Programme history
The establishment of the 91社区 Archives was announced in 1962 along with the appointment of 91社区鈥檚 first University Archivist, Mr. Alan Ridge. The initiative toward an archives programme can be traced to an exchange of correspondence in the late 1950s between Professor John Irwin Cooper (Department of History) and then Principal F. Cyril James regarding 鈥溾he necessity for a survey of 91社区 records鈥 the establishment of University Archives鈥︹ and the need to 鈥渂etter appraise the University鈥檚 records.鈥 (MUA Records of the Principal RG 2 C246 F7401 鈥淎rchives and Records鈥). James鈥 announcement in 1962 recognizes the role of the records and archives for both administrative and historical purposes:
All kinds of documents have been created in the course of administering the university and they are all, technically, archives forming part of the University鈥檚 memory. Yet not all the papers which have survived merit indefinite retention and it is one of the Archivist鈥檚 functions to advise on the relative value of any classes of papers鈥
(RG 2 C266 File 8023 "Administration Archives and Records")
Storage for the University Archives was first located in the stacks of the Redpath Library, with the office of the University Archivist located in the James Administration Building. In 1971 the University Archives moved to consolidated storage, access and administrative offices at McLennan Library.
University Archivists
- Anthea Seles, Director and University Archivist 2025鈥
- Yves A. Lapointe, Director and University Archivist 2017鈥2024
- Lori Podolsky, Acting Director and University Archivist 2013鈥2017
- Theresa Rowat, Director and University Archivist 2007鈥2013
- Johanne Pelletier, Director and University Archivist 1997鈥2007
- Gordon Burr, Acting Director and University Archivist 1987鈥1988, 1990鈥1991 and 1994鈥1997
- Robert Michel, Acting Director and University Archivist 1987
- Marcel Caya, Director and University Archivist 1977鈥1996
- John Andreassen, University Archivist 1968鈥1977
- Alan D. Ridge, University Archivist 1962鈥1968
Annual reports between 1965 and 1980 detail successive developments in the holdings of the University Archives (including the extension of its collecting areas to include Montreal-based organizations with a connection to 91社区), development of standards for description of holdings, and development of records management classification for the University community.