Archivaria, the journal of the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA), is devoted to the scholarly investigation of archives in Canada and internationally. Articles and other submissions are welcomed which explore the history, nature, and theory of archives and the use of archives. The journal aims to be a bridge of communication among archivists, and between archivists and users of archives. The various issues serve well to indicate the breadth of possible subjects relating to archives: various media and their evolution and characteristics; theoretical problems; practical solutions; new fields of history (and related disciplines), and new kinds of documentation being explored by users; new technological developments; legal and ethical concerns; the history of archives, individual archivists, and archival trends; the analysis of record-keeping practices over time and space; the relationship of archivists to other information management professionals; and much else.

All members of the ACA receive Archivaria as part of their membership dues; it is also available by subscription or back issues.

The Archivaria Editorial Board and the ACA Board of Directors are pleased to be able to provide you with this status report on the digitization and forthcoming web launch of the full collection of Archivaria and Canadian Archivist issues.

In brief, the full collection of back issues from #1 to #60 will soon be available in digital format as PDF files. As new issues are published, a complete set of PDF images will be produced along with the printed copies, and will be available to members and subscribers. A majority of the collection will soon be open and available to the archival community and public, while the most recent eight issues will be retained in a Reserved Collection, for members & subscribers.

Working with Simon Fraser University, print copies of Archivaria issues #1 - #45 were unbound and scanned; in total over 10,000 page images were produced and then proofed by ACA volunteers including committee chairs and members, as well as Board members. The preliminary configuration of the Archivaria site is in place with Editorial Board members and other volunteers currently busy cross-checking the tables of content and information at that site to the print editions of the journal. Abstract texts are being excerpted from the full articles and will be available as separate PDF documents. The software programming which will manage both the main and the reserve collections is being completed and tested with launch of the on-line collection anticipated later in the fall, 2006.

At the same time and thanks to the efforts of Teruko Kishibe, Archival Project Assistant with ACA from January through May 2006, we have collected permissions to digitize their works (Archivaria and Canadian Archivist) from 684 contributing authors. In total, these two publications have benefited from the submission of 914 authors who have submitted 1,954 articles, book reviews, exhibit reviews, counterpoints, and all. Only one author declined to have their work included, while a number of authors were very pleased to receive confirmation that the digital version of their work will be available at no cost to the user.

The permissions received to date will allow for the e-publication of 1,547 articles while the inclusion of the remaining 407 works is in question. At this time, there are about 85 authors who have been contacted by ACA with a request for permission to digitize their works, but who have not replied. In addition, there are 65 authors that we have been unable to locate or contact so far. A number of authors have passed away, requiring us to locate and approach next of kin for the permission to digitize; of the 65 authors not yet located, in 21 instances, we are seeking to contact next of kin.

If you have contributed articles to Archivaria (1975-2006) or the Canadian Archivist (1963-1974) and have not submitted permission for the digitization and e-publishing of your works, please contact the ACA office as soon as possible. If you are not certain whether your permission was submitted or not, please take a few minutes to contact the office by e-mail (execdir@archivists.ca), phone (613.234-6977) or fax (613.234-8500) so that we can verify we have your permission on hand.

Archivaria Sections:

• Articles: theoretical and otherwise scholarly treatments of subjects based upon research and/or extensive reflection.
  
• Studies in Documents: scholarly articles on the provenance, evolution, characteristics, structure, and original and present purposes of every kind of archival document or body of documents.
  
• Counterpoint: argumentative pieces, longer rejoinders, and trial balloons.
  
• Pot-pourri: edited documents relating to archives, having amusing, poignant, or piquant appeal.
  
• Communications: articles describing events or situations in the Canadian archival community, technical information, and description of procedures or practices likely to be of interest to the readers of the journal. (Shorter notes on these and other topics should appear in the ACA Bulletin).
  
• Letters to the Editor: short rejoinders to previous issues, new information, corrections, criticisms, etc.
  
• Book Reviews and Notices: critical assessments of books judged to contribute to the themes which Archivaria attempts to explore. Questions regarding book reviews should be directed to Andrew Horrall, Book Review Editor.
  
• Exhibition Reviews: critical essays assessing the purpose, preparation, themes, and potential of exhibitions of archival documents. Emphasis should be on the analysis of archival and historical issues raised by an exhibition and related publication, using examples from the exhibit to illustrate the author's critical assessment of it.