Back to Articles
Preservation and Copying
at the National Archives of Canada
by Ellen Desmarais
I am pleased to represent the National Archives of Canada in
this discussion. My background is in book conservation and I
am responsible for conservation treatment of the National
Library collections. However, the mandate of the National
Archives and my responsibilities encompass all types of
traditional archives and library materials. Therefore, my
remarks apply to a wide range of materials, including books.
Mandate of the National Archives of Canada
The mission of the National Archives of Canada has its roots
in the 1987 Act of Parliament which transformed the Public
Archives into the National Archives. That mission is to
preserve the collective memory of the nation and of the Gov-ernment of Canada; to contribute to the protection rights
and the enhancement of a sense of national identity. It does
this by acquiring, conserving and providing access to private
and public records of national significance, and by serving as
the permanent repository of records of federal government
institutions and of ministerial records.
Preserving the memory
The National Archives, along with either Canadian heritage
institutions, seeks to house the memory of the nation. Its
collections document the diversity, richness and complex
historical evolution of our country, its peoples and its
institutions. It assists in identifying the origins of
individuals and of the various groups that have settled in
Canada. As well, it documents land claims and treaties of
Aboriginal peoples. This documentary memory helps shed light
upon important events, regional and national collective
symbols, and upon the distinctive elements of our diverse
cultures, helping us to understand, share and assume a
national identity.
As an arm of the government, the National Archives ensures the
preservation of important recorded information relating to the
activities of Canadian society and of the Government of
Canada. In this role, it guards against any irretrievable loss
of important historical records, which would result in gaps in
the collective memory of Canadians.
Preserving
Original Records
Loss of original materials would, in very many cases, result
in a loss of valuable information and understanding of the
past. Physical evidence in manuscripts and printed matter
provides valuable clues to its production, importance and the
treatment it has received since its creation. Analytical
bibliographers find significant evidence for understanding
book history and the social influence of books from the
original format and binding; document specialists identify
valuable information from the physical evidence in
manuscripts, legal documents, maps and charts, blueprints,
etc. about the record and the time in which it was produced.
Furthermore, while performing conservation treatment -
particularly documenting the condition, recommending treatment
options, and recording treatment performed – conservators are
able to identify important information about the history of
the book or document. In recent years, as the significance of
this fact has become more widely appreciated, the importance
of the conservators’ contribution to the study of the origins
and significance of materials has become more highly valued.
Preserving of
Original - Special Collections
The National Archives of Canada holds a considerable
collection of documentary fine art material which makes up a
very rich visual record of the development of Canada in all
aspects of economic and social development. These encompass a
wide range of historic artistic and graphic material, such as
medals, miniatures on ivory, pastels, watercolours, exquisite
artists’ sketch books, charcoal drawings and oil paintings as
well as photograph albums. At the Archives, the original of
this material is understood to be essential for scholarship
and research. Some reproduction processes will result in a
representation of the image, but it is generally felt by art
historians that intellectual content alone is inadequate and
that they cannot successfully achieve their goals if the
original is not preserved and accessible.
The Impact of Technology and Recent Trends in Preservation
Quite often the high cost associated with complex conservative
treatment is given as the reason for not preserving original
material. Two trends in recent years are helping to overcome
this excuse:
1) The first relates closely to the theme of modern
technologies : the research and development of new processes
and equipment which make it easier for conservators to
preserve more items or perform consistent treatments more
efficiently and more economically, and with less risk than
ever before. Mass de-acidification, while it has not been widely
applied, in the last 20 years has contributed to the long-term
preservation of over 2 million books of national significance
in the National Library of Canada; Leaf casting equipment,
suction tables, and ultra-sonic humidifiers are but three of
the most useful and practical aids to preservation of original
library and archives materials to be developed since the
1970’s.
Materials used in conservation have also benefited from
technological developments. The most significant of these for
long-term preservation of documentary heritage is the
production of acid-free paper. This is widely available now
because pulp and paper mills have converted their production
to meet the requirements of government legislation and the
demands of the marketplace. Many times, the conservation
profession has benefited from the development of products
designed for other applications.
2) The second trend which I think has been significant is a
change in expectations of collection curators : a decade ago,
curators quite often wanted conservation treatment to produce
a result which fitted their image of what the item should look
like – beautiful and pristine- with no evidence that it had
been used or had any history. This seems no longer to be the
case, and curators or custodians frequently request the least
possible interference with the condition of an item so as to
preserve its integrity and historical significance. The only
conservation treatment may be to provide a storage box of good
quality.