Archives Association of Ontario

05/04/2026

Have you seen our Conference program at-a-glance? It’s packed with a broad range of brilliant presentations. There’s truly something for everyone at AAO 2026, so make sure you plan ahead for what you most want to see. Learn more about the Conference here: https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Conference.

Day 1, May 6:
9:00 am - 12:00 pm Pre-Conference Workshop A (register in advance)
12:00 pm Conference Registration Check-In Opens (ends at 6pm)
12:00 pm Students and New Professionals Outreach Committee, Lunch event
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Pre-Conference Workshop B (register in advance)
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Afternoon Tours (register in advance)
4:30 pm -5:20 pm Safe Spaces Session - Records Professionals with Disabilities, Chronic Illnesses, and the Neurodivergent (register in advance)
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Opening Reception

Day 2, May 7:
8:30 - 4:00 pm Conference registration check-in
9:00 am - 9:30 am Conference welcome and opening
9:30 am - 10:30 am Opening Keynote - Dr. Cheryl Thompson
10:30 am - 10:45 am Break
10:45 am - 11:45 am Concurrent Session 1
11:45 am - 1:00 pm Lunch (Explore the Toronto food scene!)
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Safe Spaces Session - BIPOC Records Professionals (register in advance)
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Concurrent Session 2
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm Break
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm Concurrent Session 3
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Break
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Afternoon Tours (register in advance)
4:00 pm - 4:50 pm Safe Spaces Session - LGBTQ2S+ Records Professionals (register in advance)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Pub Night

Day 3, May 8:
8:30 am - 4:00 pm Conference Registration Check-In
9:00 am - 10:00 am Closing Keynote - Dr. Jennifer Bonnell
10:00 am - 10:15 am Break
10:15 am - 11:15 am Concurrent Session 5
11:30 am - 12:30 pm AAO Annual General Meeting
12:45 pm - 2:15 pm AAO Awards Lunch (register in advance)
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Concurrent Session 6a-6b.
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm Session 6c. at City of Toronto Archives
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm Break
3:45 pm - 5:15 pm Concurrent Session 7

04/30/2026

Join the AAO for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 8 at 11:30 am in Alumni Hall, Room 400 at the University of St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto. All AAO members are invited to attend the AGM!

The AGM will be in-person only during the upcoming AAO Conference. If you are not attending and wish to vote, per section 10.9-10.10 of the AAO Constitution, you may appoint a proxy using the attached form (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GqYsOFeOi6REckZ7wn9xpNM82r_JWYoh/view).
Please submit the form to the Secretary-Treasurer via email prior to the AGM at [email protected].

We will be accepting nominations from the floor during the AGM for all open Board of Directors positions: Vice-President/President Elect, Director Without Portfolio (2 positions), Chapter and Special Interest Group Stakeholder, and the Chair of the Institutional Development Committee (IDC).

Full descriptions of the Board positions can be found on our website: https://aao-archivists.ca/Board-of-Directors.

04/28/2026

Discover Toronto through visits to different Archives and Museums during the 2026 AAO Conference!

Mackenzie House Museum - Wednesday May 6, 3-4pm (82 Bond St), $5
Discover the history, politics, and activism of 19th century Toronto journalism at Mackenzie House Museum! Learn the art of letterpress printing in the recreated printing office and take home a personalized souvenir created with the 1840s printing press. Conference Attendees can Register here: https://aao-archivists.ca/event-6594797.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library & University of Toronto Archives - Thursday May 7, 4:00-5:00pm (120 St. George St), FREE
Discover treasures in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at this event highlighting selected materials from its two departments—Rare Books and Special Collections, and the University of Toronto Archives. The Fisher Library is one of the largest repositories of publicly accessible rare books, archives and manuscripts in Canada! Conference attendees can register here: https://aao-archivists.ca/event-6594813.

Spadina Museum - Thursday May 7, 4:30-5:30pm (285 Spadina Rd), $5
Explore the triumphs and tribulations of Toronto from 1900 to the 1930s through the dazzling mansion that is Spadina Museum! Get a glimpse into this era through the perspective of the affluent Austin family and the people who worked in service within their home. Conference attendees can register here: https://aao-archivists.ca/event-6594813.

04/28/2026

The Spring 2026 issue of Off the Record is now available! Spring often brings new beginnings and OTR is no exception: this will be Simon Vickers’ last issue after two years as co-editor. But fear not, OTR is in good hands! Starting with the Summer issue the very capable Jocelyn Oprzedek will be formally taking over from Simon as co-editor.

