Greetings archival community of Ontario!

 

It's midwinter and you know what that means. time to share information on
archival accessions with your colleagues and the wider public.

 

The Archives Association of Ontario wants to invite each and every
institution in the province that collects archival records to contribute to
the 2019 edition of the Ontario Archival Accessions Register (OAAR). As in
previous years, we are asking repositories to submit basic details on new
accessions by completing the attached reporting form. We hope to continue
building on past surveys by encouraging even more institutions to
participate, whether they are currently AAO members or not. 

 

Please use the attached form to report material legally acquired by your
institution in the calendar year 2019.  Completed forms should be directed
to:  <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]  The
deadline to submit responses is Friday, February 28th, 2020. The collected
data will be made available on the AAO's website during Archives Awareness
Week in April.

 

Background information and FAQs on the OAAR and the Provincial Acquisition
Strategy of which it forms a part can be found on the
<http://aao-archivists.ca/provincial-acquisition-strategy/3969047> AAO
website.

 

Drawing upon data received during the first three years of this initiative,
we are pleased to offer the following facts about archival accessioning in
Ontario:

 

Participation and scope

*         2016 - 17 institutions took part, resulting in 638 entries in the
register

*         2017 - 11 institutions, resulting in 413 entries

*         2018 - 17 institutions, resulting in 587 entries

*         2016-2018 totals - 26 separate institutions together contributing
over 1,600 entries to the OAAR

 

Oldest accession - Grant of land in Leeds County, Ontario, 1798, accessioned
by the Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County (CABHC)

 

Most recent accession - 2018 (multiple institutions)

 

Who to talk to about your dinner party? - CABHC, acquired 2 table cloths and
a plate in 2017

 

Digital records: just over 215 GB plus numerous DVDs, USBs, MP3s, etc.

 

Number of entirely new accessions (as opposed to accruals): 657

 

Number of accessions with descriptions in ARCHEION: 184

 

Records of or donations by people with the name Bob: 5

Top three most popular subject keywords of accessioned records (in terms of
ARCHEION subject headings): Community Life (293 entries), Organizations
(175), Arts and Culture (160)

 

Bottom three most popular subject keywords of accessioned records (in terms
of ARCHEION subject headings): Labour (8 entries), Birds (1), Cemeteries (1)

 

 

Best regards and happy reporting,

 

Aaron Hope, on behalf of the Provincial Acquisition Strategy Working Group

 

 


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