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New Indigenous stole brings visibility and pride to Dal Convocation ceremonies

Reposted from: https://www.dal.ca/news/2025/06/20/convocation-traditions-indigenous-stole.html

Credit: Danny Abriel

Anyone who attended or watched a Convocation ceremony at Dal this spring may have noticed splashes of red amidst the usual sea of black gowns.

Among the students adding a crimson hue to the crowd was Kristan Belanger, a Mi’kmaw student and three-time Dal grad from Glooscap First Nation. While Belanger is no stranger to crossing the stage at Dal, last week marked the first time she did so draped in an Indigenous stole.

The stole — a red, scarf-like garment covered in symbols — was newly introduced this year for Indigenous students.

“Being able to walk across the stage wrapped in the stories, the strength, and the identity of my family and my community really reminded me and hopefully others in the crowd that I didn’t walk the path of academia alone,” she says. “Frankly, I would have never been able to make it to where I am today without the support of my entire community behind me.”

Belanger’s most recent ceremony marked the completion of her Master of Information degree from the Faculty of Management and follows previous degrees in political science (BA’19) and law (JD’22, with Certificate in Indigenous Law).

She says the stole serves as a visible reminder that Indigenous students persist and achieve across all programs at Dal — significant in an academic space “where our presence is often ignored or erased.”

“Having the visibility of the stole can help reclaim some of that space for ourselves,” she says. “It also hopefully sends a message to future Indigenous students that they also belong here, that their voice matters and their success is possible within academia.”

Nominations Open: Outstanding Alumni Award

The Dalhousie Library and Information Alumni Association (DLIAA) presents the Outstanding Alumni Award annually to honour a member who “has made an outstanding contribution to Library and/or Information Management.”

Please help us to select the next illustrious recipient of this award by reviewing the award guidelines and nominating a great colleague. Awardees may be at almost any career stage as long as their accomplishments to date are a strong fit for the Selection Criteria:

  1. Innovation and leadership within their professional roles
  2. Research, presentations, outreach and publication record
  3. Service to relevant professional organizations
  4. Mentoring and support for junior colleagues

Current deadline for award nominations: May 23rd, 2025.

Click here for full details

 

Dal Libraries edit‑a‑thon fills gaps on Wikipedia about Mi’kmaw people and places

Click here to read full story.

Dal Libraries hosted a Wikipedia edit-a-thon in the Ko’jua Okuom at the Killam Library last month focused on improving Wikipedia and Wikidata content related to Mi’kmaw people and Mi’kmaki.

Dr. Stacy Allison-Cassin, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Management, guided participants in learning the basics of Wikipedia article creation and editing. She then led the group in a collaborative effort to enhance entries on notable Mi’kmaw people and organizations.

A total of 19 Wikipedia articles were edited, 50 references added, and more than 3,300 words contributed during the event, sponsored by the Department of Information Science and supported by a grant from Wikimedia Canada.

Edits and additions were made to articles about fiddler Lee Cremo, artist Ursula Johnson, activist Anna Mae Aquash, the first Mi’kmaq elected as Grand Chief, Gabriel Sylliboy, and more.

Participants also learned about Wikidata and the importance of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit representation in the knowledge base, which provides structured data to support Wikipedia and the Wikimedia movement.

Participants discussed what kinds of content is appropriate for Wikipedia and what is not. For example, Wikipedia authors should stick to public figures, clear public information, and avoid Indigenous traditional knowledges or sensitive and sacred community information.

The edit-a-thon, held during National Indingeous History Month, aimed to increase Indigenous representation, improve accuracy, and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive internet.

The initiative not only enriched Wikipedia with Indigenous content but also equipped participants with the skills to continue contributing to the platform.

The event underscored the importance of accessible and accurate information, highlighting the role of digital platforms in honouring, preserving, and promoting Indigenous histories and peoples.

