National Archives Hosts Canadian Library and Archives Delegation
By Victoria Macchi | National Archives News
WASHINGTON, April 7, 2023 — Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall welcomed Librarian and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir to the National Archives this week.
Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall, center left, and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir, center right, at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, on April 3, 2023. (National Archives photo by Susana Raab)
The two-day visit, held at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and the National Archives at College Park, MD, featured discussions between the Canadian delegation and National Archives leadership, as well as exhibit tours led by curatorial staff.
“Comparing goals and strategies with a peer organization like Library and Archives Canada allows us to share our accomplishments and trade ideas,” Wall said. “We were thrilled to host the LAC delegation and show them firsthand the work we do. We have many similar programs, so it’s a pleasure to compare notes with them.”
Both teams focused on gathering ideas for new ways to engage with a broader group of users and improving access to information.
“We have so much in common that every meeting was valuable,” said Meg Phillips, External Affairs Liaison for the National Archives, who coordinated the visit. “Sharing our progress on projects like digitization, engaging more of the public with history through archives, and providing greater access to information also reminds us at the National Archives how much important work we’re doing.”
Emphasizing the shared history between the United States and Canada, during the National Archives Building tour, staff also showed the delegation documents related to American Revolution military operations in Quebec.