AAO News

It's that time of year again, the Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG) is seeking submissions for our annual publication, the MAIGazine. For our 21^st issue, we are leaving this year’s submissions open ended. Feel free to submit an article, an institutional update, or a photo for our *NEW* photo section!

Here are some suggestions for each:   

• Articles: Of any length, with or without photos. Articles can be about an interesting donation, a large project you or your institution accomplished, a new website or database migration, interesting interactions or finds with researchers, designing a new exhibit or preparing for a County/Regional celebration…etc.  
• News Corner: Here we highlight exciting updates, accomplishments or milestones such as grants, new acquisitions, special projects, introducing a new staff member, retirements, reaching a career milestone, or simply celebrating a colleague for their work.
• *NEW* Photo Section: Have an interesting photo in our collection that you just don’t know how to share? Share it here with or without a caption! Puzzle us, delight us, or scare us with the photos from your vault!  
• Cover Photo Submissions: Last but not least, we are seeking photograph submissions to be used on the cover page. We are simply looking to feature images from our community's collections!

If you are interested in contributing to the 2025 edition of the MAIGazine, please send your submissions as a MS word document to Jennifer Georgiou (jgeorgiou@regionofwaterloo.ca) by Friday August 1st. If you are including photos with your submission, please send them as JPG scanned at least 300dpi. Feel free to contact Jennifer with any questions about submitting your article.

For information about MAIG, or to view past issues of the MAIGazine, please visit our webpage here: https://aao-archivists.ca/maig 

Thank you in advance. We look forward to your submissions!

Best,

Amber Mandich (MAIG Chair) and Jennifer Georgiou (MAIG Vice-Chair)

The Archives Association of Ontario (AAO) Annual Conference will be held in person at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, between May 6-8, 2026. 

The AAO is looking for dedicated volunteers who are interested in serving on the 2025-2026 Conference Committee which is composed of two sub-committees: the Local Arrangements Committee and the Conference Planning Committee.

The Local Arrangements Committee is responsible for the planning and supervising of events that take place in and around the conference. The committee is responsible for:

• Venue and corresponding insurance coverage;
• catering;
• accommodation;
• registration information and planning;
• conference bags (or other giveaways);
• photography;
• exhibitors;
• post-conference survey;
• transportation;
• tours;
• communications;
• extra curricular activities;
• Silent auction
• Awards banquet planning
• tend to the registration desk during the conference
• work with Website Administrator for creation of conference website and social media postings

Best suited for volunteers who live within Toronto and the GTA

The Conference Planning Committee

• Selects the theme of the 2026 AAO Conference;

• oversee planning for the programming of the conference: call for papers, building the agenda;

• coordinate room locations for conference sessions;

• select moderators and keynote speakers;

• provide support for participants alongside AAO office staff during the conference;

• tend to the registration desk during the conference

• work with Website Administrator for creation of conference website and social media postings

Suited for volunteers from across Ontario

Who we are looking for:

• Archivists from across Ontario as well as those individuals who are located within Toronto and the GTA

• Experience with planning events and conferences is not required. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals looking to gain experience in conference planning.  

If you are interested in joining the 2025-2026 Conference Committee or have any questions about the work involved in organizing the AAO Conference, please contact Shelley Respondek, AAO President, at president@aao-archivists.ca by Friday July 11th, 2025.

Hello AAO,

Spring has sprung and so too has the Spring 2025 issue of Off the Record! Hope you enjoy reading during one of these increasingly warm sunny evenings. Members can access the issue here. 

This issue includes an article by Roxy Moon about the Toronto AIDS Memorial Committee as well an excellent piece by new archivist Emmanuelle Vanleeuwen about how to train incoming archivists. Ashton Osmak also contributes an interview with her colleague Hafiz Printer, who coordinates education programming at the Archives of Ontario.

Our student spotlight is with Jocelyn Oprzedek and this issue also features an update from AAO president Shelley Respondek, an Archeion update and an announcement for the AAO 2025 Virtual Conference.

Happy reading!

Isobel and Simon

The Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG) is currently accepting nominations for the Secretary-Treasurer position, for a two-year term (2025-2027). Volunteering on the MAIG Executive is an excellent professional development experience, providing an opportunity to develop leadership skills, network with other professionals, and share their knowledge and experiences with other members of Ontario’s municipal archival community. Please see below for more information about this role, and feel free to contact our Executive team if you have any questions.