MI Student Conference Recaps (Alberta Letts Travel Award)

Students in our Master of Information program can apply for the Alberta Letts Conference Travel Award (more details here) to help fund travel to professional conferences. Here are some recaps from recent events our students have attended:

From Kelti McGloin (MI/JD student):

“Thanks to the Alberta Letts Conference Travel Award I was able to attend the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) 2024 conference in Montreal. At the conference I gave a lightning talk introducing my Best Practices Guide for Writing About Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian Legal Context style guide to legal information professionals from across Canada and was also able to participate in a panel for the Canadian Open Access Legal Citation Guide, where I will be helping to create guidelines for citing Indigenous legal materials.
As law librarianship is a niche area of the information management profession, the conference was a great opportunity to network with people working with legal information across a variety of sectors. I was especially fortunate to have been given the opportunity to meet so many young professionals – whom I am lucky to call colleagues and work alongside as we further our careers – and to connect with those with similar research interests to me. Above all, I am immensely grateful to have been given the opportunity to present the work I have done and will be doing in the future in order to advance the principles of Truth and Reconciliation in the legal profession. My time at CALL 2024 was truly wonderful and I am already excited for CALL 2025 in Calgary, Alberta!”
From Carolyn Smith (MI student):

“I was honoured to have participated as a student presenter in the Crossing Fonds Symposium 2024 in Vancouver, B.C. The four-day event brought together a diverse group of speakers and participants, all passionate about creating a more inclusive and diverse environment within both physical and digital archives. Crossing Fonds being at the core of the symposium, encourages the collaboration and building of community among archive spaces. The online ecosystem developed by their team offered new and insightful knowledge on potential steps forward for digital archival work. The symposium provided me with the opportunity to share information on my proposed thesis, a study that aims to understand the role of settler-based community archives in the process of decolonization within Canada. Conversation following my presentation provided thoughtful feedback, excitement for the study, and questions I will consider throughout my study.

Highlights I experienced from the events included listening to presentations on decolonization, Indigenous data sovereignty, accessibility in the archive, and speakers who represented a diverse group of marginalized communities. Keynote speakers included: Michelle Caswell of the UCLA Community Archives Lab, Kristin Kozar the Executive Director and Oral Testimony Program Co-Lead at the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, University of British Columbia, and Ry Moran the founding director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. It was a honour to be listening, learning and engaging with individuals who have made incredible impacts towards the decolonizing of archives and the increasing of inclusivity and diversity within archival spaces. Thank you to the MI program, the Alberta Letts Conference Travel Award and for the support received by faculty and colleagues.”

Photo by: Carolyn Smith

Morgan Paul: Seeking solutions to gaps in the publishing industry

Read full story here: https://www.dal.ca/faculty/management/news-events/news/2023/10/25/seeking_solutions_to_gaps_in_the_publishing_industry.html

Morgan Paul loves when October rolls around. She says,“it’s holistic and a really good month for me.” The second-year Master of Information student from the Maliseet First Nation in New Brunswick finds Mi’kmaw History Month in Nova Scotia, and the month-long focus on Indigenous culture, energizing and a chance for connection.

Not only is Paul interested in the cultural events, like workshops on traditional beading and drum making, she’s excited about the dialogue on Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS), the right of Indigenous People to own, control, access, and steward data about their communities, lands and culture.

Currently building the framework for her master’s thesis, Paul is examining gaps between open access practices, which ensure academic research is available to everyone, and IDS guidelines. She says, “There’s lots of points of contention between the two,” but she wants to find ways of making them more supportive of one another.

Among the many concerns about academic publishing is its inherent tie to colonial structures like the ‘Indian Act’, passed in 1876. As Paul points out, policy governing Indigenous Canadians is full of assumptions — in this case, an assumption that Indigenous people gather and share information like all other Canadians.

Having just published her first academic article, Looking to the Future: Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy in Canada, Paul notes that the open access publisher Pathfinder didn’t require her to submit a positionality statement that tells readers about her relationship to the subject matter.

Instead, Paul included this in her opening. “This paper has been written through a First Nations lens as these are my own people and this is an IDS context I am capable of appropriately examining.” She is appreciative that Pathfinder was willing to publish her article when other open access publications just said no.

Alumni Profile: Danielle Hubbard, MLIS 2013

By: Toni Beaton (First-year MI Student)

Danielle Hubbard graduated with her MLIS degree in 2013 and was recently appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Okanagan Regional Library in British Columbia. I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle and chatting with her about her rapid career trajectory since graduating.

Please tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? What initially brought you to the information management field?

