Preserving history

Over the years, the Records Management and Archives Department (RMAD) has developed numerous private archival research collections in such areas as the Irish in Montreal, jazz, communications, and visual art galleries, amounting to approximately 1,500 boxes of materials.

As RMAD streamlines its focus on the development and preservation of the university’s institutional memory, the Concordia Libraries have assumed responsibility for non-institutional private fonds (collections) in the subject areas above as part of their mandate to support research at the university. “RMAD staff put a tremendous amount of work and effort into developing these areas of expertise, for which we in the libraries are very grateful,” says Cynthia Holt, associate university librarian for Collection Services.

Building on RMAD’s work, the libraries will preserve and make accessible these subject archives, in addition to assessing the best means for further developing them. 

 “This transfer allows RMAD to emphasize the history of Concordia University in our activities as we refocus on our institutional archives,” says Marie-Pierre Aubé, director of Records Management and Archives.

RMAD also continues to support research and teaching activities by acquiring, preserving, processing and disseminating archives produced by faculty, staff, students, alumni, and research centers, as well as all private fonds documenting the history of Concordia and its two founding institutions.

Planning is underway within RMAD and the libraries for the transfer of these private archives fonds to the stewardship of the libraries. Until such time as the physical documents are transferred to the libraries, they will continue to be stored in RMAD and researchers interested in consulting any of the research fonds may continue to do so in RMAD (Room H-1015, Henry F. Hall Building, 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.).

Related links:
•    Records Management and Archives Department 
•    Libraries Special Collections