ARCHIVES IN THE NEWS

by Jim Bowman

A feeling of uncertainty hangs over the City of Edmonton Archives following the release of a consultant's report recommending that one full-time equivalent (FTE) position can be eliminated by merging the City Archives with the Corporate Records Centre.

The report, produced by the consulting firm Ernst & Young and adopted in principle by City Council, reads, in part:

Consolidate responsibility for records and archives in one location. There are currently two responsibility areas for the storage and maintenance of information created by the corporation. The Corporate Records Centre (part of the Office of the City Clerk in the Corporate Services Department) is responsible for the handling and long term storage of all corporate records in accordance with the corporate retention schedule. When a record's retention schedule has expired, the record is forwarded to the Archives (part of the Community Services Department). The Archives reviews and selectively retains corporate records of historical significance and then disposes of the remaining records . . . .

Although corporate records retention operations are conducted in separate physical locations, the Senior Management Team has identified an immediate opportunity to consolidate responsibility under one organizational structure within the Office of the City Clerk, and to review City records retention practices in order to reduce the cost to the corporation of current inconsistent, redundant and/or excessive retention practices . . . .

The report does not state which member of the "Senior Management Team" recommended the merger, nor does it state whose FTE job would be eliminated. Although the report was adopted in principle by City Council, City Archivist Bruce Ibsen remains cautiously optimistic that the City Archives will remain as a distinct agency. "My supervisors are under the impression that we're not going anywhere," he said in an interview.

Just before press time, the Archives Society of Alberta Newsletter received word from Acting City Archivist Paddy Lamb that "the City of Edmonton Archives has been assured that it will remain within the Community Services Department.... Neither our current mandate, nor our present staffing levels will be affected at this time."

"The proposal to consolidate responsibility for records and archives under the direction of the City Clerk ... remains simply a proposal. As the reorganization unfolds this recommendation may receive further attention and we will keep all ASA members informed of future developments."

"In the meantime, on behalf of all the staff at the City of Edmonton Archives, I would like to thank everyone who expressed their concern."