Portrait of Danielle Hubbard

My name is Danielle Hubbard, and I grew up in Victoria, BC. When I was an undergraduate student, I worked as a Page for the Greater Victoria Public Library. My mother was a Circulation Clerk, so I don’t know if it would’ve occurred to me to apply there otherwise. Partway through my undergraduate in Art History, it occurred to me that my [degree] was not terribly employable. After having a casual conversation with my mom, she didn’t push me towards librarianship or try to convince me, but it was an offhand comment about wishing she’d become a librarian. My mother is a very wise person. I took her non-advice and went to Dalhousie, and graduated in 2013. I’m now the Chief Executive Officer of the Okanagan Regional Library.

Which area of information management most interests you? Did you know this coming into your MLIS program, or did you discover this along the way?

When I entered the MLIS program, I thought I wanted to be an academic librarian. Like many librarians, I’m an introvert. The thought of doing something behind the scenes was appealing. When I started at Dal, I decided by week two that it was not what I wanted to do. I [was drawn] to the public library courses. I took a lot of programming, outreach, and children’s services [courses]. I really care the most about creativity and impact; that I’m doing something creative, and that I can see the positive impact of the work I’m doing. That seemed the most available to me first through programming and outreach, and felt it was even more true in upper management. I had a brief foray in children’s services, which is also very creative.

What has your career trajectory looked like since graduating from MLIS in 2013?

I did my four-week practicum at the Salt Spring Island Public Library [in British Columbia], partially because I love the Gulf Islands, but also strategically because this was a place I’d like to live and work. I wanted to use my practicum to make connections. I then worked there over the summer in children’s programming, which was a really good learning experience. Unlike a big city or regional system, when you work for a small, independent library early in your career, you get tossed into everything. There aren’t departments or silos, and you do whatever you are asked to do. In my second year of grad school, a librarian position at the Salt Spring Island Public Library came up (with a focus in outreach and youth services). I got the position, and I think my connections from the year before helped. I’d say the theme of my career path is that I never meet the requirements of the job postings. This one was [requiring] 3-5 years of experience, and I had just graduated. But the board knew me, and the chief librarian knew me.

After working there for several years, I then moved to Manitoba and worked for the Western Manitoba Regional Library as a Programming and Outreach Librarian. Similar to Salt Spring, that was an unexpectedly good career move. Rural Manitoba is very poorly funded, and public libraries there have some of the least funding in the country. These factors meant I had a lot of free reign to work however I could, with no budget for programming and outreach. I then applied for the Director of Library Services (Chief Librarian) role. I’d only been out of grad school for 5-6 years, and I was not qualified. But I applied, and was offered the position. I think again, because I had already built relationships with the library board, they trusted me as an employee. I had this job through the bulk of the pandemic, for 2.5 years.

My mother [became ill], and I resigned [from the Western Manitoba Regional Library] to move back to the coast to look after my mom in her last few months. When it became clear my mother was not going to get better, I looked for work closer to home; I worked for a time at the Port Moody Public Library in Greater Vancouver. After having been the director of a regional library system, I found that [this role] wasn’t demanding or creative enough. I began looking in the field again [for a job], and was offered a position as the Director of Public Services for the Okanagan Regional Library based in Kelowna. It’s one of the five biggest systems in BC, and geographically spans from Golden in the north down to Osoyoos in the south. I was initially responsible for the northern half of the system (staffing, programming, and outreach activities). Very soon after I started, the CEO announced his retirement and recommended I apply. I like putting myself out there and trying new things, so I applied. I was interviewed three times, and was then offered the position. I’ve been the CEO since November 1st of last year, so almost six months.

Congratulations on your new position as CEO of the Okanagan Regional Library. Please tell us more about your position. What are your roles and responsibilities? What does a typical day look like for you?

The term CEO in the public library is really synonymous with Chief Librarian, City Librarian, Executive Director… it just means you are the top staff member. I report to a board of elected officials with representatives from each of the ORL’s member communities. I am ultimately responsible for all operations of the library system; everything from finances, operating budgets, services for the public, our human resources, marketing, outreach… ultimately, I’m responsible for all of that. I have an executive upper management team of seven members, and then all of the staff of the library flow out from them. The majority of my time I spend interacting with those seven members of the management team.

