Museum Archives Project
Collaboration, Knowledge Base
Interview Methodology
As part of a directed reading through the ÉSIS program at the University of Ottawa, I conducted semi-structured interviews of archivists at the Canadian Museum of History, the War Museum, and the Ingenium Network (primarily the Canada
Science and Technology Museum). These interviews were aimed at determining what thought process is behind the decision to acquire or not acquire historical materials for these archives, and compare them against each other and the
macro-appraisal model at Library and Archives Canada.
A methodology for these interviews was developed in 2024 and cleared by the University of Ottawa’s Research Ethics Board. The lack of existing literature directly related to museum archives meant that a semi-structured approach was
necessary, with lots of room for the interviewees to steer conversation to best explain their work.
A PDF excerpt, covering the methodology section of the research, can be downloaded below.
Interview Questions
While these are not the exact questions asked to participants, the following reflect the themes explored in the interviews:
Scope of archivists’ authority
Can you describe the work that you currently do? How long have you been doing this?
Can you describe your personal thought-process when determining if an object has value?
Would you say that it is your job to determine if an object has historical value and, if so, what does that mean to you?
Nature of historical value and appraisal values
What would you describe as the primary mandate of your institution?
To what degree do you believe the macro-appraisal system developed for Library and Archives Canada impacts your work?
Can you describe the process of appraisal at your institution?
Who do you believe benefits from the preservation of historical objects?
Archival reform efforts
Are there any other aspects or concerns surrounding appraisal that you want to speak on, particularly those that are unique to your institution?
Where do you see appraisal in your field going in the future?
Literature Review
In addition to structured interviews, the methodology for this research involved an extensive survey of existing research, both regarding museum archives specifically, and the general history of government archives in Canada. This review also used Australia as a peer country, to show how the changes which occurred in Canadian archiving were linked to trends felt across English-speaking countries at the time. The research was chronically ordered in order to synthesize findings into a narrative telling how the Canadian archival tradition developed, from the Victorian period to the present, with emphasis given to noteworthy scholars like Terry Cook.
One important finding, which I contextualized using the lectures on the Western Archival tradition I received in ISI5703 — Gestion des ressources informationnelles and ISI6721 — Archives et gestion des documents, was that the Canadian system has a tension, where adherence to the traditional forms of archival policy (especially respect des fonds) clashes against the desire for alternative systems (such as new understandings of societal providence) that allow for decolonization and community archiving.
“A review of the existing scholarly work on the history of public archives in Canada produces multiple conclusions.
Firstly, archives are interwoven with exercises of state power and state interests, notably the creation of national identity. Secondly, Canada’s foundation as a multi-ethnic colonial state is crucial to the ways in which its archival
policies have developed. Even before relations with Indigenous peoples are considered, multiple waves of colonial settlement (e.g. French, United Empire Loyalist, later British) and an ever-weakening link to Europe meant that the
task of creating a comprehensive historical record with a strong sense of continuity would be difficult and require unique methods.”
— Excerpt from literature review