Call for Papers: Archivaria’s 40th Anniversary issue (Association of Canadian Archivists)

Call for Papers for a 40th Anniversary Issue of Archivaria (Fall 2015)

Archivaria Anniversary Issue: To Understand Ourselves

In 1953, the Archives Section of the Canadian Historical Association was born. A decade later, Hugh Dempsey, the first editor of The Canadian Archivist, argued that “the Archives Section feels it would perform a useful service by publishing selected papers and bringing information on archival techniques, policies and practices to the attention of its members.” This “useful service” has been performed admirably ever since, by The Canadian Archivist from 1963 to 1974 and by Archivaria since 1975.

Also in 1975, the Commission on Canadian Studies published To Know Ourselves, an examination of the role and importance of Canadian studies to Canadian society and identity. As Chair Tom Symons wrote in his introduction to the Report, “the most valid and compelling argument for Canadian studies is the importance of self-knowledge, the need to know and to understand ourselves: who we are; where we are in time and space; where we have been; where we are going; what we possess; what our responsibilities are to ourselves and to others.”[1]

In 2015, Archivaria will celebrate its 40th anniversary. In honour of this milestone event, the Archivaria Editorial Board will publish a special issue of Archivaria offering reflections on the state of archives, the archival profession, and the archival discipline in Canada. Building on the perspective of the Symons Report, this issue will look at the past, present, and future of archives in Canada, the place of archives in time and space, the responsibilities of archivists – to ourselves and to others – and the nature of the archivist in the 21st century.

We are seeking contributions from Canadian and international archivists and archival scholars as well as from allied professionals, users of archives, and others with a stake in the archival endeavour. We are soliciting contributions on such topics as:

· the perception of the role, scope, and nature of archives (including holdings, institutions, and archival practitioners) from within and outside the archival profession and discipline,
· the impact of societal and technological change on the nature of archives and role and duties of archivists,
· the history, development, and role of Archivaria and its contributions to archival thinking since its inception 40 years ago,
· the future role of archival networks, associations, and alliances in supporting the archival endeavour,
· the changing relationship between archives and different sectors of society, including perspectives from contributors such as historians, social scientists, statisticians, lawyers,
genealogists, etc., and
· speculations on the future of the profession and discipline.

Deadline for expressions of interest: Expression of interest consisting of an abstract of the proposed article (300-500 words) must be received by Archivaria Editorial Board representative Laura Millar (laura_millar@telus.net<mailto:laura_millar@telus.net>) by 14 November 2014.

Submission guidelines: Final submissions should follow the “Advice to Authors of Submissions to Archivaria” at http://archivists.ca/content/advice-authors-submissions-archivaria.

Deadline for complete manuscripts: Complete manuscripts are due 30 April 2015.

Please feel free to direct questions related to this special issue to the Editorial Board representative, Laura Millar, at laura_millar@telus.net.

[1] T.H.B. Symons, To Know Ourselves: The Report of the Commission on Canadian Studies, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 1975, p. 12.