I see my role as moving things forward. As the CEO, you are the connector; for example, taking IT, public services, and HR together, and finding a [common] ground that will work for all of them. It’s also my role to set and move initiatives forward. Right now, we’re in the early stages of doing strategic planning. The onus falls to me to set meetings and deadlines, and hold people accountable. Sometimes it’s like herding everyone forward. I also do a fair bit of work with the board (24 people). We have four annual meetings. They need to be in the know of what the library is doing, so that their municipalities will want to remain within the library system. It’s a very interpersonal, political, and tactical role. Honestly, it’s very far-removed from any assignment I ever did in grad school. I might be attending a finance committee, or driving to Revelstoke to speak to their city council, or attending a union labour management meeting, or a building project meeting, or talking to the press about a drag storytime we’re going to host… it’s hard to say exactly what a normal day is. It’s usually a lot of emails and lot of meetings.

Lastly, what advice would you offer second-year MI students graduating this June, as they enter the information management professional field?

I want to emphasize – be willing to move around, take initiative by applying for work that stretches your on-paper credentials, and take initiative within a role and be able to articulate what you uniquely contributed [in future interviews].

As you enter the profession, even if you don’t enjoy your very first role, learn what you can and contribute what you can. Be aware of where there might be gaps in what you know; for example, what are some of the experiences employers are looking for you to have? Project management, financial leadership? Where could you get those experiences, or how can you spin your experiences to show you are able to do that? Librarianship is so dynamic. You won’t have a cut and dry role. Really demonstrating that you are able and willing to go with the flow and set your own direction is what employers are looking for.

Apply above your rank, even if you don’t meet all the requirements… go for it anyway. I oversee hiring in my role, and right now public libraries are desperately looking for MLIS [MI] graduates. If you are willing to move, you stand a very good chance. I can’t speak for all organizations, but certainly based on my own experience and the conversations I have with other library leaders, I keep hearing the question, “Where did all the librarians go?” Being willing to move around really sets you up for career success, if that is what you want to prioritize. I don’t think it would’ve happened this way [my career path] if I hadn’t had my experiences in Manitoba before moving back to BC. Sometimes you just can’t gain the same diverse array of experience if you stay in one place.

Antiracism & Decolonization in Archives & Records Management: Open Classroom Series (Winter 2023)

Join us for the Winter 2023 edition of the open classroom series on antiracism and decolonization in the information professions, with a focus on archival and records management in this academic term. The first session takes place on Wednesday, March 15 and features a lecture by Jesse Boiteau, Head of Archives, National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation.

Check out the full details here.

Registration is free and open to all!

The Winter 2023 open classrooms are co-hosted at Dalhousie’s School of Information Management (SIM) and the University of Manitoba’s Archival Studies M.A. Program at the History Department. They are taking place as part of graduate courses taught by Dr. Jamila Ghaddar and Krystal Payne, which are: INFO6370 Records Management (Winter 2023) at Dal’s SIM and the HIST7372 History of Archiving & Archival Records (2022-2023) at the UofM’s Archival Studies M.A. Program.

Contact: Dr. Jamila Ghaddar at director@archiveslab.org.

Winter 2023 Schedule:

Wed 15 March @ 1pm ADST (Halifax, NS) / 11am CDST (Winnipeg, MB): “Community connections: plural provenance theory & the role of archives and records in Indigenous community-led research,” a lecture by Jesse Boiteau, Head of Archives, National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation. Co-hosted with Dr. Greg Bak, Associate Professor, Archival Studies M.A. Program, History Dept., University of Manitoba. Register today!

Abstract: It is no longer a secret or revelation in the wider archival community that western or colonial archives and records played a role in the colonization of Indigenous peoples around the globe. The process of reconciling this fact has been handled differently by archives in various regions, and for the most part has been a tentative and slow process in fear of not engaging the right way or making a misstep in connecting with the Indigenous communities and peoples represented in their holdings. In May of 2021, this tentativeness changed forever. When the 215 potential gravesites of children were identified by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc at the Kamloops Residential School site, the urgency for archives and records to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities was sent into overdrive. Read more

Wed 22 March 22 @ 1pm ADST (Halifax, NS) / 11am CDST (Winnipeg, MB): “When there is no archives: decolonial archiving and oral records in Mau Mau history,” a lecture with Rose Miyonga, PhD Candidate, University of Warwick. Co-hosted with Cameron Welsh, student in the Master of Archival Studies program, School of Information, University of British Columbia. Register today!

