Updated: City of Regina Archives - substantial cuts approved

Advocacy Alert:
City of Regina Archives

A Final Update, For Now
We regret to report that at a city council meeting on May 14, the City of Regina council voted 8 to 2 in favour of cutting their City Archivist position.  Access to the City's archival record will now be managed on an appointment basis; the archives assistant will handle both reference and records management functions.  There is currently no consideration of appraisal, arrangement, description, preservation,  or
legal functions within their management proposal.

We would like to thank everyone for the support they have demonstrated over this issue.

The SCAA will continue to monitor the situation in Regina.  It is clear that their proposal for managing the archival record is not sustainable in the long term, and we will continue to advocate for renewal in their
records management and archival program.

Sample letters:

The SCAA would like to acknowledge with gratitude letters of support pertinent to the City of Regina's proposed budget cut affecting its archives. Support from the broader archival and cultural community, as well as from concerned individuals, is much appreciated. The sample letters below have been posted with the authors' permission. Note that the timing of these letters has varied, with some sent before information was available about the cuts to the Archives specifically.

• Canadian Council of Archives
• Association of Canadian Archivists
  
  • April 17 (PDF) | text copy
  • May 11
    
• Association des archivistes du Québec
  
• Dr. Tom Nesmith, Archival Studies Program, University of Manitoba:
  • 13 April 2007
  • 3 May 2007
    
• Saskatchewan Library Association (PDF)
• Multitype Library Board (PDF)
• Saskatchewan Genealogical Society
• Frank Korvemaker, Heritage Consultant
• Letters to the Editor (Regina Leader-Post):
  • Dr. Bill Brennan, University of Regina Department of History: Securing our history (published 18 April 2007)
  • Association of Canadian Archivists: Closing archives mistake by city (published 23 May 2007)
    
  • SCAA: letter submitted 17 April 2007

• 30 March 2007: City of Regina releases proposed operating budget, which includes $60,000 cut to City Clerk's Office
• 5 April 2007: SCAA releases background document and an advocacy alert, raising concerns about what cuts to the City Clerk's office could mean for records management, freedom of information, and archival records.
• 9-13 April 2007: In response to letters received by the Mayor and City Councillors about the cut to the City Clerk's Office budget, the City Clerk indicates that "an alternate service level for the City of Regina Archives" would be considered at a committee meeting on May 8. In the meantime, the City Clerk informs the SCAA that it would not be allowed to address City Council about the budget, and correspondents are told that their communications would be referred to the May 8 committee meeting. An updated advocacy alert and media release follow.
• 16 April 2007: In an article in the Regina Leader-Post (subscriber-only link), the City Clerk reveals that this alternate service level would include only providing public access to the City Archives by appointment.
• 17 April 2007: At the special budget meeting of City Council, the SCAA is not allowed to speak, but at least two presentations make reference to the proposed cuts (Friends of the Regina Public Library, Coalition for a Citizen Friendly Regina). Councillor Fred Clipsham notes that he has received more e-mail about the City Archives than any other proposed cut, and asks the administration why the usual process for a proposed service reduction is not being followed, only to be given the now standard reply that it would be discussed on May 8.
• 19 April 2007: The SCAA receives (from the City Clerk's Office) a copy of the report to be considered by the Finance and Administration Committee on May 8. It proposes the elimination of the City Archivist position, providing reference service by appointment only, and transferring the remaining assistant position to the records management division.
• 25 April 2007: The SCAA releases a detailed response to the Finance and Administration report, an updated advocacy alert, and makes available an online postcard to directly contact the Mayor and Councillors.
• 8 May 2007: The Finance and Administration Committee unanimously approves the report recommenting the elimination of the City Archivist position. From the debate at the committee meeting, it seems clear that a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of archives and archivists remains, that it is all about reference. The Regina Leader-Post publishes an article about the meeting on May 9. Another advocacy update, outlining concerns about the lack of appropriate public input, follows from the SCAA.
• 10 May 2007: With a deadline for briefs only two days after the Finance and Administration Committee meeting, the SCAA submits a brief for the May 14 City Council meeting, at which the report will be considered. A media release follows the next day.
• 14 May 2007: City Council votes 8-2 in favour of the report. Effective immediately, the City Archivist position is cut, with access to the collection by appointment only.