What the heck is in

a hospital archive?

The JGH Archives Collection

By Linda Lei, MLIS, Archivist/Librarian, JGH Archivesat the Association of Jewish Libraries' 46th Annual Convention

June 20, 2011dlei@jgh.mcgill.ca

Agenda Misunderstanding of a hospital archive Hospital archive vs. Medical records Meanings behind the JGH Archives Nature of the JGH Archives Highlights of the holdings What services do we provide? Digitization Vision

Misunderstanding of a Hospital Archive

Medical Records Department at the JGH, 1980s.

Medical archive?

Hospital archive?

Medical records?

Hospital Archive vs. Medical Records

Mandate Who are the users? Preservation & retention schedule Publicity

Meanings Behind the JGH Archives Unique reasons for building a Jewish Hospital in

the 1930s From a mainly community hospital into a world-

class university teaching hospital and research center

Preserving and making the 76-year history accessible to the staff and the public

One of the capital campaign billboards, Phillips Square, Montreal, 1929.

Jewish General Hospital, 1930s. Jewish General Hospital, 2009.

Nature of the JGH Archives The JGH Archives, subsidized by the JGH Health

Sciences Library and staffed by two part-time archivists, preserves the institutional memory of the Hospital dating from early 20th C-present

Contains 40 linear feet of archival materials: textual materials graphic materials

And artefacts and audiovisual

Examples of the JGH Archives collection

Highlights of the Holdings Original pledge and children’s brick cards from

1929 Establishment of the Hospital (1910s–30s,

predominantly 1929–1934) Construction collection illustrates the expansion

of the JGH building over the past 76 years Herzl Family Practice Centre (1912-2001,

predominantly 1970s) School of Nursing (1951-1972) Auxiliary of the JGH (1937–2003, predominantly

1930s–80s)

What services do we provide? Reference questions Support departmental and hospital-wide

publicity activities Exhibits (physical & digital) Appraisal advice

Digitization jgh.ca/archives jgh.ca/en/archivesedupro

Vision: ongoing projects & plans Ongoing digitization More outreach and publicity Involved in decision-making process

regarding document life cycle Collaboration with fellow archivists by

participating in professional events

THANK YOU!