Abstract: In the 1950s, the British colonial government launched a brutal counterinsurgency against the revolutionary Mau Mau movement in Kenya. In an effort to quash the anticolonial uprising, British colonialists imprisoned over 150,000 people without trial in detention camps where torture and murder were commonplace. In the early 1960s, as the British began their exit from empire in Kenya, they took with them the evidence of this brutality. Hundreds of thousands of archival documents detailing their atrocities were destroyed, and many more were stolen away to a secret archive in the United Kingdom. Read more

Wed 29 March @ 1pm ADST (Halifax, NS) / 11am CDST (Winnipeg, MB): “Digitality, crowdsourcing and the photographic record: archival losses and alternatives in Kenya in the shadow of repatriation,” a roundtable with Chao Tayiana (co-founder of Digital Heritage, Museum of British Colonialism and Open Restitution Africa); Maureen Mumbua (Digitisation Coordinator, Book Bunk) and Max Pinckers (Artist and Guest Lecturer, School of Arts KASK & Conservatorium) in conversation with Rose Miyonga (PhD Candidate, History Dept., University of Warwick). Register today!  

Abstract: In conversation with Rose Miyonga, this roundtable brings together trailblazing and innovative practitioners and scholars working to address the many gaps, silences and erasures in Kenyan archival memory and documentary heritage due to the history and legacies of British colonial rule and its brutal counterinsurgency practices in the country. With a focus on resistant and marginalized histories and perspectives, participants will share their experiences with a range of alternative approaches to address the archival gaps and silences, from crowdsourcing and “imagined records” to living archives and participatory documentary projects. Read more  

Congratulations IWB Committee of 2023 on Another Successful Conference!

By: Toni Beaton (First-year MI Student)

Congratulations to the Information Without Borders Conference team for a very successful and educational event! This annual conference has been organized by our MLIS (Master of Library and Information Studies) and MI (Master of Information) students for more than 10 years.

The 2023 IWB Committee is:

  • Co-Chairs – Alysha Try & Kory Melnick
  • Programming Chair – Michelle Westerkamp
  • Logistics Chair – Kellie Dalton
  • Web & Communications Chair – Toni Beaton
  • Finance & Fundraising Chair – Annette Amenta
  • Registration Chair – Alison Brierley

On Friday, February 10th, attendees gathered at the McInnes Room in the Dalhousie Student Union Building to hear various talks related to the theme of “Changing the Information Avenue”. The opening “Literacy Lightning Talks” featured several speakers who explored various themes in literacy, including topics such as cultural literacy, food literacy, music literacy, and more (see below). Three guest speakers, Dr. Stacy Alison-Cassin, Jennifer LaPlante, and Hansel Cook, all explored information access and decolonization, the digital advancement of artificial intelligence technology, and digital institutional repositories, respectively. The closing “Future of G.L.A.M.” panel, moderated by SIM Director Sandra Toze, featured several professionals in the fields of public librarianship, academic librarianship, and museums (see below).

Literacy Lightning Talks

  • Food Literacy: Emily Mathew, Food Literacy Specialist, HPL
  • Data Literacy: Julie Marcoux, Data Librarian, Dal Libraries
  • Health Literacy: Kristy Hancock, Evidence Synthesis Coordinator, MSSU
  • Information Literacy: Lindsay McNiff, Learning & Instruction Librarian, Dal Libraries
  • Legal Literacy: David Michels, Public Services Librarian
  • Financial Literacy: Samantha Taylor, Senior Instructor, Rowe School of Business
  • Musical Literacy: Diana Doublet, Orchestra Librarian, Symphony Nova Scotia
  • Cultural Literacy: Amani Saleh, Newcomers Engagement Specialist, HPL

The Future of G.L.A.M. Panelists

  • Michael Vandenburg, University Librarian, Dalhousie Libraries
  • Elinor Crosby, Manager, Programming and Community Engagement (Western District), Halifax Public Libraries
  • Maggie MacIntyre, Executive Director of the Association of Nova Scotia Museums
  • Suzanne van den Hoogen, University Librarian, Saint Mary’s University
  • Jeff Mercer, Deputy CEO, South Shore Public Libraries
IWB Committee 2023

From Left to Right: Christina (Volunteer), Annette (Fundraising & Finance), Toni (Web & Communications), Alysha (Co-Chair), Kory (Co-Chair), Kellie (Logistics), Alison (Registration), Michelle (Programming)

Here’s to another fascinating conference in 2024!

