| CCI has organized a number
of symposia over the years, but this one marked the first
time that an event was included for the general public.
Organized in partnership with the Library and Archives
Canada (LAC), the Canadian Heritage Information Network
(CHIN), and the AV Preservation Trust, “Preservation
Quest: How to preserve your home movies, CDs, videos,
and more” served as the kick-off event for Symposium
2003 - Preservation of Electronic Records: New Knowledge
and Decision-making. Thanks to an extensive marketing
and public relations campaign, the day was an unmitigated
success.
When the doors of LAC were thrown open on Sunday, September
14, 2003, more than 400 people of all ages arrived to
learn more about preserving their home movies, CDs,
videos, photos, etc. The activities included a series
of information sessions in the Auditorium, an interactive
exhibit from the Canada Science and Technology Museum
and CCI, a short video (“Fading Away: Canada’s
Audio-Visual Heritage since 1896”) produced by
LAC, and a special children’s corner. Visitors
could also tour LAC’s state-of-the-art Audio Conservation
Studio, get answers to individual questions in the “Ask
the Experts” area, and pick up an assortment of
free handouts on how to preserve various types of electronic
records.
Guest of honour was Dr. Joe Schwarcz — professor
at McGill University, popular radio and television personality
on the Discovery Channel and Montreal’s CJAD-TV,
columnist for the Montreal Gazette and The
Washington Post, and Director of the McGill Office
for Chemistry and Science. “Dr. Joe” is
well-known for his ability to make difficult scientific
issues accessible to the general public. His humorous
and thought-provoking presentations dealt with paper
preservation throughout history and the science of movies.
He drew an enthusiastic response from the packed auditorium.
The brisk pace of the day was maintained by Master of Ceremonies
Ken Grant (a well-known local radio host and celebrity affectionately
dubbed “The General”), who was ably assisted by
Chantal Fortier from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
These two kept people up-to-the-minute on what activities
were taking place throughout the afternoon. They were assisted
by an army of volunteers from the host organizations who guaranteed
that everything ran smoothly.
Despite a few glitches — such as too few translation
headsets and running out of cookies and juice — the
day was a smash hit. Some people suggested we take the show
on the road, others asked where they could buy the special
T-shirt sported by all volunteers, and still others made suggestions
for future events. “Preservation Quest” proved
that the public has a genuine interest in preserving their
electronic records, and that the host institutions are indeed
accessible and relevant to Canadians.
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