Hello all. I'm forwarding this message reference the Future of the National Archives
of Canada.
Donna King
Tolpuddle/
Cannell List Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: McArthur
To: Jim & Claudia McArthur
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 8:15 PM
Subject: Fw: The Future of the National Archives of Canada
Dear Friends,
Apparently this message did not get delivered last week. It may be too late to
participate in the survey but in case you find the news interesting, I am sending it
again.
----- Original Message -----
From: McArthur
To: Jim & Claudia McArthur
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 9:58 PM
Subject: Fw: The Future of the National Archives of Canada
Dear Friends,
The Saturday, February 16, 2000 issue of the Globe and Mail newspaper had an impressive
supplement containing some exciting news. The digitization of the 1901 Canadian census is
underway. Plans are in the works to establish a Canadian Genealogy Centre. Canada's
first national genealogy conference will be held in the fall of 2002. A very important
questionnaire is on line at:
http://accessible.archives.ca
Question 8 is very important. "In which capacity do you use the resources of the
National Archives?" By answering "genealogy" each of us can help to
convince the archives, politicians, fundraisers and others that we are important, that we
are not just a tiny fringe group with an obsession. Please, for your own sake, take a
minute to fill out the questionnaire. The deadline is March 1st, but please do it now.
Thanks.
Here are a few excerpts from the special supplement (thanks to Gordon Watts):
DIGITIZATION: A TRANSFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
To meet the insatiable national and international demand for genealogical information, the
returns from the 1901 Canadian Census will soon be available online, free of charge.
GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY
Every year the National Archives of Canada welcomes thousands of visitors into its
research rooms - most of them intent on tracing their family histories. This is no idle
pastime. The pursuit of genealogy and family history is one of this country's most
popular activities, and one of the main ways for citizens to connect to the past and find
meaning in it.
This increasing popularity of family history has combined with modern online technology to
transform the way the National Archives offers its services. The Archives makes available
many important sources used for research into family history, but until recently,
ancestor-hunters had to access the archives much as people have had to do since the First
World War - making use of paper finding aids and indexes; consulting Archives employees;
using a reading room; and requesting copies of documents.
But the advent of the Internet has revolutionized archival services, allowing Canadian
family historians to access the sources of their past without even leaving their homes. A
growing number of collections are now available online on our Web site. These include
indexes to the 1871 Ontario Census; a list of home children, the more than 100,000
children sent to Canada from Great Britain between 1869 and 1930; immigration records from
1925 to 1935, showing such events as ship arrivals at Halifax's Pier 21; a list of
post offices and postmasters since 1851; and a list of the men and women who served with
the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War. As well, a detailed guide to
aboriginal records is in progress, and the digitization of the 1901 Canadian Census is
underway.
THE CANADIAN GENEALOGY CENTRE
The National Archives, in co-operation with Canadian Heritage, is also developing a new
initiative to better serve Canadian genealogists - The Canadian Genealogy Centre. This
Centre will offer services, advice and research tools in both official languages; it will
also serve as a portal to all genealogical resources held in Canada using the
community-building power of the Internet. It will respond to the rising demand for
seamless access to genealogical services and digitized collections. Genealogists, who
make up a large part of the National Archives' clientele, will have so much to choose
from!
This ambitious project will be carried out over three years. There are already plans to
start up a Web site in the fall of 2002, when Canada's first national genealogy
conference will be held.
In establishing the Canadian Genealogy Centre, the Archives will be working in partnership
with other archives, libraries and historical societies. The Archives will also hold many
consultations with its target clientele to ensure that the Centre meets the needs of
geographically dispersed Canadians to access records and services across Canada.
I think this is soooooo exciting !!! My thanks to Rita Turner, Kathie Orr, Brenda
Merriman, Steven Lumb and Gordon Watts for sharing this news with me and you.
Thanks also to Marjorie, Judy, Robyn, Doris, Laura, Carol, Gail & Dave, Sandra and
Allan for sending me copies of letters they sent to Mrs. Aileen Carroll and Mr. Paul
DeVilliers regarding the post-1901 census. My letter to Mrs. Carroll has not been
acknowledged (yet).
Please click on
http://accessible.archives.ca and answer that questionnaire now. :)
Claudia McArthur, Chairman and Librarian
OGS, Simcoe County Branch
May you ask the right question about the right person at the right time.