Archives Finding Aids

Finding aids describe the content and context of archival fonds and collections held by Western Archives that have been arranged and described to current standards. A fonds is all the records created and/or accumulated by a person, family, or corporate body in the course of that creator’s activities. A collection is an artificial accumulation of documents brought together by collectors. Fonds and collections may consist of either university or private records.

Western Archives finding aids are prepared in accordance with the Rules for Archival Description. Most are complete descriptive inventories, which provide details about the history or biography of a creator, and also about the elements that make up the whole fonds (series, files, and /or items). In some cases only preliminary inventories that provide description to the fonds or series level are available.

Fonds level descriptions of material held by Western Archives are also available at ARCHEION: Ontario’s Archival Information Network and Archives Canada. Some additional (non-standard) descriptions of Western Archives’ holdings may be located by searching using the Western Libraries Shared Catalogue and limiting the search to Archives and Research Collections Centre.

Access to university and government records is subject to the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Private records may be subject to restrictions imposed by the donor or, where necessary to address specific issues such as preservation concerns, by Western Archives. Further information about potential access restrictions will be noted in each finding aid.

Browse the alphabetical listing of fonds and collections:

Individuals are listed by last name, and organizations are listed according to their complete name. Where appropriate, some additional information has been added to the name to provide context.