Shelley Sweeney Explained

Shelley Sweeney
Birth Date:1959
Nationality:Canadian
Language:English
Education:Alberni District Secondary School
Alma Mater:University of British Columbia

Shelley Sweeney (born 1959) is a Canadian archivist. She was university archivist at the University of Regina from 1983 to 1998,[1] and the Head of the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections from 1998 to 2020.[2] [3] [4] She helped found two regional archival organizations, the Saskatchewan Council of Archives and the Saskatchewan Archivists Society, and the University and Research Institutions section of the International Council on Archives. Sweeney is a charter member of the Academy of Certified Archivists and, with colleagues, wrote the first code of ethics for the Canadian archival profession.

Education

Sweeney graduated from Alberni District Secondary School in 1977 and subsequently received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from the University of British Columbia in 1981.[5] She was among the original ten students to enter the first dedicated two-year Master's of Archival Studies program in North America at the University of British Columbia, receiving her Master's degree in 1985.[6] Her thesis was entitled: "A Comparative Study of the Record Keeping Practices of the Anglican, Baptist, and United Churches in British Columbia."[7] She studied under archival theorists Terry Eastwood and Hugh Taylor. At this time she completed an internship in the National Photography Section of the Public Archives of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario in 1982.[8]

Sweeney was one of the first graduates to receive a Doctor of Philosophy degree with an emphasis in Archival Enterprise from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002, having taken a two-year educational leave from the University of Regina from 1995 to 1997 in order to complete course work.[9] [10] She studied under David B. Gracy II. Her dissertation was entitled: "The Source-Seeking Cognitive Processes and Behaviour of the In-Person Archival Researcher."[11]

Career

Upon completion of classwork for her Master's degree, Sweeney accepted a position as University Archivist at the University of Regina, which position she held from 1983 to 1998.[12] She was appointed Head of the University of Manitoba Archives in 1998 and, subsequently, Coordinator of FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) and later, PHIA (Personal Health Information Act) for the University.[13] [14] Responsibility for these two additional portfolios ended when the University's organizational structure shifted the FIPPA Office to the Vice-President Administration in 2008.

At the University of Manitoba Archives, Sweeney devoted a great deal of energy to “expand, make accessible and promote the collections that document Spiritualism and psychical research in Canada,” concentrating in particular on the Hamilton Family fonds.[15] [16]

From 2009 to 2012 Sweeney was on the bid committee that proposed to steward the archives of the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission once the Commission had wrapped up its work. Once the bid was successful, she was appointed co-chair with Deborah Young to the Implementation Committee for the proposed National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation from 2013 to 2014, and was a member of the leadership team from 2014 to 2015. This led Sweeney to begin the process of indigenizing the University of Manitoba Archives.[17] [18] [19]

Sweeney taught sections on description, outreach, and advocacy and provided support by examining theses and supervising interns for the Master's of Archival Studies program in the history department at the University of Manitoba.[20] Upon retirement, Sweeney was appointed Senior Scholar and then in 2021 was made Librarian (Archivist) Emerita.[21]

Professional activities

Sweeney was Editor of the ACA (Association of Canadian Archivists) Bulletin from 1985 to 1987 and president of the Association of Canadian Archivists from 1998 to 2000, among other positions in that organization. She was the principal author of the first Code of Ethics for the Canadian archival profession. She was made a Fellow by the ACA in 2011.[22] She served as Secretary of the international Academy of Certified Archivists from 2003 to 2005.[23] She helped found the Saskatchewan Council of Archives and Archivists in 1986,[24] the Saskatchewan Archivists Society in 1988 (now the Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists), and the Section on University and Research Institution Archives (SUV) of the International Council on Archives in 1992.[25] [26] She served as Secretary of the Academy of Certified Archivists from 2003 to 2005.[27] From 2006-2008, she was Secretary General of the Bureau of Canadian Archivists, appointed by the ACA and representing Canadian archival professional interests abroad.[28] She was appointed the ACA representative on the Sectoral Committee of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO in 2009. She presented papers at many conferences in Canada and around the world and has published widely on a number of topics.

Recognition

In 2011, Sweeney was made a Fellow by the Association of Canadian Archivists.[29] In the same year, she was awarded a 50th Anniversary Alumni Service and Leadership Award from the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia in recognition of her support of the program and her work as a role model in the field.[30]

In addition to supporting the Master's of Archival Studies program, Sweeney was chosen as one of 25 career mentors to represent the University of Manitoba Career Mentor Program’s over 700 volunteers for the program’s 25th anniversary.[31]

Of her writing, Edward Goedeken noted that Sweeney’s article on provenance for "Libraries & Culture" was one of the six most cited articles of the period 2006 to 2011.[32]

Upon her retirement, colleagues Walter Meyer zu Erpen and Tom Nesmith stated: “Throughout her career, she has been one of the most prominent Canadian advocates for archives, including through many media interviews and leadership roles in the Association of Canadian Archivists… and in other archival organizations, several of which she helped found.” President of the Association of Canadian Archivists Loryl MacDonald stated that Sweeney was “truly a role model for all archivists.” In 2022, Sweeney received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for service from the Province of Manitoba.[33]

