Visiting the Archives
The Archives of Ontario has moved to a new purpose built facility located on the
grounds of York University. For hours of
operations and directions to our facility, click here. There is parking
on site and access to York campus is served by TTC and GO –Transit.
Ahead of a visit to our facility, it is important to know what your research
aims are, if the Archives has, or is likely to have the records you seeking, and
if you are going to need copies, particularly certified copies (for legal
purposes) of the records you have identified.
Most of the records managed by the Archives of Ontario are located in off-site
storage and only the most frequently requested records are located in our
facility. As a result, you must notify us of the off-site records (at least to the
carton number) you wish to see, a minimum of one day ahead of your planned visit
to our facility. This will ensure that the records you want are on-site when you
visit. Records that are located within our facility can be provided with a couple
of hours notice.
Ahead of your visit, we strongly recommend you consult this web site and check
our research guides, finding aids and databases (see sections 2-7) to determine
if you can directly identify the record you are seeking, or determine if we are
likely we have them. This web site has access to the same research tools we
have in our facility.
In the event you have a question about our records or customer services please
contact our Reference Desk at
reference@ontario.ca.
FAQs About Visiting Archives
How much time will it take to research at the Archives?
-
This depends on the scope and
nature of your research. Archival research can be exciting and challenging. It
can also be time consuming.
-
Archival records are more complex and difficult to
research than in a library, particularly as there is no
single subject index for the collection. As a result, if
your inquiry is complex or you are doing detailed
research you may well need more than one visit. Planning
ahead of your visit will significantly increase the
efficiency of your visit to us.
Registration
Those customers who wish to conduct research or consult any records in the Archives of Ontario’s (AO) collection must first obtain an Archives of Ontario Researcher (AOR) card. Unless revoked by the AO, this card is valid for a lifetime or as long as you are using the AOs services.
To obtain your AOR number prior to your visit, you will have to:
- Read and agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the AO contained in the User Agreement.
- Fill out the online form. You will receive your AOR number within 48 hours and can pick-up your card upon your next visit to the Archives.
To obtain your AOR card upon arrival at the Archives, you will have to:
- Go to the Reception Desk inside the main lobby of our facility.
- Show a government issued photo ID card (e.g. Drivers License, Passport etc.) Note that Health Cards will not be accepted for this purpose.
- Indicate to the Customer Service Representative that you have pre-registered.
Register as an Archives of Ontario Researcher If you are planning a visit to the archives for the first time, you are able to pre-register prior to your arrival.
Please note:
- You must show your Research Registration Card each time you visit the Archives and scan it each time you enter and leave our reading room. It is used to connect you to your orders.
- The Archives has a lounge. In order to protect the collection, food and drink are not permitted in the reading room and restricted to the lounge.
- For security purposes personal belongings including briefcases, purses, backpacks, folders, umbrellas, and outerwear such as overcoats and raincoats must be stored in the lockers located in the lounge. For a key to a locker, please contact the reception desk upon your arrival.
- Wallets, research notes, laptop computers, digital cameras and personal dictation machines may be taken into the reading room.
- Archival records are unique and irreplaceable. We have established guidelines to protect our province's documentary heritage for future generations. Please take a moment to read Reading Room Rules [ Word, PDF]
- There are no charges for access to any of the collection held by the Archives.
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What if I have special needs?
At the Archives of Ontario, ensuring that our
building, services and holdings are accessible for all
our visitors is important to us. We aim to create an
environment that makes you feel welcome.
We
provide full access to all our public areas; there is an
elevator to upper floors and the building is
wheelchair-friendly. We also have a range of facilities
in our reading room to help you with your research.
Please
contact us
before your visit if you have any questions about
accessibility
Ordering records from the Archives of
Ontario
Most records in our holdings are stored in an
off-site facility, so we recommend that you order
records in advance. Please note that:
- you do not need to order self-service microfilm
and DVDs, and you cannot reserve them in advance.
- records subject to an access restriction must be
requested in writing and will take longer to
retrieve; please e-mail
mailto:reference@ontario.ca or
speak to our staff for more information.
- records you wish to view on Tuesday or Thursday
evenings and on Saturdays must be ordered in
advance.
- records will be kept for you for a week, after
which time they will be re-filed if you have not
visited or contacted us.
Ordering in advance
You can request retrievals in advance:
- by e-mail (highly recommended), at
reference@ontario.ca. We suggest that you send your
request about a week in advance; please indicate the
date of your visit in the subject line of the e-mail.
- by phone at 416-327-1600 or 1-800-668-9933 (toll-free
in Ontario) or by fax at 416-327-1999 (6 files or boxes
or fewer), two days or more before the date of your
visit (five days for photographs, audio or video
records).
- by mail (please give enough time for the request to be
received and processed).
Please give us the following information for each
container or item:
- title.
- reference code (RG xx-xx, F xxx, C xxx).
- container number or barcode. That information appears
in the “How to order”, “Ordering information”, “Box” or
“Container” field in the Archives Descriptive Database
(ADD).
- accession or transfer number (if there is one provided
with the container or box number).
