Some of the less attentive among our readers may have thought that this was just some ordinary week. Oh no.

The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed the week of FEBRUARY 6 – 12 Archives Week in Saskatchewan. The week is dedicated to activities that profile the vital role that the documentary records of individuals, families, organizations, businesses and governments play in developing an understanding of ourselves through academic and popular research. The week also honors the work done within Saskatchewan’s archival repositories, where valuable archival resources are preserved and made available for use in all of their forms.

If you move very quickly you should just be able to catch, on February 6, CBC Radio’s “Noon Edition” which will feature an Archives Phone-In discussing archival treasures and the practical concern for their care. An exhibit, “Shades of Grey,” in the Main Library Link, University of Saskatchewan focuses on the seven archives on the University of Saskatchewan campus and the dynamic of interaction between user and stored information. An exhibit is also being prepared by the St. Paul’s Nurses’ Alumni Association Archives at St. Paul’s Hospital, Saskatoon, while the Athol Murray Archives of Notre Dame is having a Perusal of Correspondence Day on Thursday, February 9^th. In Regina, an Archives Film Night will offer a showing of heritage short films from the holdings of the City of Regina Archives and the Saskatchewan Archives Board at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum on Friday, February 10^th, beginning at 7 p.m. In addition, many archives have contributed photographs, documents and information on their collections for a “Collage of Preservation” to appear in print form. Other events are planned in various local communities where archives are located. A special button, “Celebrate Archives,” has been designed for the week, featuring the Council logo in provincial colors.

The Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists, representing 75 institutional and individual members, is responsible for building a cooperative archival network in Saskatchewan. It offers advice on the formation of new archives, promotes the preservation and use of our archival resources, and has spearheaded the development of twenty virtual historical exhibits, including “Medicare” and “Saskatchewan in the Two World Wars,” all of which can be viewed on its website, http://scaa.usask.ca/sain/gallery.php