Secretary-Treasurer, Two-year term (May 2025 - May 2027)

• Serve as the official recordkeeper of MAIG by preparing and distributing correspondence, agendas and minutes for all meetings.
• Manage MAIG finances, present a financial report to members at the Annual General Meeting, and prepare an annual budget in cooperation with the MAIG Executive.
• Optional duties may include assisting with the annual “MAIGazine” newsletter and other special projects as they arise.

To nominate yourself or a colleague, please email Amber Mandich (amandich@elgin.ca) with a brief biography by 5pm on Friday, April 25. The election will be held at MAIG’s virtual Annual General Meeting on May 1, 2025, and nominations will also be accepted from the floor.

MAIG

The AAOEe wants you for the Chapter Executive in 2025-2026!

What does the AAOEe do?

The Archives Association of Ontario East/est (AAOEe) Chapter is a volunteer-led organization that represents Eastern Ontario within the Archives Association of Ontario (AAO). The Chapter engages our membership, provides programming, and promotes archives, heritage, and information management through events. We also connect with the AAO Board to support its efforts to advance the broader organization.

Why do we need volunteers?

All the work we undertake requires the energy of an engaged Executive team to bring tours, workshops, speakers, and other events to the Eastern Ontario region.

We are currently looking for new members to join the Executive to help shape the Chapter’s program and develop activities for our membership.

What do we want to do?

We want to build a diverse Executive that reflects our membership. Whether you are new to volunteering, a student, an established archivist, or a member of an allied discipline, all voices are respected. Your contribution of a few hours each month keeps the Chapter alive and connected.

The Executive meets 7-8 times per year and consists of the following roles, all of which are one-year terms that are elected at the Chapter AGM (April 2025). In addition to the responsibilities described below, all members contribute some time to program development and implementation.

For more information on any of the roles below, and to discuss how you can contribute, please contact the AAOEe Chapter Executive at aaoeast@gmail.com.

Which role do you want to fill?

• President

The President provides leadership to the Chapter. This includes acting as spokesperson for the Executive, the membership, and stakeholders to the AAO Board and other interested parties. For Executive meetings, work includes scheduling, setting the agenda, and chairing the meetings. The President also ensures that the Chapter is fulfilling its responsibilities to the AAO Board, such as submitting required reports. Note: upon leaving office, the President is asked to stay on the Executive for an additional year in an advisory role as Past-President. Time commitment: 5 hours per month, with additional time required for the AAO Leadership Meeting and AAO Annual General Meeting

• Treasurer

The Treasurer looks after the Chapter’s finances. Duties include preparing budgets and financial statements, writing cheques, managing deposits and investments, and reporting on the previous year’s finances at the AAOEe AGM. Time commitment: 3-4 hours per month, with additional time required for the AGM

• Secretary

The Secretary is the official recordkeeper for the Chapter. They take minutes of all meetings and distribute documentation to the Executive and the general membership as required. Time commitment: 2 hours per month

• Vice-President

The Vice-President performs the duties of the President in their absence and advances the interests of the AAOEe. This often means providing support with planning and program development. The VP is encouraged to stand for President upon completion of the latter’s term. Time commitment: 3 hours per month

• Member-at-Large

The Member-at-Large position assists the Executive to build capacity in subject areas that may be pertinent to the broader membership.

For example, the Communications Officer is a portfolio assigned to a Member-at-Large. The Communications Officer updates the AAOEe Facebook page with upcoming events, tours, and workshops. Other social media tools may also be used.

The Member-at-Large may be elected at the AGM with assigned responsibilities, or it may be project based and appointed by the Executive at any point in the year. The role often builds upon the subject expertise of the volunteer. Time commitment: flexible, 2-4 hours per month.

Note: the AAOEe encourages student participation, particularly through the Member-at-Large position. There is no limit on the number of Member-at-Large positions.

The AAO is at a critical juncture and needs your help. Next year, AAO will be developing its Strategic Plan for 2026-2030 and doing a Constitutional review and update. If you enjoy planning, developing, and reshaping organizations to better suit user needs, this is the year for you!

Volunteering on the AAO Board 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 apply their existing knowledge and skill set to the service of Ontario’s archival community.

Below is a list of all available Board positions that will be elected at the AAO’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 8, 2025, during the AAO 2025 conference. For detailed descriptions of each position, please see the bottom section of the Board of Directors page on our AAO website.

