Peter Braid, Member of Parliament (Kitchener–Waterloo), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced support for the preservation and exhibition of the Mennonite Archives of Ontario at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo.
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $150,000 through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This new investment will support upgrades to the College through the acquisition of specialized equipment to preserve and exhibit archival materials that reflect the Mennonite experience in Ontario. “Archives collect the records of daily life — of people, families, churches, groups and communities,” explained Conrad Grebel’s Archivist/Librarian, Laureen Harder-Gissing. “When researchers come to the archives to look for historical clues, family stories, or artistic inspiration, they discover the past’s potential to enrich our lives and work.”
In the midst of an $8.7 million expansion project, the archival space at Conrad Grebel will triple in size. The renovated facility will feature fully modernized archival storage, collection management, and public access spaces.
“We are pleased that the Government of Canada supports the efforts of the Mennonite Archives of Ontario to enhance our capacity to preserve and make accessible Mennonite history and culture,” said Fred Martin, Director of Development at Conrad Grebel University College. “The new archives storage area, exhibit cases, and digital reading equipment will increase our ability to illuminate the Mennonite story, from the first arrivals in Canada, to the growth and change present in Mennonite communities today.”
“Our Government recognizes the importance, both culturally and economically, of investing in organizations that not only celebrate our history and heritage, but also strive to make them more accessible to Canadians,” said Minister Moore. “As a result of this investment, Conrad Grebel University College will be able to better preserve and exhibit a collection of significance to the Mennonite community.”
Founded in 1963 by Ontario Mennonites, Conrad Grebel University College is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the University of Waterloo. The College’s mission is “to seek wisdom, nurture faith and pursue justice and peace in service to church and society.” Conrad Grebel’s core values include inspired teaching, scholarly excellence, compassionate service, community building, active peacemaking and global engagement. These are expressed through the academic and student life programs.
Enriching Awareness and Understanding our History
By Laureen Harder-Gissing, Archivist/Librarian
How appropriate that we are making this announcement just before International Archives Day, Sunday, June 9. The day’s theme this year is “archives in need.” So while today we can celebrate the health of our own Mennonite Archives of Ontario, we also want to remember archives around the world that are vulnerable.
Archives are a vital part of any community, and archival equipment contributes to that vitality in visible and hidden ways. Let’s begin with the ways that are hidden. What you will not see when you visit our new archives is the specially-tuned heating and ventilation system humming away quietly in the background, keeping our paper and digital files, photographs, films and sound recordings at a temperature and humidity designed for their preservation. You will not see our fire suppression system, the sensors, sprinklers and reservoir of chemical clean agent designed to extinguish fires without damaging archival materials. And unless we have a special public event, you will not see the inside of our storage room with its compact shelving designed to triple our storage capacity.
But here is what you will see. In the archives gallery area, glass cases will house exhibits drawn from our collections. These exhibits will tell the stories of Mennonite history and culture on a local, national, and international scale. If you were at all intrigued by our tiny exhibit here today of Mennonites in Ontario during the First World War, this is just a sample of things to come.
In the Archives reading room, equipment will also play a role. Microfilm is a great medium for storing and distributing rare documents such as 16th century Anabaptist pamphlets, or refugee records from World War II. However, microfilm is not the most user-friendly way of reading those documents. A new digital microfilm reader will allow you to focus, magnify, scan and print microfilm documents quickly and easily. A new document scanner will allow you to scan for your own use maps, diaries and other delicate materials without causing damage.
So in ways hidden and visible, this equipment will help keep our historical treasures both safe and available for future generations.
A couple of years ago I displayed a 450 year old Mennonite Family Bible in the College Atrium. A student wandering by noticed it and her reaction was one of almost incoherent astonishment. “You mean, there are things that old? They exist? And they’re here?”
Yes, the past exists, and it is here! It has the power to surprise and delight, to challenge and inspire. When you have a place where archivists and researchers, students, the community and history come together, exciting things happen. This grant recognizes the importance of creating such a place.
Finally, I want to thank Canadian Heritage for requiring us to go through this rather arduous and detailed grant process. This may seem an odd thank you to make! After all, the finished grant was 6 cm thick and had 26 attachments! However, when I think back on our meetings with partners, focus groups, and professional archivists, the College board and administrators, and various other community groups, I remember mostly the good things about the grant process, and the support from the community it represents. We are pleased that Canadian Heritage, and by extension the people of Canada, have become partners in this project. We are confident that this project will enrich the awareness and understanding of our history for Canadians both locally and across the country.