University Archives Holdings:
Institutional and Private Records
Karen Buckley & Regina Landwehr
Training Tuesday
12 December 2006
University Archives - Mandate
• Manage and preserve university records
• Document wider university community
• Support research and teaching
University Archives - History
• 1971 – temporary storage of archival material in
vault in Library Tower
• 1981- Archives established by Board of
Governor policy
• 1983 – first University Archivist hired
• 1996 - Information Management Program
established in anticipation of FOIP (1999)
University Archives – Holdings Stats
• Permanent holdings – 220 fonds = 12,400 boxes
= 2,600 meters (7,800 feet).
• 50% stored off-campus.
• Predominant dates – 1966-1995.
• Oldest holding - 1906 class photo of Normal
School.
• Youngest holdings - current year theses, reports,
campus and student newspapers.
• Most popular – theses, photographs, course
outlines, calendars and yearbooks.
Where do I find archival holdings?
• Archives main page
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/
• Holdings
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/Holdings.htm
How are archival records organized?
• Fonds is the total of records produced by a unit in
carrying out its mandated activities and preserved.
• Original order of records and contextual relationship
between records and creator is preserved.
• Records are arranged and described hierarchically within
a fonds
– fonds > record series > file > item.
Finding Aids - Archival Descriptions
• Example: Advisor to the President on Women’s Issues
fonds
http://asalive.archivesalberta.org:8080/access/asa/archa
a/display/UOFC-1377
• Fonds level descriptions
-
Administrative history/biography of creator
Creation dates of material,
Physical extent,
Scope and content of the records,
Finding aids – e.g. file lists
Restrictions.
Holdings – Finding Aids
• Catalogue of Holdings
– ANA (Archives Network of Alberta): filtered view of
UofC Archives holdings
http://asalive.archivesalberta.org:8080/access/uofc
/archaa@uofc
Institutional Records – Digitized Content
• Textual records
http://asalive.archivesalberta.org:8080/access/uofc
/documents@uofc
Institutional Records - Digitized Content
• Thematic databases and exhibits
– Collection of Honorary Degree Recipients
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/honorary/home.html
– Order of the University of Calgary Collection
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/order/home.html
– 40 Years of Autonomy: 1966-2006
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/autonomy/home.html
Institutional Records – Digitized Content
• Images
– Photobank
http://archive.ucalgary.ca:591/ImageBank/
– InSight - filtered view of UofC holdings in ASA
database
http://asalive.archivesalberta.org:8080/access/
uofc/photo@uofc
Institutional Records – Theses
• Thesis on-line database under construction, archives
staff will do searches on request
• Paper copies
– five years & younger accessible in Archives same day
– older ones off-site, 1-2 days retrieval
– Copy fees: 25 cents/page
• Microfiched copies in library 3rd floor MLT
• Digitized copies available in PDF
– ProQuest Digital Dissertations
– Thesis Canada
• Copyright
Institutional Records - Report Collection
• Generated by university units
• Types:
–
–
–
–
Annual reports
Department/ Unit reports
Analysis/ Study reports
Committee/ Task Force reports
• Searchable database to be placed on Archives
website this month.
Accessing Institutional Holdings
• Reading Room 12th floor MLT
• 1-2 days retrieval for off-site records
• Public domain records are open
• 25 year closure period for some
• 20 cents a page copy fees
Private Records at the University Archives
Private Records – Faculty Papers
These records:
• Document research, teaching, service.
• Complement the operational records of the
University.
– 3 fonds from past presidents
– 47 fonds from past and current faculty members
• Reflect disciplines across the spectrum.
• Reflect diversity of research interests
Faculty personnel vs. Faculty Office
President’s Office fonds:
Fonds consists of annual reports (1966-1996), academic
staff annual publication record (1973-1993);
correspondence with University staff, associations and
faculties, records on endowment and fund development,
correspondence with the provincial government and
other Universities, general administration files (19842002), records on property management and research
(1950-1987); subject files (1984-1997); files relating to
the Canadian Centre for Learning Systems (1983-1988),
Student Personnel Services Task Force minutes and
correspondence (1979-1980).
