MEMBERS OF ARCHIVES ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO -- REMINDER and CHANGE OF
DEADLINE -- AAO AWARDS PROGRAM

Members of the AAO are reminded that the original deadline for the
submission of nominations for all four AAO awards for 2009 was set as
Tuesday March 2 (four business days hence).  As Chair of the Awards
Committee,  I have reviewed the situation as of February 25th and I
conclude that the best interests of the Association and the competitive
process of the Awards Program will be served by an extension of this
deadline by four weeks to Tuesday March 31.  In the interests of an even
playing field, any member sending in a nomination that makes the March 2
deadline will be given the opportunity to resubmit a revised nomination
package using the revised deadline of March 31. Nobody who does submit
by March 2 will be required to make a second submission if they are
satisfied with the merit of their original submission.  In such cases,
the Chair will seek a confirmation of intent from each submission
arriving on or about March 2. 

The original purpose of the early deadline this year was to encourage
greater participation and to permit proper vetting of applications and
notification of winners with sufficient advance notice to encourage
attendance at our Annual Conference and AGM.  However, the radical shift
forward of the date (by almost two months) appears to have had the
opposite effect and discouraged the normal levels of participation. To
date, no submission has arrived and no notice of intent to do so has
been received.  I take responsibility for this situation and for the
decision to revise the deadline for nomination packages to be submitted
to March 31 as Chair of the Awards Committee.  I hope that members of
the AAO will support me in this effort to sustain the integrity of the
awards program and that they will get in formal nomination packages of
high quality by March 31.  

Thanks very much for your participation.  

Please find application forms and instructions attached. 

For further information contact me at [log in to unmask],
819-934-7333 or the AAO Office at Becker Associates,
[log in to unmask], 416-538-1650.

Thanks for your cooperation and collaboration.

Brian P. N. Beaven
Chair, Awards Committee.