Working memory
Marie-Pierre Aubé, Concordia’s new Director of eDocs Management and University Archives, wants to dispel a myth about the archive’s role.
“We are not a warehouse,” she states emphatically.
Indeed, as her title suggests, archivists don’t simply stockpile records of the past. They can assist in storing and managing records more efficiently today. And for an institution like Concordia, with 45,000 students across 300 undergraduate and 100 graduate programs – as well as a history whose roots go back more than a century – such skills are invaluable.
Aubé was named to the position last October. She will be building on the legacy left by Nancy Marrelli, who was named Archivist Emerita last September when she retired as Director of Archives after a 45-year career at the university.
“We are very strong in the areas of historical archives and preservation,” says Aubé, calling Concordia “a pioneer.” She adds, “Concordia was one of the first Canadian institutions to establish an archive preservation management program, and contributed to the development of Canadian standards.”
The biggest task today, says Aubé, is the management of electronic records.
“You don’t have to keep them all,” she explains, “but you have to keep the right ones, manage them properly, and know when they can be destroyed.”
Rapid changes in technology make storage and searchability a challenge.
“We need to be more solution-oriented. Technology is evolving so fast, we need solutions that can migrate from one technology to the next.” Aubé points out changes can now occur “from year to year.”
Aubé comes to Concordia with 12 years of experience in the field, and is a member of the Montreal chapter of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators. Her most recent posting was as Supervisor of Records Management at Molson Coors. While there, she developed new tools and training programs for their employees, and she will be bringing the same innovation and expertise to the university.
Aubé has six full-time and three part-time staff working with her, smaller than teams at other universities. Part of the reason for this is decentralization: while all documents are kept by Aubé’s office, there are five administrative departments within the university that each have their own archivist, who organizes and finds the information their department requires.
Aubé says her first task is “to put the archive department on the map, and make it known through all the departments in the university.”
Aubé’s team took a step in that direction with the launch last November of a redesigned website with improved search capabilities.
She and her team want the Concordia community to know that archivists aren’t only interested in preserving the past.
“We are solution-finders, and we are here to help Concordia employees organize their information. We pay attention to the confidentiality of information. And we are professionals.”
All those interested in learning what Aubé’s team can do for them can contact the director at 514-848-2424, ext. 7776, or by email.
Related links:
• Concordia University Archives
• Marie-Pierre Aubé
• Nancy Marrelli