The 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture: Recap

By: Toni Beaton (First-Year MI Student)

Rita Tjien Fooh, lecturerThis year’s Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture, featuring Rita Tjien Fooh, was a great success. The lecture began with opening remarks and a thoughtful land acknowledgement by Mike Smit, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Management. Sandra Toze, Director of the School of Information Management, then provided background information on Dr. Norman Horrocks, the event’s namesake. Dr. Horrocks was a key part of the team as a strong advocate for SIM and the profession at large. The fund in his name supports this annual lecture and a scholarship (learn more about the fund here). SIM thanks the Horrocks family for their continued support.

Dr. Jamila Ghaddar, Assistant Professor with SIM, then introduced the keynote speaker, Rita Tjien Fooh.

Rita Tjien Fooh, Director of the National Archives Suriname, gave an engaging and thought-provoking lecture entitled “Perspectives from the global south (Suriname) on archival repatriation: Challenges and Opportunities.” Rita began with some background context on the country of Suriname, located on the northeast coast of South America. With an ethnically diverse population of approximately 600,000, the economy of Suriname thrives on exports, including oil, gold, and timber. The National Archives of Suriname (Nationaal Archief Suriname) was rebuilt after a fire in 1996; in 2010, the new archives building was inaugurated. It consists of paper, audiovisual, and digital records from 1669 to 2010. The Archives is responsible for implementing policies, the supervision of government records, transfers and acquisitions, arrangement and description, digitization, preservation and conservation, as well as providing access to the public through finding aids.

Between 1916 and 1977, the archives (under Dutch colonial occupation) were transferred to the National Archives of the Netherlands for ‘safekeeping’. This transfer occurred because the archives were scattered across multiple buildings in Suriname, as no official archives building existed at the time. However, as soon as the archives building was completed in 2010, Suriname expected all archival holdings be returned from the Netherlands. Rita took it upon herself as a personal and professional goal to repatriate the archives to Suriname. These archives were a critical part of Surinamese peoples’ history. Some key questions Rita raised were: Who are our heroes and heroines? How can we (re)construct our history if we do not know our past?

The Netherlands had no issue returning the archives to Suriname (as it was in the dated protocol from 1916), but the “when” and “how” was complicated. From 2008-2009, Suriname archivists began this discussion. In the end, it took seven years to complete the entire process of repatriation. There were moments of discomfort and silences, particularly due to the power imbalance between the Netherlands and Suriname – the timetable, preservation, and digitization of records yielded the most uncomfortable conversations. From 2010 to 2017, 800 meters shelf length of records were digitized and repatriated to Suriname.

Rita explained that colonial archives reflect the power dynamic between the oppressor and the oppressed and it is the stories of the oppressor that will be highlighted. Decolonization is the ‘undoing’ of these colonial actions to favour Suriname peoples’ own stories and identities. To engage in decolonization of archival documents, one must reconsider the history of the collection, reinterpret the content, revalue the records (particularly of those who have been excluded), and allow for equity in access.

There has been a strong movement toward decolonizing archival records within the last five years in Caribbean countries. Repatriation is of utmost importance to people who have been marginalized in history; in order to revalue their own history, direct access to heritage and records is crucial. The process of decolonization can begin after the repatriation of the archives. Community Archives is an excellent method to fill the gaps and silences in the history; researchers can also turn to community centres for information (which is happening in Suriname as well).

To those who virtually joined us on Monday, thank you for continuing to show your support for this annual event. Having expanded this event into the online forum, there are many possibilities to host worldwide guest lecturers. We look forward to the 2024 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture!

You’re Invited: 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture

This event is virtual, free, and open to all. Please share throughout your networks.

The 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture

Rita Tjien Fooh
Director of the National Archives Suriname

Perspectives from the global south (Suriname) on archival repatriation: challenges and opportunities

Monday, February 13th, 2023
5:30pm (Atlantic Standard Time – AST)
Online

REGISTER HERE
RSVPs are required

Respondent (providing a brief interactive response to the lecture): Ir. Arjan Agema from the National Archives of the Netherlands

Endorsed by: Association of Canadian Archivists, International Council on Archives (Expert Group on Shared Archival Heritage), Library & Archives Canada, Nova Scotia Archives.

