Ethics are important to me as a future information professional as I will often be managing and working with materials that belonged to someone else and may have sensitive meanings or materials linked to them, and with people who deserve the best service. It is especially important to me that I remember I will be working with someone else’s life in a way, and that I respect that and handle myself appropriately. This is the main understanding that I will base my career around, and that I will continue to develop a deeper understanding of to ensure I am as ethical as possible during my work.

As a future information professional, my career will be shaped by these ethical responsibilities. They will ensure that I approach historical and indigenous materials with respect, sensitivity, and a commitment to truth and reconciliation. My professional values of access to and ownership of information, preservation and open access, social responsibility and repatriation, creativity and continuous learning, and advancing knowledge will guide my work in making historical records more widely accessible and respecting their rightful ownership. I am dedicated to balancing preservation with open access, strongly advocating for more repatriation, and using modern technologies to enhance archival practices. I will work with Canadian history in an inclusive and truthful manner and aid society in confronting difficult truths so we can move forward with a deeper understanding of Canada’s history. Through my work, I aim to contribute to a more informed and ethical approach to the information profession.

Watson’s Mill Historic Site – Manotick, Ontario – Matt Marsh