Faculty Personnel vs. Faculty Office
President Norman Wagner:
Fonds consist of records created and accumulated
by Norman Wagner. Fonds includes
correspondence, photographs, newspaper
articles and clippings, speeches, memoirs,
publications and material pertaining to his career
as University of Calgary president, President
and Chairman of Alberta Energy Company and
his activities after his retirement. Also includes
Wagner's Bachelor of Divinity thesis and Ph.D.
thesis.
Policy for Acquisition – Record Types
Records generated via:
• Pedagogy
• Research
• Professional involvement
• Administrative or membership involvement
• Political or cultural interest activities
• Student organizations and government
Policy for Acquisition – Faculty Papers
Criteria:
• Long service to the University
• International reputation
• Significant record of activity
• Significant contribution to the University
• Significant contribution to the community
Examples of Faculty Papers
Access fonds level descriptions at:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/archives.html
– Click on Holdings, and then Private Records
Dixon Thompson
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/FondLevelDescript
ions/dThompson.html
Thomas Flanagan
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/FondLevelDescript
ions/FlanaganFonds.html
Private Records – Student Organizations
Examples of fonds received are:
• Students’ Union
• Graduate Students’ Association
• Student Law Society
• Engineering Students’ Society
• Sigma Xi, University of Calgary Chapter
Private Records – Student Organizations
Students’ Union:
Fonds consists of correspondence, club activities and reports regarding various
Students' Union concerns (see file list for 91-008), Students' Legislative
Council minutes (1959-1981), constitutions (1949-1981), financial records
(1951-1979), Academic Commission minutes (1973-1984), Executive
minutes (1972-1984), finance Commission minutes (1969-1984, 19972000)), Internal Affairs Commission minutes (1968), Programming
Commission minutes (1973-1984), files from elections (1995-1998), liaison
with off-campus associations and societies (1990-1998), and minutes
(1986-2000). Includes yearbooks (1947-1996/7), Tallystick photographs
illustrating yearbook sections on student involvement on campus, campus
events, fine arts on campus, campus sports and the Olympics (1986-1992);
student telephone directories (1956-1999), Students' Union handbooks
(1949/50, 1956/57, 1960-1964), Students' Union course guides (19681985), administrative records including President, VPA, and VP Finance
among others (1974-1998), and ephemera regarding student elections,
clubs, and campus events.
Private Records – ‘Other’ Calgary Normal School
• Calgary Normal School fonds
• Complemented by:
– Ethel King-Shaw fonds
– Helen Stadelbauer fonds
Private Records – ‘Other’ - Photographs
• Calgary Herald Photographic Collection
• Jim Peacock Photographic Collection
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/researchholdings.html
Private Records – ‘Other’
‘Neo-Conservative’ Records:
• Reform Party of Canada
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/Holdings.htm
•
•
•
•
Clifford Fryers fonds
Ernest Manning fonds
Preston Manning fonds
Dr. Fred Marshall fonds
Other private records:
• Art Smith fonds; David Kilgour fonds
• Calgary Herald Union fonds
Accessing Private Records
• Unrestricted or Restricted
• Restrictions based on
– Legislative requirements
– Donor requirements
• Check the ‘Restrictions’ field on the fonds-level
descriptions:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/researchholdings.html
Accessing Digitized Private Records
• Check the main webpage for digitized content
http://www.ucalgary.ca/archives/researchholdings.html
Example of Calgary Normal School
• Digitized records placed in Archives Network of
Alberta database (ANA)
– Textual records in Alberta InWord
– Graphic records in Alberta InSight
Accessing Private Records –
Researcher Agreements
•
Restricted records may still be accessible to
researchers
•
Access granted under Researcher Agreement
1. Proposal to Access Records
2. Agreement to Access Records
Accessing Private Records: Photocopies
• Photocopies may be made of private records
dependent on restrictions and fragility.
• Cost is 20 cents/page or $5-10 for scans
• All photocopies are stamped:
Accessing Private Records –
Where are they?
• Several different locations
• Onsite – 12th Floor or main floor vault
• Offsite – Provincial Archives of Alberta
• 1-2 day delay in accessing records
Questions?
University Archives Reference Room:
• 12th Floor, Library Tower
• open 10:00-4:30 Monday-Friday
• 220 7271