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Private archives acquisition orientation 2025-2030

Ādisōke, the name of Library and Archives Canada’s new shared facility, means “storytelling” in Anishinābemowin Algonquin. Ādisōke, or storytelling is more than just a name; it is the core of our mission. Canada is a country filled with many stories, told in many different voices. At LAC, we strive to share those stories through the documents that illustrate them. These are the stories of the people in Canada and they are gifted to our nation by our generous donors. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our donors, whose invaluable contributions have significantly enriched our archival collections by sharing their stories. Our donors are the cornerstone of our mission to preserve and share the complex and multifaceted tapestry of history in Canada.

Each donation, whether large or small, plays a crucial role in safeguarding our cultural heritage for future generations. Donors’ commitment enables us to maintain, expand, and enhance our collections, ensuring that they remain accessible to researchers, students, and the public.

Together, we are preserving the past and inspiring the future.

Context

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) offers Canadians, present and future, a better understanding of who they are by preserving their documentary heritage. LAC has actively acquired archival material, in a wide array of formats and media, for over 150 years and the resulting collections are a national asset of incomparable significance.

The acquisition of archival material created by individuals and organisations enables LAC to preserve a more complete and representative portrait of Canadian society in all its diversity. Acquisitions of private archival material complement the narrative told in the official records of the government of Canada, allowing us to document the stories of the people of Canada.

LAC acquires archival material both by approaching potential creators (proactive acquisition) and by responding to offers (responsive acquisition) from individuals and organisations. Historically, LAC’s private archives acquisition model has focused on a responsive approach. This model needs to evolve to develop a more inclusive and representative archival reflection of society. This shift requires a proactive and collaborative approach to acquisition.

Strategic anchors

LAC’s 2025-2030 Acquisition Orientation aligns with key elements of LAC’s strategic plan, Vision 2030, while continuing to work within the Evaluation and Acquisition Policy Framework (EAPF). Vision 2030 emphasises an increased focus on users and on creating a more diverse collection, while the EAPF ensures that rigorous acquisition criteria are maintained.

This Acquisition Orientation is grounded in five strategic anchors: Acknowledging Truth, Working Towards Reconciliation; Diverse Histories, Inclusive Futures; Collaborative Documentation, Collective Preservation; Reimagining National Significance; and Belonging.

This orientation also reflects feedback received from the public during recent consultations. In particular, user responses highlighted strong interest in areas such as genealogy, Canadian history, and cultural identity. These findings align closely with LAC’s strategic anchors and collection priorities, reinforcing the importance of acquiring materials that reflect the full diversity of Canadian experiences.

Acknowledging truth, working towards reconciliation

Engaging with First Nations, Inuit and the Métis

LAC recognizes that archival institutions reflect the colonial authorities that created them. We acknowledge that archival practice needs to be updated and enhanced in the context of truth and reconciliation. This means that the expertise and protocols of Indigenous communities must be an essential component of the acquisition process and is achieved through direct engagement. The principle of “Nothing about us without us” must guide our actions. We are committed to respecting data sovereignty and supporting Indigenous peoples as they decide how to govern their cultural heritage and information.

We are committed to supporting Indigenous organizations or individuals in their efforts to preserve their documentary heritage. LAC will ensure that the individuals or communities represented in private donations of material about Indigenous people, cultures or knowledge are aware and supportive of the acquisition. With these principles, LAC hopes to help preserve the important stories of First Nations, Inuit and the Métis in a respectful, collaborative way.

Diverse histories, inclusive futures

Striving to increase the representativeness of private archival collections

In recent decades, diversity has become a defining feature of life in Canada. For example, from 2001 to 2021, the racialized population in Canada increased by 130%, from 3.85 million to 8.87 million people. Diversity takes many forms and encompasses gender, sexuality, disabilities, age, socioeconomic status, religion, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

LAC’s collections must reflect the increasingly diverse nature of Canadian society. Currently, LAC’s holdings represent predominantly the colonial era and the largely white, male population of the 19th and 20th centuries. LAC must focus on acquiring materials that document all Canadians, especially those historically under-represented and marginalized. Additionally, there will be an increased focus on material that represents more recent experiences in Canada.

