Please join us on Thursday, October 22, 2020, for the AAO’s annual all-day Institutional Members’ Symposium, organized by the Institutional Development Committee (IDC).

It is no secret that this year has been unprecedented for archives and archivists across the province. The timing of this year’s symposium should provide us with a unique opportunity for an open and wide-ranging conversation about our experiences during COVID-19. There is a lot for us to share and explore with questions ranging from “how did we do?” to “how are we doing?” and the fundamental question of what this experience means for the future of our profession.

In addition, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others have magnified conversations related to policy brutality, abuse and discrimination against Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC). Their deaths have also brought into focus the far-reaching nature of inequality in all facets of society, including the archival profession. This year’s symposium will also provide time for participants to unpack the AAO’s anti-racism statement and to start looking constructively at what we, as a profession, can do to activate it in our day-to-day work.

This year’s symposium will be held exclusively online via Zoom. Although we have enjoyed the in-person meetings at the Archives of Ontario in Toronto over the last few years, we hope that the move to an online platform will open up the dialogue to participation by members from all areas of the province. 

Save the date for now, but stay tuned for more information.