In this issue you will find an excellent submission from Alexandra H***e about building a broad coalition of community partners to develop the recently launched Illuminate Black exhibit at the Archives of Ontario. OTR Editor Isobel Carnegie writes about the recent surge of genealogical inquiries following the Federal government’s amendment to the Citizenship Act, which removed the first-generation limit to passing on citizenship for people born abroad. Lara Morrison of the Simcoe County Archives walks us through re-describing private collections, from the project history and process to results. The issue also includes an update from the AAO East/Est chapter.

The issue is available to AAO members here: https://www.aao-archivists.ca/otr-current-issues.

(Cover image: An aerial view of the Argonauts Rowing Club Junior eight-man boat by John Boyd, Toronto, Ontario, ca. 1925, Archives of Ontario.)

04/15/2026

04/10/2026

As we wrap up 2026 Archives Awareness Week, be sure to visit our website to read all our submissions about this year's theme "Archives Activism: Advocating for Archives Survival." https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Story submitted by submitted by Tyler Cox, Manager, Legislative Services, City of Ottawa : Archives do not survive on buildings, budgets, or policies alone—they survive through relationships. Strong, trusted relationships with leadership, communities, partner institutions, and the public are the foundation that allows archives to remain relevant, resilient, and visible.

For more than ten years, the City of Ottawa Archives has reported to me. During that time, I have seen from close up the leadership of City Archivist Paul Henry and the work of a deeply committed team of archivists and conservators.

The survival of the City of Ottawa Archives is made possible by tremendous support from City leadership, including the elected Mayor and City Council, the City Manager, and the Senior Leadership Team.

Through inclusive collecting, ethical description, community centred partnerships, and equitable access to records, the Archives contributes directly to the City’s strategic goals around openness, representation, and public trust.

Supported by City leadership, guided by the City Archivist’s expertise, and sustained by trusted partnerships with institutions and communities, the Archives demonstrates what surviving and thriving looks like in practice.

Full story here: https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Captions: 1 Ottawa: George Elliott Clarke, Don Kwan, Allison Everett, and City Archivist Paul Henry. Ottawa’s Tapestry: Building diversity in the Archives. Project launched on November 17, 2022. 2 Ottawa: City Archivist Paul Henry at the Tapestry project launch. 3 Ottawa: November 25, 2025 Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Gilbert Whiteduck (Kitigan Zibi Cultural Centre), and City Archivist Paul Henry cut the ribbon at the new "Cultivating Community: Agriculture Rooted in Ottawa’s History" exhibit at Barbara Ann Scott Gallery, Ottawa City Hall. 4. Tapestry presents: Stories from Ottawa’s Chinese-Canadian Community, 2024.

04/10/2026

As we wrap up 2026 Archives Awareness Week, be sure to check out all the story submissions about this year's theme "Archives Activism: Advocating for Archives Survival." https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Story submitted by Christopher Hogendoorn, Reference & Outreach Archivist at the United Church of Canada Archives: For this activism-focused Archives Awareness Week, the UCC Archives would like to spotlight one particular instantiation of the church’s activist activities, the records of which demonstrate a large impact using traditional and unconventional methods.

F4041 – The Taskforce on the Churches and Corporate Responsibility fonds contains a little over 12 m of textual records, a handful of photographs, nearly 50 cassette tapes, and boasts a 45-page finding aid with great detail of its contents. The Taskforce on the Churches and Corporate Responsibility (TCCR – pronounced “ticker”) was established in 1975 as an ecumenical coalition of Canadian churches and religious organizations that were looking for a way to express the social teachings of Christianity in a way relevant to the modern world. The Taskforce focused on promoting corporate responsibility and encouraged churches and other organizations to both invest ethically and divest from corporations having a negative effect on the environment, human rights, and social justice issues.

Captions: 1. 2018.238C/8-1 Photograph of a protest held in opposition to Canadian investment in Chile under Augusto Pinochet, specifically Noranda Mines. 2. 2004.099P/1 Photograph proof sheet from a protest held in opposition to Canadian investment in Chile under Augusto Pinochet, specifically Noranda Mines. 3. 2004.099P/3 Brochures and literature publicizing Canada’s investment in Chile under Augusto Pinochet, and what people can do to stop it. 4. 2018.238C/20-13 Correspondence between TCCR and the Hudson’s Bay Company regarding their operations in Namibia, specifically the working conditions of Karakul farmers. 5. 2004.099C/10-7 Bench Marks: Principles for Global Corporate Responsibility, jointly published by TCCR.

