The McGill Archives was established in 1962. Its chief function is to assemble and preserve university records of administrative, legal or of permanent value and to make them available to administrators and researchers. The Archives also advises departments on the management and disposal of their records in compliance with administrative and legal requirements; as well, depositing offices are provided with reference service on records. The offices and departments of the University regularly transfer records to the Archives, where they are grouped according to their provenance and stored under conditions of controlled temperature and humidity. The Archives also preserves records of ordinary - and eccentric - activities at the University and acquires a wide range of material generated by teaching, research and campus social events. In addition it preserves the records of societies and institutions affiliated with the University as well as the papers of many staff members and alumni. The Archives records represent fairly accurately the extent and the range of the activities of this office. Because the first two University Archivists have played a leading role in the development of archives in Canada, these records also contain an important body of documentation on the Canadian and American archival scene. The private papers of A.D. Ridge are in M.G. 4031, and those of J.C.L. Andreassen in M.G. 1059.
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVISTS
1962-1968 Alan D. Ridge
1968-1977 J.C.L. Andreassen
1977- Marcel Caya
ACCESSION RECORDS, 1962-1981
Accession Files, 1962-date, 1.8 m (c.14-34)
These files contain all the documentation available on nearly every individual accession of archival material by the Archives. They are arranged by chronological order of accession.
Accession Registers, 1962-date, 2 vols, 6 cm
These books contain summary information relative to every accession of archival material since the establishment of the Archives in 1962.
RESEARCH RECORDS, 1962-1982
Researchers Register, 1962-1978, 3 vols, 6 cm (c.35)
Register consisting of signatures and addresses of visiting researchers.
Records of Inquiry, 1968-1982, 90 cm (c.36-c.40, c.44)
These consist of letters of inquiry on a variety of subjects relating to McGill and its past together with replies.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1962-1980
Desk Diaries and Calendars, 1962-1964, 1966-1969, 1972-1973, 8 vols, 30 cm (c.13)
These books contain information on the daily activities of University Archivists. They often reveal interesting background
details on the context of certain important accessions and events.
General Administrative Records, 1962-1980, 5 m (c.1-c.12, c.39-c.43) PARTS RESTRICTED
This series is made up of two sub-series of operational records of the Archives office. The first contains all the files maintained under the first classification system from 1962 to 1980. The second consists of files created since 1979 under a new classification system.
Correspondence, 1968-date, 30 cm (c.45)
Copies of outgoing correspondence.