Laurier’s head of Archives and Special Collections honoured by Society of American Archivists

July 11, 2022

Laurier Library’s Head of Archives and Special Collections has been awarded a Preservation Publication Award Special Commendation by the Society of American Archivists (SAA).

Amanda Oliver received the honour for her article “The Impact of Climate Change on Canadian Archives.” The commendation recognizes excellence in a published work on archival preservation.

For Oliver, being recognized by North America’s oldest and largest national archival professional association was “incredibly meaningful.”

“It means a great deal to me and knowing that I am one of the few Canadian recipients makes this commendation even more special,” says Oliver. “I hope others will be inspired to further investigate impacts to climate change in their work and that archivists begin to implement sustainable policies and practices into their professional practice.”

The article, published in Vol. 31 of Records Management Journal, analyzes the geographic locations of Canadian repositories, climate projections, and the results of a survey of professionals working in Canadian archival institutions.

The SAA awards committee commended the author for the significance of this work to the archival profession. One supporter wrote: “Oliver’s recommendations and conclusions underscore the importance of developing climate adaptation strategies, considering the sustainability of records management and archival professional practice, increasing the resilience of facilities and records, and strengthening disaster planning and recovery methods.”

Gohar Ashoughian, university librarian and archivist for Laurier, says the SAA’s announcement “is truly a very proud moment” for the Library.

“Amanda’s research fills a significant gap in our understanding of how climate change impacts Canadian archives. Amanda provides an excellent roadmap for the next steps to help archival professionals understand the implications of climate change and build climate adaptation strategies.”

For Oliver – a recipient of the Archives Association of Ontario’s Emerging Leader Award in 2021 – there is a strong element of Laurier pride tied to being recognized.

“I completed my undergraduate degree at Laurier and during my studies, I undertook research using primary sources in the archives. It is wonderful to now help preserve and make accessible the very same collections that inspired me to become an archivist.”

“At Laurier, we are fortunate that archives and special collections hold extensive records about the environmental conservation movement in Canada. I hope researchers will use these collections to investigate the effect of the climate crisis within their fields of study."