Simon Fraser University Archives and Records Management Department

• University

The Archives was established in 1968 within the University Library when librarian Liisa Fagerlund was appointed University Archivist on a half-time basis. She continued in this post until 1975 when she left the University. From 1975 to 1978, the Archives functioned within the Special Collections division of the Library. Archival duties were carried out by various library staff members.

In 1978, the University Archives was established as a separate administrative unit outside of the Library and the Archivist reported directly to the University President. The reporting relationship changed again in 1986 when the University Archivist reported to the Vice-President, Research/Information Systems and then in 1990, when the Archivist reported to the Associate Vice-President, Academic; in 1996, when the Archivist reported to the Registrar/Dean of Students and finally in 2000 when the Archivist reported to the Vice President, Legal Affairs and University Secretary.

SFU Archives is located on Burnaby Mountain, in the City of Burnaby, part of Metro Vancouver in the province of British Columbia, Canada.

The Archives and Records Management Department is governed by the following policy:

Archives, Recorded Information Management, and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (Formerly GP 15). This policy can be accessed at http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/information/I10-01.html

All staff report to the University Archivist who reports to the Vice President, Legal Affairs and University Secretary.

The SFU Archives is responsible for the long-term preservation of archival records as well as the University's records management program and administration of Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation.

SFU Archives' mission is to create a first-class facility for students and faculty in support of teaching and research at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Our Acquisition Mandate guides staff in selecting records for acquisition, including records offered by donors. Under this Mandate, we acquire three major categories of records:

1. University Records
   The official records of the University, including those created by the Board of Governors and Senate, university committees, faculties, departments and administrative offices. These records form the corporate memory of Simon Fraser University and are valuable in understanding the University's essential activities, legal obligations and responsibilities. They also document how the University has developed and grown over time. University records are acquired by SFU Archives through the University's Records Management Program.

2. Campus Community Records
   Records not created by the University, but document the wider university community. Such records include those donated to us by campus community organizations that are closely affiliated with SFU, but are separately incorporated bodies. Examples include the SFU Student Society, the SFU Childcare Society, the SFU Faculty Association, and the SFU Women's Centre. The acquisition of records created by campus community organizations and individuals enriches our understanding of the broader university community, supplementing SFU's corporate historical record.

3. Private Records
   We also acquire, through donation, the private papers of prominent, individual faculty, students and staff. Records that support research interests at the University in a wide variety of academic fields, including history, English literature, gender, sexuality and women's studies, geography, sociology and anthropology, communications, and fine and performing arts. These records are donated to us by organizations, private individuals, and families and include the records of collectives, non-profit societies, professional associations, labour unions, politicians, artists, feminists, architects, activists, and private citizens.

SFU Archives is located on the first floor of the the Maggie Benston Student Services Building, which opened in 1996. The Archives has an environmentally controlled vault for archival records, two small freezers to store at-risk film and photographic materials, and three records centre storage areas throughout campus for boxes in semi-active storage (total capacity is 7,966 boxes).

For more information on the Maggie Benston Student Services Building, please see http://www.sfu.ca/fs/Campus-Facility-Profiles/Building_Information/Maggie_Benston_Centre.html#

Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. By appointment on Mondays.

Disabled parking is available in Convocation Mall underground parking and there is elevator access from the parking area to the Archives. For more information, please see http://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/parking/images/Parking%20Map%20-%20Burnaby%20Campus.pdf

For more information on accessibility, please go to http://www.sfu.ca/students/disabilityaccess/resources/parking-services/parking-securing.html.html

SFU is also serviced by public transportation routes 135, 143, 144, and 145. For more information on how to arrive at SFU Archives by public transport go to http://www.translink.ca/

English is the primary language spoken. SFU Archives has a reference room for research and study.

All enquiries can be addressed to the Duty Reference Archivist at archives@sfu.ca or 778-782-3805. Each archivist rotates through the reference desk so a researcher may talk to several different archivists through the course of a request for information.

SFU Archives has a microfilm reader, a VCR, an audio cassette deck, and a public use computer terminal with internet access as well as an optical disk player for CDs and DVDs.

The Archives provides a number of reproduction services to researchers wanting copies of materials in our holdings. Please note:

• The Archives is not set up to be a reproduction shop; requests are handled on a first-come-first-served basis and processed as limited staff time and resources allow.

• Researchers are encouraged to use self-service options, such as camera phones, whenever possible.

• Where materials can be reproduced in-house by Archives staff, there is no charge to the researcher.

• Large orders may take some time to process. Researchers should clearly identify which of the materials they are requesting have priority.

• The Archives reserves the right to charge fees for copies that will be used for commercial purposes.

• All in-house reproductions will be delivered in digital format only; the Archives will not provide analog copies (no photocopies or photographic prints).

• Materials that cannot be reproduced in-house will be outsourced to a vendor of the Archives' choosing. The vendor's fee and any shipping charges will be charged back to the researcher on a cost-recovery basis.

The University campus has amenities, such as cafeterias, restaurants, shops, and automated banking machines. For more information please go to http://www.sfu.ca/fs/files/Campus_Profile/Campus_Maps/sfu_campus_map_2013_14x8_handout_color.pdf

The SFU Archives has a secure display area in the atrium of the Maggie Benston Student Services Building.

Published

Full

Jul 4, 2019: opening hours revised (RD)

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