Selected bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shelley Sweeney fonds . August 24, 2020.
  2. News: University hears spiritualist's voices. 2004-05-20. Edmonton Journal. A6. Proquest Major Canadian Dailies.
  3. News: Dry pages of history come alive. Giroday. Gabrielle. 2008-04-30. Winnipeg Free Press. A6. Proquest Major Canadian Dailies.
  4. Web site: Head of UM Archives leaves a rich legacy. Manitoba . University of. en. 2020-01-02.
  5. Web site: TREK. Summer 2006. University of British Columbia. November 6, 2006. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20061004205308/http://www.alumni.ubc.ca/trekmagazine/pdf/summer2006.pdf. October 4, 2006.
  6. Eastwood, Terry. "Abstracts of Theses in Archival Studies at the University of British Columbia," Archivaria. 21 (Winter 1985-86): 272.
  7. https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0095891show=full A Comparative Study of the Record Keeping Practices of the Anglican, Baptist, and United Churches in British Columbia,” Master's Thesis, University of British Columbia, April 1985
  8. Web site: Shelley Sweeney fonds . August 24, 2020.
  9. https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/974?show=full “The Source-Seeking Cognitive Processes and Behaviour of the In-Person Archival Researcher,” Doctoral Dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, April 2002.
  10. Galloway . Patricia . From Archival Management to Archival Enterprise to the Information Domain: David Gracy and the Development of Archival Education at the University of Texas . Information & Culture: A Journal of History . 49 . 1 . 3–33 . January 2014 . 10.1353/lac.2014.0005.
  11. The source-seeking cognitive processes and behavior of the in-person archival researcher. 2002. Thesis. Shelley Toni. Sweeney.
  12. Web site: Staff Notes (U of Manitoba Libraries). 2005-11-04. 2016-08-03. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20051104140036/http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/about/newsletters/library_directions/fall98winter99/staff.html. 2005-11-04.
  13. Web site: Appointment of the Head, Archives and Special Collections. 2004-07-08. 2016-08-03. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20040708041201/http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/about/newsletters/releases/sweeneyr52.html. 2004-07-08.
  14. News: Oct 2017: U of M's head archivist helps preserve and protect collection of 500,000 photographs. Wong. Kittie. 2017-10-21. Winnipeg Free Press. 2019-10-24.
  15. Web site: Dr. Shelley Sweeney Retires from the University of Manitoba. Nesmith. Tom and Walter Meyer zu Erpen. February 2020. Association of Canadian Archivists. August 25, 2020.
  16. Web site: Head of UM Archives leaves a rich legacy. Manitoba . University of. en. 2020-01-02.
  17. Loxley, John and Evelyn Peters. “Preserving The History of Aboriginal Institutional Development in Winnipeg: Research Driven by the Community” in "Practising Community-Based Participatory Research: Stories of Engagement, Empowerment, and Mobilization" Shauna McKinnon, ed. Vancouver: Purich Books, 2018.
  18. Web site: Episode 36: Yearning to Understand (Shelley Sweeney) . 2019 . August 25, 2020.
  19. Sweeney, Shelley. “Academic Archivists as Agents for Change,” "Comma: International Journal on Archives". 2018, 1-2 (2020): 65-75.
  20. Web site: University of Manitoba – Faculty of Arts – Department of History Regular Session: 2013 – 14 . 2013–14 . University of Manitoba Faculty of Arts Department of History . August 23, 2020.
  21. https://news.umanitoba.ca/honouring-emeriti-for-2020-and-2021/ Librarian Emerita
  22. Web site: ACA Fellows Award - Past Recipients. Association of Canadian Archivists. April 15, 2020.
  23. Web site: ACA Boards of Directors since 1989. Academy of Certified Archivists. April 15, 2020.
  24. Web site: Alumni Honoured at 50th Anniversary . 2011 . SLAIS . April 12, 2022.
  25. Web site: LISTSERV 16.0 - AERA-F Archives. 2011-07-26. 2016-08-03. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20110726142055/http://listserv.aera.net/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9401&L=aera-f&P=1342. 2011-07-26.
  26. Web site: Where Has the Time Gone?! The 30th Anniversary Since the Early Beginnings of the ICA- SUV. Sweeney . Shelley . December 17, 2018 . ICA SUV . August 24, 2020.
  27. Web site: ACA Boards of Directors since 1989. Academy of Certified Archivists. April 15, 2020.
  28. Web site: Shelley Sweeney fonds . August 24, 2020.
  29. Web site: ACA Fellows Award - Past Recipients. Association of Canadian Archivists. April 15, 2020.
  30. Web site: School of Library, Archival and Information Studies - The University of British Columbia. 2011-08-11. 2016-08-03. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20110811082720/http://www.slais.ubc.ca/about/SLAIS-50.htm. 2011-08-11.
  31. Web site: Career Mentor – Shelley Sweeney . October 16, 2015 . August 23, 2020.
  32. Goedeken, Edward A. "History with an Impact: The Most Cited Articles in the Journal of Library History and Its Successors over the Past Fifty Years," Information & Culture. 50 (2015): 285-314-33.
  33. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/correspondents/2023/02/22/recognizing-river-heights-residents Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Service, Province of Manitoba - 2022

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Shelley Sweeney".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.