Leddy Library archivist Sarah Glassford has been honoured with the 2023 Emerging Leader Award from the Archives Association of Ontario.

Created in 2018, the award recognizes early-career archivists whose work and service demonstrate consistent growth, leadership, and promise to the archives profession in Ontario.

Dr. Glassford joined the Leddy Library, where she oversees the University Archives as well as Leddy Library’s Archives and Special Collections, in 2019. In addition to her role in stewarding university and community archival collections and rare books, she is also the liaison librarian for history and goes above and beyond to demonstrate her commitment to teaching archival literacy and promoting archives to students.

“Dr. Glassford makes tremendous effort to advocate for the role of the archives and to ensure our campus is engaged with the library’s archival collections,” said University librarian Selinda Berg. “She provides unique practicum placements for students, offers tours and presentations of collections and archival space, and gets involved with the Windsor-Essex County community through events, research projects, public talks, and media interviews.”

She recently partnered with Leddy Library’s Centre for Digital Scholarship and the Essex County Black Historical Research Society to co-supervise graduate student Willow Key, who researched and curated an exploration of Windsor’s McDougall Street neighbourhood in the “We Were Here: Documenting the McDougall Street Corridor” digital exhibit.

In addition, she is also collaborating with the Windsor-Essex Rainbow Alliance to produce a “Queer Life in Southwestern Ontario” digital exhibit which highlights LGBTQ+ history in Windsor-Essex and surrounding areas.

Glassford’s collaborative work, archival advocacy, professional service, mentoring of future professionals, and outreach initiatives are just a few of the accomplishments that have contributed to this recognition.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Glassford as part of our Leddy Library team and we are eager to see the tremendous impact her work will have for the archival profession for years to come,” added Dr. Berg. “Please join us in congratulating Dr. Glassford on this achievement.”

More information on the Archives Association of Ontario and its awards is available on the association’s website.

—Marcie Demmans