Introduction to Archival Practice

Course Timetable:

Registration: February 1 - April 5, 2024

Course duration:  April 8 - June 17, 2024

Register HERE

AABC Anti-Racism Bursary

This course is eligible for the AABC Anti-Racism Bursary which covers the course registration cost and required textbook(s). More information about the bursary, eligibility, and a link to apply can be found HERE.

Bursary application deadline: March 1, 2024.

Course Description:

Using Laura Millar's award-winning publication Archives: Principles and Practices, students will be introduced to archival terminology & theory, best practices for managing archival records, copyright & privacy, ethics, and preserving electronic records. This course will benefit those who are new to archives, as well as staff or volunteers working in libraries, museums, records management, local government, administration, art galleries or non-profit institutions that have archival records in their holdings and would like to learn more about them.

Topics for the modules include:

Module 1.      What are Archives   

Module 2.      Archival Institutions and the Role of the Archivist         

Module 3.      Fundamental Principles of Archives

Module 4.      Appraisal and Acquisition

Module 5.      Arrangement and Description

Module 6.      Making Archives Available

Module 7.      Preservation and the Digital World

Students will receive, by electronic mail, a self-study guide which includes instructions, supplementary reading (where applicable), self-study questions, and projects.  Self-study questions and projects will be submitted to the instructor for evaluation. Upon submitting all of the assignments within the allotted time, students will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Students can expect to work about 10-12 hours per week on readings and assignments for the duration of the course.

Instructor: Lisa Glandt, AABC Education and Advisory Service Coordinator

Cost: AABC member $350 (CAD) / Non-member $500 (CAD); plus the cost of course textbook

Textbook: Laura Millar. Archives: Principles and Practices (Neal-Schuman, 2nd ed.; 2017)

*Hard copy and electronic versions of this textbook are available.

Student Comments on the Course:

"I have to say that before taking this class I had some small idea, but I was not fully aware of the scope of an archivist's role, and what the establishment of an archives space will entail. However, I have learned so very much over the course of these modules. I am looking forward to learning more, and to the eventual creation of our own archival space."

"Thank you very much for this course - I've really enjoyed having the opportunity to think through some of the more theoretical and strategic aspects of archives and how they apply. As someone working in archives without a Masters' in Archival Science, I really appreciate having this grounding in some of the basics of archival theory, terminology and best practices."