf-CupjMjGtB1bwIOvoPmzzyMv1z_x46e  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Our contact list may not be fully up to date.  If you wish to be removed from the contact list please let us know and we will endeavour to remove you.  On the flip side if we have missed anyone, please let us know.

Sincerely, 

John Lund, President 

AAOEe Chapter 

Join the Archives Association of Ontario, East/est Chapter on Thursday, April 8 as we virtually explore three archives in Eastern Ontario and beyond. See behind the scenes of the newly built Ingenium Archives, the Port Hope Archives, and the City of Ottawa Archives. Archivists from each institution will introduce their video tour and be available for questions. 

Date: Thursday, April 8, 2021

Time: 7–8:30 PM  EDT

Cost: Free (registration is required)

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Register by April 7: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlf-GvqDwiH9DP5ZtUUZT70sf9RJ-pOINR

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Ingenium Archives – Adele Torrance :

Adele Torrance is Archivist at Ingenium (Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, and Canada Agriculture and Food Museum) in Ottawa. Prior to joining Ingenium in 2017, Adele worked for UNESCO in Paris, the International Monetary Fund Archives in Washington, D.C., and at the Halifax Regional Municipality Archives as a Young Canada Works intern. She graduated with a Master of Archival Studies from UBC in 2005.  

Port Hope Archives - Rachel Arnaud:

For the past 4 years, Rachel has been the sole archivist at Port Hope Archives, located in a former Land Registry office in Port Hope, Ontario. This small town has a rich history stemming from the mighty Ganaraska River which runs through the middle of town down to Lake Ontario. The Archives exists to collect, preserve, and provide public access to the history of the town of Port Hope and Hope Township. 

City of Ottawa Archives – John D. Lund:

John D. Lund is the Digital Records archivist at the City of Ottawa Archives. He is an active member of the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) and is the President of the AAO Eastern Chapter, AAOEe. John specializes in the history of photography, digital records management, and copyright. He holds a Master's of Archival Studies from UBC and an MA in History from UVic.

For questions, please contact the AAOEe at aaoeast@gmail.com

Dear AAO members,

The AAO Board of Directors voted in favour of proposed changes to the AAO Constitution in two areas: composition of the AAO Board of Directors and membership categories. It is the Board’s belief that these amendments would provide better support for the creation of responsive professional development programming and make it easier for new professionals to affordably join the AAO. Please direct any questions about these proposed changes to aao@aao-archivists.ca. 

The following is a summary of the recommended changes to the Constitution of the Archives Association Of Ontario. In accordance with Section 20, Amendments to the Constitution, these recommended changes are being distributed to AAO members at least 60 days prior to the 2021 AAO Annual General Meeting. These proposed amendments will be voted on by AAO members at the 2021 AAO Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2021, with the opportunity for discussion in advance of the votes.

1. Creation of a new Board of Directors position: Professional Development Committee Chair

Current wording

1.     Definitions

1.1   Definitions — In these by-laws:

(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Association, composed of the elected positions:

• President
• Vice President / President Elect
• Secretary / Treasurer
• Two Directors Without Portfolios
• Chapter and Special Interest Group Stakeholder
• Website Administrator
• Institutional Development Committee Chair

3.     Directors

3.1   Composition of the Board of Directors —

(a) The affairs of the Association shall be directed by a Board of eight (8) elected Directors, each of whom shall be a Voting Member of the Association.

(b) The eight members of the Board of Directors shall consist of the President, the Vice-President/President Elect, the Secretary / Treasurer, two (2) Directors without Portfolio, the Chair of the Institutional Development Committee, the Chapter and Special Interest Group Stakeholder, and the Website Administrator. Presidents shall attend board meetings for one (1) year following the end of their term in a Past President role, which holds no voting rights.

4.     Officers

4.1   Officers  —  The  Board  shall  have  the  following  Officers  as  elected  at large by  the memberships:

(a) a President;
(b) a Vice President/President Elect;
(c) Secretary / Treasurer;
(d) Two Directors Without Portfolios
(e) a Website Administrator

and can appoint among its members such other Officers as the Board may determine from time to time.

Revised wording

1.     Definitions

1.1   Definitions — In these by-laws:

(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Association, composed of the elected positions: 

• President
• Vice President / President Elect
• Secretary / Treasurer
• Two Directors Without Portfolios
• Chapter and Special Interest Group Stakeholder
• Website Administrator
• Institutional Development Committee Chair
• Professional Development Committee Chair

3.     Directors

3.1  Composition of the Board of Directors —

(a) The affairs of the Association shall be directed by a Board of nine (9) elected Directors, each of whom shall be a Voting Member of the Association.

