The AABC offers specialized workshops on a variety of archival and preservation topics and also arranges sponsored workshops on an ad hoc basis. The AABC can advise on options available for institutions planning staff training and is pleased to respond to workshop requests by interested non-member groups for online or in-person training.

If you would like to learn more about workshops, please contact the EAS Coordinator at aabc.advisor@aabc.ca.

2024 - 2025 Workshop Schedule

"Toward Community-Centered Reference"

Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Time: 9:30am – 12:00pm PST

Registration deadline: January 24, 2025 (5:00pm)

Location: Online via Zoom

Registration Cost:

• AABC member: $60.00 CAD
• Non-member: $115.00 CAD

Thanks to a generous donation towards this workshop from an AABC supporter, we are pleased to offer reduced registration rates for this event for both members and non-members! 

Register HERE

Workshop description:

This workshop, "Toward Community-Centered Reference" considers the challenges Black researchers face when consulting with reference services in archives. Participants will learn to think critically about their positionality and their current approaches to providing access. Practical suggestions will be offered to reference archivists to help them provide services that are community-centered.

This workshop includes a small group activity and discussion with time for reflection. In this workshop participants will:

• Learn how to unpack how white supremacy shows up in archives
• Learn how to identify and address oppressive practices in access and reference
• Learn how to minimize harm when providing reference services

The workshop is 2.5 hours (including a 10-minute break). Participants will receive a takeaway package of relevant resources. Please note that a minimum number of participants is required for this workshop to go ahead.

Workshop Instructor: Melissa J. Nelson

Melissa is a Toronto-based archivist and educator working in the field of Black archival practice. In 2023, she was honoured with the New Professional Award and Ancestry Award from the Association of Canadian Archivists. Her work and research interests are grounded in an ethics of care for the preservation of Black cultural heritage and anti-Black archival materials. Her work centers Black being and belonging in the archives to support collective healing and liberation movements. 

Melissa is the author of “Archiving Hate: Racist Materials in Archives.” This post has been referenced by collecting institutions in their commitment to equity practices, including the University of Waterloo Special Collections & Archives in “Language in Archival Descriptions Changes,” The United Church of Canada Archives in “United Church of Canada Archives Equity Statement,” and Baker Library of Harvard Business School in “Guiding Principles for Conscious and Inclusive Description.”

Melissa is currently an Archivist at the Archives of Ontario, leading outreach activities with Black communities in the province. In her practice, she reimagines the archives as sites of Black joy, rather than Black pain. She is the Founder and Creative Director of the Black Memory Collective. Melissa also produces and hosts the podcast, Archives & Things. She holds a Master of Information Studies from McGill University and received a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History, with a minor in Sociology, from Carleton University.

Workshop Reviews:

“Thank you so much for making today’s workshop available…It’s exactly the type of programming I want to see for our professional associations and I’m grateful that I was able to attend.”

“I like the approach, it was both very engaging & very informative.”

“I appreciated the time and care that when into setting up a shared understanding of language, intention and expectations during the first half of the session. It is also nice to have time to reflect individually before joining a group to discuss things further. The meditation and music were also a welcomed addition to things.”

“It was really helpful to have reflections grounded in real-life archival scenarios and the lived experiences of Black Canadian researchers to push me to rethink how I work as an archivist.”

AABC Workshop Courses Available 

• Introduction to Archival Practice (1 or 2 days)
• Managing Archival Photographs (1 or 2 days)
• Introduction to Managing a Digitization Program (1 day)
• Arrangement, Description and RAD (1 day)
• Appraisal and Deaccessioning (1 day)
• Introduction to Archival Preservation (2 days)
• Emergency Planning for Archives (1 day)
• Managing Archives (1 day)
• Managing an Oral History Program (1 day)
• Records Management 101 (1 day)
• Archives 101: Archival Practice for Indigenous Organizations (1 or 2 days)

Workshop Participant Registration Rates

The following registration rates are effective as of April 1, 2022 and apply for most workshops, unless otherwise posted for a specific event. All prices are in Canadian (CAD) funds and are subject to change.

AABC Member Rates:

Non-Member Rates:

AABC Registration Refund Notice