Outside the Box

Thought I'd give a little recap of my talk on some of the newer features on the Saskatchewan Archival Information Network since last year's upgrade to AtoM 2.4 software. Those who may have been put off of using it in the past by an unfriendly user interface will find the new interface a bit more easy to navigate The newest iteration of SAIN is intended to be more user friendly, and to allow individual institutions more opportunity to personalize, and to use the database as their own online Institutional Repository, should they so choose. As you can see here, one new feature is that each institution is allowed its own unique icon, which automatically lets users know what institution the finding aid or photograph they are looking at came from. There are also accessioning tools built in to this version, to facilitate the use of SAIN as an Institutional Repository.    Another exciting new feature in the updated SAIN (and probably the one we are the most excited ab...

The City of Regina Archives unveiled its 150 stories timeline during National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, a day dedicated to honouring our First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. The interactive timeline provides an Indigenous perspective from pre-contact to present day. The stories share the wisdom and personal reflections of Indigenous residents of Regina and surrounding areas. This oral history project is an initiative of the City of Regina Archives. It reflects the history of Regina and Canada through 150 memories, histories and experiences shared by members of our Indigenous community. The timeline creates an ongoing archival resource for the community. It provides an opportunity to listen to the experiences and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and to open conversation around the difficult times in our shared history. Grant funding for this project was provided by the Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists, the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for...

Mr.Gordon Watson from Massachusetts May 2018 On May 24, 2018 the City of North Battleford Historic Archives had a researcher visit from Walpole, Massachusetts. Mr. Gordon Watson had been inquiring about the British Commonwealth Air Training Program approximately one year ago and decided that he would make special trip to North Battleford to visit the area.   The history of the Training program began when North Battleford City Council offered the use of our airport as an Air Training Centre on September 11, 1939, one day after Canada declared war on Germany. The program received 700 Royal Air Force Trainees on July 22, 1941 and Mr. Watson’s dad may have been one of them.   Mr. Watson knew that his dad, Andrew Watson, had been stationed here in North Battleford from 1941 to 1944.   He remembers hearing stories and seeing pictures of his dad at that time.   Mr. Watson has donated to the City Archives, 104 historical photographs of the Training Centre at Nort...

  In 2008, the SCAA followed the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan and began presenting a prize at each of the Regional Fairs to students. With the   Saskatchewan Heritage Fairs Program   having been reorganized in the last few of years, the SCAA prize and the PAS prize were combined into what is now the   Archives Award , and is presented to the student or students who best use archival or primary sources in the creation of their project. Archival sources, or primary sources, demonstrate a first-hand account of a time period, place or event. Examples of such sources are: letters and diaries; government, church, and business records; oral histories; photographs, motion pictures, and videos; maps and land records; and blueprints. In association with this, the SCAA produced  Archives in Saskatchewan: A Guide for Heritage Fair Participants  to increase awareness and understanding of archives among school age students in Saskatchewan This year, 4446 st...

In 2008 the SCAA began participating in the Saskatchewan program by awarding a prize to the project in each region that best utilizes primary sources.  The SCAA also produced the  SHF Participant Toolkit  to help students and teachers with Archival definitions. Though the program has changed since then, what has stayed the same for Heritage Fairs throughout has been the goals: to create an environment where students are excited to learn and share to provide recognition for student achievement; to celebrate cultural diversity and multiple perspectives; to reveal connections between the past and present; and to inspire Canadians to celebrate their place in history. Provincial Heritage Fair - Government House in Regina Both SCAA and our friends  at the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan (PAS)  are  always excited to support the Saskatchewan Heritage Fairs and recognize the effort of the youth of the province has put into their proje...