Myron Momryk, Polskie zbiory archiwalne w Bibliotece i Archiwum Kanady, w: Archeion, t. 107, wyd. NDAP, Warszawa 2004, ss. 377-390
"Myron M o m r y k , Polish archival materials in the Library and Archives Canada. From the earliest
years, the Public Archives of Canada (the predecessor of the National Archives of Canada and the
institution under the name of the Library and Archives Canada established in 2003) documented the
Canadian „nation-building” experience focused mainly on the political and constitutional history of
Canada. Since many of the colonial and post-colonial records had disappeared or were incomplete, the
Public Archives acquired two main categories of records: government records and private records.
In the 1960’s, there was a significant change in the Canadian policy — the federal policy of
multiculturalism was announced in 1967. In accordance with this policy, all Canadian cultures should
be considered as an integral whole. In 1972, the Public Archives of Canada established the National
Ethnic Archives Program to acquire archival material in the non-official languages from ethnic
communities. The Polish Archives Program was its integral part. In the late 1970’s, the National
Archivists of Canada addressed most Polish organisations and community leaders inviting them to
donate their records to the Public Archives. By 1987, there was a growing collection of Polish archival
fonds with a guide published in a bilingual format.
The historic events in 1989–1990 had a profound impact on the acquisition policy of the Polish
Archives Program. The Polish community in Canada had to reorient their goals and activities. Almost
all organisational activities were directed towards Poland and little attention was devoted to the
development of the community in Canada, and this concerned archival material as well. Acquisitions,
however, continue within the currently limited scope of the Polish Archives Program — also affected
by the relative decline in priority of the Canadian government policy of multiculturalism — mostly
focused on additions to existing fonds, as it is only rarely that new fonds are acquired. Activities are
also carried out related to the processing of archival material that has accumulated over the last three
decades."
Źródło: Archeion, t. 107
