Core Curriculum

The Council of Nova Scotia Archives offers six basic courses in archival training, which are given at member sites around the province. These workshops are presented by the Archives Advisor with the exception of the Introduction to Preservation, which is presented by a professional conservator.

Additional workshops on special archival topics are offered throughout the year as well as at the CNSA's Annual Spring Conference Please see the schedule for a summary of upcoming workshops.

Please click on workshop title for more information and prerequisites.

1. Introduction to Archives
2. Introduction to Preservation
3. Acquisition, Appraisal and Accessioning
4. Arrangement and Description
5. Intro to the Rules for Archival Description (RAD)
6. Access and Reference

To register for a workshop, fill out a Registration Form [MS Word] or [RTF] and send it complete with your payment to the CNSA Office.

Hosting a workshop

Workshops are scheduled throughout the year by the Education and Outreach Archivist. Core-level workshops cost $100 per-participant (except for the Introduction to Archives workshop which is $50 per participant) and the hosting institution receives a free registration, provided they supply the coffee breaks (normally one each morning and afternoon of the 2 day workshop) for all participants. Host institutions also provide the room, tables, chairs and if necessary, a large viewing screen. CNSA provides all hand-outs, training materials and presentation equipment.

If you would like to volunteer your site to host a workshop or if you would like to suggest a special workshop topic, please contact the CNSA Office or the Education Committee Chair.

Certificate Program

To obtain an Archival Certificate of Completion, participants are required to attend all of the six workshops in the core curriculum. Prior to each workshop, participants will receive a pre-workshop reading, and at the conclusion of each workshop, participants will be asked to complete an assignment. After having attended all core workshops, and passing all six assignments, participants will receive the CNSA’s Archival Certificate of Completion.