(b) The nine members of the Board of Directors shall consist of the President, the Vice-President/President Elect, the Secretary / Treasurer, two (2) Directors without Portfolio, the Chair of the Institutional Development Committee, the Chapter and Special Interest Group Stakeholder, the Website Administrator, and the Professional Development Committee Chair. Presidents shall attend board meetings for one (1) year following the end of their term in a Past President role, which holds no voting rights.

4.     Officers

4.1 Officers  —  The  Board  shall  have  the  following  Officers  as  elected  at large by  the memberships:

(a) a President;
(b) a Vice President/President Elect; 
(c) Secretary / Treasurer
(d) Two Directors Without Portfolios
(e) a Website Administrator
(f) a Professional Development Committee Chair

and can appoint among its members such other Officers as the Board may determine from time to time.

2. Change to classes of membership: Student and New Professional Members

Current wording

8.     Membership

8.1   Classes of Membership — There shall be five classes of Members in the Association as follows:

(a) Institutional Members — Open to institutions in Ontario which have met basic standards established by the Canadian Council of Archives nationally and by the Association provincially to be considered recognized archives.   These institutions are eligible for institutional funding;
(b) Individual Members — Open to all individuals engaged in a professional capacity in the field of archival science and all other individuals interested in the field of archival science;
(c) Friends of the  AAO — Open to all institutions, corporations and individuals who wish to receive the Association publications and who are interested in supporting the aims and objectives of the Association;
(d) Student Members - Open to all individuals pursuing full-time studies at a recognized educational institution who are interested in pursuing a career in archival work for the duration of their studies plus two years after the year of graduation;
(e) Retired members – Open to all individuals who have retired from full-time work as archivists.

Revised wording

8.     Membership

8.1   Classes of Membership — There shall be five classes of Members in the Association as follows:

(a) Institutional Members — Open to institutions in Ontario which have met basic standards established by the Canadian Council of Archives nationally and by the Association provincially to be considered recognized archives.   These institutions are eligible for institutional funding;
(b) Individual Members — Open to all individuals engaged in a professional capacity in the field of archival science and all other individuals interested in the field of archival science;
(c) Friends of the  AAO — Open to all institutions, corporations and individuals who wish to receive the Association publications and who are interested in supporting the aims and objectives of the Association;
(d) Student and New Professional Members - Open to all individuals pursuing full-time studies at a recognized educational institution who are interested in pursuing a career in archival work for the duration of their studies and new professionals who have graduated within the past two years;
(e) Retired members – Open to all individuals who have retired from full-time work as archivists.

Register for the Toronto Area Archivist Groups' (TAAG) Dismantling White Supremacy in GLAMs Workshop on March 18, 2021 from 7:00-8:30pm. 

This workshop will use activities and tools developed by Archivists Against to identify and dismantle white supremacy in the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sector. Participants will develop an understanding of white privilege, white supremacy, personal and structural racism, and how they manifest in and through GLAM educational programs and professional practice. Participants will brainstorm concrete actions to dismantle oppressive structures in their workplaces, organizations, and the field as a whole. The workshop is intended to open a conversation that will continue into individual workplaces, and nurture a community of practitioners who are working together against white supremacy in the GLAM sector.

Date/Time: March 18th, 7-8:30 pm

Tickets: 

• AAO members: $20
• AAO student members: $15
• AAO non-members: $40

Register here in order to receive the event link.

The 2021 AAO annual conference, with the theme "Doing The Work: From Colonial Pasts to Inclusive Futures" will be held virtually from May 11-14, 2021.

Up to $1300 in funding for free registrations is available through the Shirley Spragge Bursary for students, new professionals, and archivists in financial need.

To qualify for the bursary you must be an Ontario resident, and be either:

• A student enrolled in a recognized archival program (must submit proof of enrollment), or

• A recent (1-3 years) graduate of a recognized archival program (must submit proof of program completion), or

• A practicing or volunteer archivist in financial need (must submit proof of employment or volunteering).

In order to make the conference as accessible and as inclusive as possible, it is no longer a requirement that applicants be AAO members and applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour will be prioritized. This year, multiple bursaries will be awarded.

Interested applicants are required to fill in the bursary application available on the AAO website and demonstrate financial need, an interest in archives education and/or professional development, and confirmed intent to participate in the annual AAO conference.

For more information and to submit your application, visit the Shirley Spragge Bursary page on the AAO website.

Applications are due on April 9th.

Artefactual is going to be working on Archeion as of 5 pm on Wednesday, March 3rd. It will be not available for use until the next morning, Thursday, March 4th at 10 am.

In order for this upgrade to take place, I need to ask members to NOT input any data into Archeion from 5 pm on Wednesday, March 3rd to 10 am on Thursday March 4th.

Any new data uploaded during this time may be lost, so please refrain from logging in to the site until the upgrade is complete.

I do apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

Cheers,

Lisa Snider

Archeion Coordinator

Archives Association of Ontario