The End Of'total Archives'?: an Analysis of Changing Acquisition
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THE END OF ‘TOTAL ARCHIVES’?: AN ANALYSIS OF CHANGING ACQUISITION PRACTICES IN CANADIAN ARCHIVAL REPOSITORIES Laura Agnes Millar Dissertation submitted for Ph.D. in Arts University College London University of London March 1996 Laura Agnes Millar, 1996 ProQuest Number: 10017324 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10017324 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract Since the early 1990s, Canada’s publicly funded archival repositories have been reducing their involvement in the acquisition of private-sector records. The decline in central government involvement has been matched by a steady increase in the number and nature of community-based, institutional, or organisational repositories. The acquisition and preservation of privately generated archival records by the public sector has been a central aspect of Canadian archival practice for many years. It is partly a result of the Canadian perception that government has a significant role to play in the social and cultural affairs of its citizens. It has also resulted from an inclusive definition of the concept of ‘archives,’ one that has encouraged the preservation of a vvide range of historical materials for evidential, informational, and cultural reasons. This concept has been called ‘total archives’ and has evolved into a ‘Canadian archival system.’ This thesis examines the evolution of Canadian acquisition practices, from the beginnings in the mid-1800s to the present day. The first seven chapters trace the history o f acquisition policy, which began in the colonial and early Confederation period with the appointment of Douglas Brymner as the first ‘national archivist.’ The role of Arthur Doughty, Dominion Archivist and consummate collector, is examined, as are the findings of subsequent Canadian commissions concerned with archival work: the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, in the 1950s, the Royal Commission on Government Organization, in the 1960s, the Commission on Canadian Studies, in the 1970s, and the Consultative Group on Canadian Archives, in the 1980s. These chapters trace the activities that influenced archival acquisition at the time, as well as the effect of these events on the archival community’s perceptions of the nature of archives and the role of the archivist. The last chapter examines conditions influencing archival acquisition in Canada in the 1990s. These include the restructuring of government in the face of a growing public deficit, Avith the consequent reduction or elimination of non-critical public functions. Also discussed is the effect of increased government accountability, as evidenced by access to information legislation, on acquisition. As well, the impact of sophisticated information and telecommunications technologies is reviewed. The archival community’s reactions to these changes is explored. The thesis concludes by considering several questions raised throughout the thesis. What is an archival record? What is the purpose of preserving archival records? What actions may be taken to ensure the preservation of Canada’s documentary memory in a time o f changing governmental and societal priorities? The reality of territoriality and regional identity, and the importance of preserving society’s collective memory, are examined in the context of archived management. 2 Contents Acknowledgments 4 Introduction 5 Chapter 1: ‘Three Empty Rooms and Very Vague Instructions’ : Early Archival Practice, 1857-1904 16 Chapter 2: Demon of Persistence: Arthur Doughty and Archival Policy, 1904-1949 44 Chapter 3: In the Public Interest: Archives and the Massey Commission, 1949-1951 72 Chapter 4: A Concept of ‘Total Archives’ : Reconciling Archives and Records Management, 1952-1972 97 Chapter 5: Archives, Academia, and a Profession: The Commission on Canadian Studies and the Role of Archives, 1972-1979 123 Chapter 6: Redefining Total Archives: The Consultative Group on Canadian Archives, 1978-1982 151 Chapter 7; A Matter of Shared Responsibility: The Archival Community and the Establishment of the Canadian Council of Archives, 1982-1995 171 Chapter 8: The Age of Accountability: The Decline in Private Records Acquisition 194 Conclusion: Far Greater than the Sum of the Parts: Archives and the Collective Memory 228 Bibliography 257 Appendix: Interviews 282 Acknowledgments Although the writing of a Ph.D. dissertation can be a lonely exercise, it is certainly not one undertaken alone. Many people have assisted with this work, and to them I offer my sincere thanks. My supervisor. Dr. Anne Thurston, has provided an accommodating environment within which to complete this work. Thesis meetings have been held as far afield as London, England, Ottawa, Ontario, and Nairobi, Kenya; I am grateful for her flexibility as well as her support. I wais fortunate to have a ‘second’ supervisor at University College London; Elizabeth Shepherd offered detailed and insightful comments through many drafts of the thesis, and I very much appreciate the perceptiveness and candour of her comments, and the considerable time she has given to my supervision. All the archivists with whom I discussed this thesis were unfailingly supportive of my work; however, some reached well beyond the call of duty in their efforts on my behalf. I am particularly grateful to Ian Wilson, Terry Cook, Marcel Caya, and Hugh Taylor for their advice, insights, and patience over three long years. Marion Beyea not only offered her ideas in an interview; she also opened her office, and all her institutional and professional records, to my gaze, allowing me access to information I would otherwise not have seen. My thanks for her openness and kindness. Tom Nesmith read a draft of the thesis and offered welcome comments. I am most grateful for his time and his very useful critique. I am tremendously indebted to Richard Valpy, who read several versions of the thesis and has provided advice, observations, and encouragement. His kindness and support throughout my studies, and his bravery in offering essential and insightful criticisms, are very much appreciated. He is a true professional, and a true friend. Other friends and family have offered welcome support over three years. Leanne Nash and Wendy Plain assisted with the preparation of transcriptions when my time and energy seemed at an end. Michael and Barbara Roper have been my English family, housing me, feeding me, and encouraging me with tea, sympathy, and friendship. I cannot thank them enough. My father, Thomas Millar, has offered consistent support and advice. My desire to write, and any ability I have, are gifts from him. Brian Arnold has been the proverbial tower of strength, and he has the telephone bills to prove it. My love and appreciation go to all these people, who made my efforts bearable, and sometimes actually enjoyable. This thesis is dedicated to the memory of Diesel Dave Coles (1955-1995), who taught me the importance of identifying and achieving life’s goals, and then living life to the fullest. Introduction There is presently a disturbing trend in Canada whereby Provincial Archives are forced, for reasons of economy, to reduce drastically or cease altogether the accessioning of material from the private sector which had hitherto been their custom. H.A. Taylor, 1992'^ Rationale for the Study In the winter of 1993, the Canadian Council of Archives — the primary funding agency for archival work in Canada — disbanded its Acquisition Committee, which had been working since 1989 to develop a national acquisition strategy. Commenting on the decision, the president of the Council suggested that there were ‘serious misgivings’ about the value of future work on a coordinated acquisition programme.^ In 1995, faced with significant budget reductions, the National Archives of Canada announced it would reduce significantly the acquisition of non-govemment records, including the private records of politicians, businesses, and multicultural groups.^ Other public repositories, including provincial archives and university special collections departments, have markedly reduced their private records acquisition programmes. In the late 1990s, the acquisition and preservation of non-sponsor records by large publicly funded archival repositories seems a rapidly diminishing priority. 1 ‘20/20 Vision,’ presentation to the Society of American Archivists, Montreal, Quebec, September 1992. Copy obtained privately. C. Hives, ‘The Evolution of the Canadian Council of Archives and the Question of “Accountability,”ACA ’ Bulletin 20, 2 (November 1995): 8. National Archives of Canada, 1995-96Estimates Part III Expenditure Plan (Ottawa: Supply and Services, 1995), p. 23, cited in National Archives of Canada, Policy Branch, ‘NPT Discussion Paper: The Future of Private Records Acquisition in Canada,’ November 1995, p. 3. Copy obtained privately. At the same time as national and international initiatives are being retrenched, there has been a dramatic increase in the number