• Vice-President/President-Elect: Three-year term (May 2025 - May 2028): 5-10 hours a week / 20-40 hours a month

• Secretary-Treasurer: Two-year term (May 2025 - May 2027): 2-3 hours a week / 8 - 12 hours a month

• Director Without Portfolio (2 positions): One-year term (May 2025 - May 2026): 2-3 hours a week / 8-12 hours a month

• Web Administrator: Two-year term (May 2025 - May 2027): 5 hours a week / 20 hours a month

• Chapter Stakeholder: One-year term (May 2025 - May 2026): 2-3 hours a week / 8 - 12 hours a month

• Institutional Development Committee (IDC) Chair: One-year term (May 2025 - May 2026): 2-3 hours a week / 8 - 12 hours a month

• Professional Development Committee (PDC) Chair: Two-year term (May 2025 - May 2027): 2-3 hours a week / 8 - 12 hours a month

You are invited to contact the following current Board members with any questions about the available positions:

• Shelley Respondek, President (president@aao-archivists.ca)
• Krista Jamieson, Director Without Portfolio (director1@aao-archivists.ca)
• Sarah McDougall, Past President (past.president@aao-archivists.ca)

Additionally, 30-minute Zoom online drop-in information sessions about volunteering and becoming a member of the AAO Board of Directors will be held on:

• Tuesday, April 1 at 12 p.m. (Zoom link)
• Monday, April 7 at 4 p.m. (Zoom link)
• Thursday, April 10 at 9 a.m. (Zoom link)

Nominations can be submitted by downloading and sending the nomination form (Word) via email to the AAO Office at aao@aao-archivists.ca using the subject line "Nominations 2025" and direct your message to the attention of the Nominations Committee.

Nominations must be received by the AAO Office by close of business on Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Sincerely,

Shelley Respondek

President, 2024-2026

Save the Date!

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Municipal Archives Interest Group will be held virtually on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 1 p.m. All are welcome to attend! Please RSVP to Gina Elias by email at gelias@elgin.ca. We are currently accepting nominations for Secretary-Treasurer for the 2025-2027 term.

Please direct inquiries and nominations to Amber Mandich at amandich@elgin.ca.

Save the Date!

All Chapter and AAO members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Southwestern Ontario Chapter of the AAO on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 10 a.m, at the Huron County Museum in Goderich. After the meeting, we will have the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum and archives, as well as a guided tour of the Huron County Historic Gaol, a National Historic Site of Canada. Lunch will be provided, and the day will end around 2 p.m.

Please RSVP to Joshua Klar at joshua.klar@norfolkcounty.ca by April 16.

For directions to Huron County Museum, please visit their website: https://www.huroncountymuseum.ca/huron-county-museum

We hope to see you there and look forward to connecting!

- SWOC Executive

Hello AAO,

The Winter 2025 issue of Off the Record is now available. It's a perfect way to ignore those piles of snow in the driveway and can be accessed by members here!

This issue features an update from president Shelley Respondek, an Archeion update from coordinator Kelli Babcock, and an announcement for the AAO 2025 Virtual Conference. Following, we have a wonderful new Memory Workers at Work interview with Vasuki Shanmuganathan of the Tamil Archive Project.

Our student spotlight is with Valencia Sipes, a former horologist and current student in the Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management program at Toronto Metropolitan University. The issue also includes an article outlining Oxford County Archives' efforts to celebrate a number of overlapping local anniversaries. Finally, Olivia White from the Simcoe County Archives describes a collaborative video project with Rogers TV highlighting her institutions rich collections.

Happy reading!

Isobel and Simon

Do you want to get involved with the Archives Association of Ontario (AAO)? Are you a new or experienced professional looking to meet fellow archivists and contribute to the field? If so, you’re in luck! The AAO is looking for individuals to help support our mandate of furthering the education of Ontario’s records and information professionals and advocating for the interests of the province’s community of archives, heritage organizations, and records institutions.

The AAO is currently looking for volunteers for the following committees:

• Chair/Co-chair of the Communications and Advocacy Committee (CAC)
• Chair/Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI)
• Committee members for the CAC committee
• Committee members for the DEI committee

Detailed committee descriptions and a listing of current membership can be found on the AAO website. 

If you are interested in volunteering or wish to learn more about these opportunities, please reach out to AAO President, Shelley Respondek at president@aao-archivists.ca by December 13, 2024.