Diocesan Archivist Melanie Wallace shows off new shelving at the new archives facility at the Vancouver School of Theology
Parishes will soon again be able to send archival records to the new Diocesan Archives facility located off the basement of the Vancouver School of Theology which was opened late in January.

After nearly five years of planning and construction, the diocese, along with VST and the United Church, has a new 8,000 square foot purpose-built archives facility that should serve for several decades. It cost about $1.3 million.

The archives has been in temporary quarters since 2003, and the 3,000 plus boxes of records were divided between four off-site storage locations including space generously made available by St. Mary's Kerrisdale.

In mid-November the archives was finally able to begin moving the first of these boxes into the new space.  With the help of VST students and a professional moving company, the boxes were set up on new shelving space in three separate phases over three weeks.

The archives were closed to researchers during most of January in order to unpack and organize the records in time for the opening.

For the first time, all of the church archivists will have their own offices. They will share a staff room/kitchen area.

The archives will more easily be able to mentor students of the Archival Studies Program at the nearby University of British Columbia. This is a relationship that has been ongoing for several years. However it  was put on hold while the archives was in temporary space.

The Anglican archives will be accepting materials by deanery.  Parishes should keep an eye on Parish Mail for more details.