13 October 2010

Another Acting Archivist of Ontario

David Nicholl didn't last long as Acting Archivist of Ontario. With no public announcement that I could find a new Acting Archivist has appeared on the scene, Angela Forest. 

In a message dated September 2010 she writes:

The past year and a half has been an exciting time for the Archives of Ontario. Having settled into our new, purpose-built home on York University's Keele campus, we are fully realizing the potential of all the facility has to offer.

We have hosted a variety of great events, including the exhibit launches for Ontario On the Map and Architectural Dialogues... Moriyama &Teshima (sic). We participated in Doors Open Ontario for the first time, welcoming over 500 visitors to the new building. And our classroom space is allowing us to engage with the province's teachers and students through dynamic educational programming.

Digitization continues to be a strong focus for the organization. Soon we will be offering free, online access to the 260,000 records making up the 2009-2010 vital statistics release of Ontario birth, marriage and death registrations. We've also made strides on the social media front, using sites like YouTube (comment - 12 items like how to BBQ a chicken and how to carve a turkey) and Twitter to reach new and diverse audiences.

Moving forward, we will continue to promote innovation in archival science, excellence in recordkeeping, and superior customer service. And, as the guardian of Ontarios documentary memory, we are committed to expanding our collections to include records that reflect the full diversity of Ontario.
Who is Angela Forest? Does she have any credentials or professional interest in archives?

Googling around I find her most recently as Director Business Relationship Management, Economic Ministries. In an April 2007 organization chart for the Ontario Ministry of Government Services she has the title ADM, e-Ontario Program Management Office.

For those of us who use AO at a distance perhaps a background in e-services is encouraging. Otherwise ...

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