Abstract: Over the past five decades there has been a  growing consciousness  among archival institutions from the global south that the construction of their history and identity were based on the sources and narratives compiled by former colonial powers. The dominant storyline and perspectives in the archival sources were determined by the entity who held the power at that time. Access to these archival sources that are held in the repositories in Europe, USA , Canada and other countries are therefore of utmost importance for researchers and institutions in order to decolonize the archives . At the same time local acquisitions and recordings of oral history  are  important methods  for institutions to  control their own narratives and move beyond sources of the colonial archives.  In my presentation I will elaborate on the archival collaboration between the National Archives Suriname and the Netherlands, with a focus on the repatriation of colonial archives between 2010 and 2017 and the various projects both institutions undertook since then.  In addition, this lecture will also be centered around subjects linked to fostering archival collaboration with regional and international archival institutions and organisations, initiating conversations about best practices, and the role of archives in reparatory justice.  Lastly, in the age of repatriation of paper archives and digital collaboration, the global south is becoming increasingly dependent on hosting in the global north where different regulations apply with regard to open access, free reuse of archives, etc. How will this increasing sphere of influence of the global north affect the future of digital heritage?  

Speaker Bio: Rita Tjien Fooh is currently the Director of the National Archives Suriname. Since taking office as national archivist in 2010, she was involved in a seven year project (2010- 2017) for the repatriation of the colonial archives from the Netherlands to Suriname. This project is considered to be one of the large successful repatriation project on international level. She is member of the Foundation for the Historical Database Suriname and Curacao (HDSC) that was launched in 2018 after the successful implementation of the database of the enslaved people. Furthermore she serves in various national committees for the preservation of cultural heritage.

Mrs. Tjien Fooh is also actively involved in regional and international professional organizations. From 2015- 2019 she was  the President of the Caribbean Branch of the International Council on Archives (CARBICA).  During her CARBICA presidency she launched a three year project (2016- 2018) ‘Archives at Risk: Advocacy & Capacity building in the Caribbean’, a project funded by the International Council on Archives (ICA). In her capacity as CARBICA President she represented the Caribbean region in the Executive Board of the ICA.  Until recently (2021) Mrs. Tjien Fooh served the ICA in various roles. From 2015- 2017 she was the President of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program for the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Since January 2018 she was appointed by the Secretary General of the UNESCO, as a member of International Advisory Committee (IAC) of  the Memory of the World Programme of the UNESCO. Currently Mrs. Tjien Fooh is a part time lecturer at the History Department of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname. She is still actively involved in projects related to the preservation and safeguarding of the Caribbean cultural heritage.  In her role as co-chair of the Caribbean Heritage Emergency Network (CHEN) she is currently preparing a project to launch a Caribbean hub for Cultural Emergency response in 2023. Rita Tjien Fooh holds a Archivistiek A degree from the University of Amsterdam and a Master degree in Public Administration from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.

Following the lecture, the Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Fund will be presented to MI student, Maddie Hare. This Fund was established in 2007 to honour Dr. Norman Horrocks, OC, PhD, FCLIP (1927-2010) for his outstanding leadership in the field of librarianship in North America, Australia, and Europe. Over several decades Dr. Horrocks, former Director of the School of Information Management and Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University, pursued a distinguished career of very active involvement in professional associations in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Australia, the United States, and Canada. His many contributions, for which he received local, national and international recognition, have advanced the field and the careers of countless individuals. The fund supports a scholarship and an associated lecture series through an endowment donated by the many former students, colleagues, friends and admirers of Norman Horrocks.

Respondent Bio: Ir. Arjan Agema is head of the Digitization department of the National Archives of the Netherlands and member of the management team. His team digitizes 1700 meters of archive every year. He is also responsible for the International Heritage Cooperation-program which emphasizes cooperation, exchange of (digital) collections and capacity building with a number of priority countries with special relations with the Netherlands. Since 2015 he is president of the board of Archives Portal Europe Foundation and he is a member of the ICA Expert group on shared archival heritage (EGSAH). Being educated as a non-western rural sociologist, Agema has work in development cooperation, and has had several leading positions in museums and archival institutions.

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