By acquiring, describing, and preserving collections that mirror diverse experiences, cultures, and communities, we foster a greater understanding of our past and future. The private archives acquisition program emphasizes acquiring materials from a wide range of racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, socioeconomic, language and disability groups. It also considers the realities of official languages minority communities.

Collaborative documentation, collective preservation

Working with community to help preserve archival collections

LAC has a long history of collaborating and developing partnerships with other culture-based organizations to share expertise and resources. Building on this idea, LAC must establish relationships, partnerships and collaborations with potential donors to ensure the preservation of all stories in Canada. LAC will work collaboratively with donors and communities to explore options for preservation, provide advice on preparing records for transfer, or offer support or guidance to those who wish to keep records within their community.

LAC will collaborate directly with communities on acquisitions that concern them, moving away from documenting history from an outsider's view. LAC must proactively engage with minority and marginalized voices to build trusted relationships, respecting the importance of lived experience. This will ensure that their perspectives and expertise will inform the acquisition, description and preservation of their archives.

Acknowledging that some communities will prefer to preserve their own records, LAC will offer archival support or guidance when requested. This engagement can lead to collaborative relationships that enrich the country’s documentary heritage and ensure that the varied stories in Canada are preserved as communities see themselves.

Reimagining national significance

Expanding the definition of national significance to ensure that diverse voices are represented

The measure of national significance, which has long guided acquisition decisions at Library and Archives Canada, is closely linked to the colonial conception of the nation. The working definition of national significance for LAC reflects this. Applied historically and in current practice, it specifies that the records creators, or records themselves, must transcend local or provincial boundaries and be nationally or internationally recognized entities in order to meet the definition. For many communities, however, their population is centred in a local geographic area and community organizations act locally but can be significant nationally. By placing a stronger emphasis on the “national” or geographic aspect of the records or their creators, rather than on significance itself, LAC risks maintaining a national collection that does not represent the experience in Canada as a whole.

The diversity of the population in Canada has evolved, prompting us to reimagine this definition. We must now respond and reconsider what a more representative definition might look like. LAC needs to consider some key questions: Can people and organizations of local significance also have national importance? Who decides what qualifies as meeting the criteria for national significance? Will the definition vary between communities? Discussing these questions and more will allow LAC to be more inclusive in its acquisitions and reflect the many narratives that make up the Canadian experience.

Belonging

The collections bring us together

LAC’s network of researchers, donors and clients play a crucial role in connecting acquisition archivists at LAC to the diverse documentary heritage in Canada. Users have always been conduits for the national archival project. LAC aims to continue building relationships and listening to our shared stories.

LAC acknowledges that various users have different interests in their documentary heritage and access its collections for diverse reasons. The Private Archives area at LAC will consider the potential interest of varied user communities when making new acquisitions available to the public. This may involve highlighting specific records, recording oral histories with donors, and writing respectful and reparative descriptions.

LAC is committed to strengthening relationships with donor communities and networks. At LAC, users often become donors and vice versa. Private Archives will listen to those accessing and discovering the collection and incorporate their ideas into acquisition discussions. LAC will position itself in a creative loop where creators (artists, writers, musicians, activists, scientists, politicians, etc.) who make discoveries using our spaces and facilities may choose to donate their own archives.

All the strategic anchors outlined in this acquisition orientation are developed and implemented in the service of users. By improving the representativeness of our collections, LAC ensures that all users can see themselves and their communities reflected in the stories told in Canada.

Potential donations

LAC’s private archives program accepts material that fall into six broad collection areas:

LAC accepts a broad range of formats including:

In general, LAC does not acquire large objects, as this material more closely fits the mandates of museums and galleries.

If you have archival records that align with this acquisition orientation and are considering a donation, we would like to hear from you. Contact us at dons-gifts@bac-lac.gc.ca.

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