Full story here: https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

04/10/2026

Today is the last day of Archives Awareness Week 2026! Be sure to check out all the story submissions about this year's theme "Archives Activism: Advocating for Archives Survival." Thank you to everyone who submitted a story for AAW 2026! https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Story submitted by Sadie-Lyn Bieman, Banting House volunteer at Banting House National Historic Site: The term "archive" may provoke an image in your head of some old dusty documents from hundreds of years ago. While there are plenty of archival documents that fit that description, new archives are being made every single day!

At Banting House NHS in London, Ontario, we have a permanent exhibit on display called the "Dear Dr. Banting" a letter writing station where we offer the opportunity to visitors to become a part of our collection and story! The idea was inspired by the many letters sent to Dr. Frederick Banting's by patients who wanted to thank him for his co-discovery of insulin. People from all around the world come to the Birthplace of Insulin to thank Dr. Banting for saving their lives through his discovery with the same gratefulness that inspired letters from over 100 years ago.

Each letter, whether it was written in 1922 or 2 days ago, are an important part of our museum's archive as well as our story. The impact of Dr. Banting's discovery is large and ever-growing, and our archive reflects that!

Captions: 1. Old Archives at Banting House NHS. 2. New Archives at Banting House NHS.

04/09/2026

Join us throughout April 7-10, 2026 as we share story submissions all about this year's theme "Archives Activism: Advocating for Archives Survival." https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Story submitted by the Oshawa Museum and Public Library: Archivists Jennifer Weymark (Oshawa Museum) and Sarah Ferencz (Whitby Public Library) have worked together in professional partnerships for many years. They founded the Durham Region Area Archives Group in 2011 so that archivists and heritage professionals in Durham Region could share information and processes. In 2025 and 2026, they collaborated on a presentation highlighting the Women of Whitby Township.

Women in history are often overlooked and marginalized women even more so. Responding to this feedback, Jennifer and Sarah developed an interesting, informative, and challenging lecture which focused on racialized and trailblazing women. The presentation also discussed women who, when examined through a 21st century lens, are problematic to our community cultural memory. Over 80 people attended these presentations, which are not only an opportunity to share stories from the past, but are also events to promote archives and the importance of archivists in our communities.

Sarah and Jennifer are planning more events for 2026 and hope to form a greater connection between the heritage communities of Whitby and Oshawa as a result. Archives matter and our communities are interested in what we have to offer.

Image caption: Jennifer Weymark and Sarah Ferencz present their Women of Whitby Township program in January 2026. Image credit to the Oshawa Museum.

04/09/2026

Join us throughout April 7-10, 2026 as we share story submissions all about this year's theme "Archives Activism: Advocating for Archives Survival." https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions.

Story submitted by Jason Kahei Wong at the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library at University of Toronto: This March had been an action-packed outreaching month at the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library (RCLCHKL). We squeezed every ounce of our efforts to make ourselves known among the Hong Kong's diasporic community through a series of public events; and we also announced the grand opening of our archival services!

The highlight of the month is arguably the Open House Days we held on the 7th and 22nd. For the first time, the public could come into our space without having to make a prior appointment. From dawn to dusk, we had users studying antique photographs from the archives and reading books quietly in the aisles.

We collaborated with York University and University of Bristol, UK on an international symposium "Tying The World Together: Hong Kong at the Frontier of Global History" on the 16th. Over three edifying sessions, graduate students, archival professionals, and scholars shared their respective efforts in preserving and understanding the history of Hong Kong.

As a description fanatic myself, I used to think that creating the perfect arrangement and rehousing an entire archives neatly into folders and boxes is the deepest satisfaction possible to mankind. But no, it was the uneventful moment when I found a teenager sitting still on a chair for 15 minutes reading 1979 meeting minutes of the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils.

Read the full story here: https://aao-archivists.ca/2026-Story-submissions. 📖

Captions: 1. Open House Exhibit of Hong Kong Archives. 2. Archivist being interviewed by the Press. 3. International Symposium with University of Bristol and York University. 4. Full house at charity screening. 5. Patrons donating generously to the archives and library's mission.