A few ordering tips:
- if the ADD mentions an inventory or file list
that is not online, please contact us, as we may be able
to send you inventories or lists in electronic or paper
format.
- if there are multiple entries with the same container
number or barcode, you need to order that container only
once.
- if you plan to be at the Archives for a number of
days, you can order the first records you’ll be
reviewing in advance, then order the rest once you have
arrived.
If you submit your order by e-mail, we will notify you
once the records have arrived. If you order by phone,
please let us know if you would like to be notified, and
how to notify you.
Ordering retrievals on-site
You can order retrievals while in the reading room by
using a records request slip. Our staff can help you
complete it
Requests submitted on site are processed on an hourly
basis. Retrieval times are 9:30, then every hour on the
half hour, with the last retrieval at 3:30 (4:30 on
Tuesday and Thursday). There are no retrievals on
Saturday.
On-site items are usually available 20 to 30 minutes
after the retrieval times. Records stored off-site are
usually available the next working day, and may be
available by mid-afternoon if ordered by mid-morning
(photographs and audio or video records in cold storage
take three to five days to retrieve).
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Microfilm in the Reading Room
Using Microfilm Readers and Making Copies
The Archives of Ontario has microfilmed important and
heavily-used records in order to preserve them and to provide
better access. Approximately 48,000 reels of microfilm are
available in the Rotunda (adjacent to the Reading Room) for
self-service use. You have direct self-serve access to
microfilmed records in the storage cabinets adjacent to the Rotunda. To
determine which microfilm reels you wish to use, please contact
Reference Archivist for directions.
Within the Rotunda are a range of microfilm and microfiche
readers. Some machines are also set up to make paper copies of
your records for you (for a nominal fee). Contact the
Circulation Desk for directions on both use of the reader
printers and direction on which machines are set up to print.
Major Archives of Ontario Collections on Microfilm include:
- Vital Statistics:
- Births: 1869 to 1914
- Deaths: 1869 to 1939
- Marriages: ca. 1780 to 1929 (pre-1869 records are very incomplete)
- Wills and Estate Files: c. 1790 to 1930 (dates will vary depending on the county).
- Newspapers: The Archives has microfilmed most of its newspaper holdings, including a large selection of older Ontario newspapers.
- Eaton's Mail-order Catalogues: 1884-1976
The Archives also provides access to some Library and Archives Canada microfilm including:
- Ontario Census Returns: 1842, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901
- Upper Canada Land Petitions: 1792-1867
- Ships Passenger Lists: 1865-1919
See our Register of Microfilm Collections from Other Institutions for a complete listing of the Archives' microfilm holdings from other institutions.
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Using Original Archival Records
In many cases, the records that you will be consulting at the
Archives of Ontario are original historical records. These
include paper files, bound volumes, photographic prints, maps
and plans, architectural drawings or audio tape. Many of these
records are fragile and almost all are unique and irreplaceable.
The preservation and security of these records is one of our
chief concerns.
The greatest threat to archival records is improper and
careless handling. To protect the province's documentary
heritage for future generations, we have established
Reading Room Rules [ Word PDF ]. Please
take a moment to read these guidelines before using the
Archives records.
Under no circumstances will original archival records be removed from the Archives of Ontario.
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Obtaining Copies of Archival Material
You can purchase hard copies of most archival material and
many can be provided to you in PDF format.
The Archives of Ontario can provide one copy of material in our holdings for research and private study when no restrictions apply. Any further copying or use of the material (for example publication) is subject to the restrictions imposed by the Copyright Act.
Researchers can make their own copies of documents by using a personal
digital camera in the Reading Room. Any other type of copying must be done
by a member of Staff. For details, please see Customer Service Guide 105: Reproduction Services and Fees [ Word PDF ]
.
In some cases copies cannot be made:
- The agreement with the donor of some private sector records may not allow copying.
- The records are too fragile or damaged to be copied.
- Access to the records is otherwise restricted because of legislation such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Mental Health Act, the Young Offenders Act etc.
Please note that for conservation reasons, photographs cannot be photocopied.
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What if I plan to publish copies of
archival material?
-
We can provide a copy of records for research and private study
under an exception of the Copyright Act (section 30.21). Any further copying
or use of the records by you (e.g. publication or use on a web site) is
subject to the restrictions imposed by the Copyright Act.
If you plan to use any of the reproductions you ordered from the Archives of Ontario beyond research or private study please refer to Customer Service Guide 108: Copyright and Your Research [ Word PDF ]
and submit a
Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form.
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How do I cite archival records in my publication?
- The correct citation of archival records is important both when
requesting them from the Archives and when referring to them in written or
published works. Correct citations will not only help us to locate the
records you are seeking, but will also help other researchers to find the
material you have used if they wish to examine it for themselves. Please
see Customer Service Guide 107: Citing Archival Records [ Word PDF ].
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Access to Some Material May be Restricted
Before making a visit to the Archives of Ontario, be aware that some records may not be immediately available for your use. Access to records may be restricted for the following reasons:
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
Some government records contain sensitive personal information or other confidential data. While everyone has a right to information held by the Ontario government, including your own personal information, the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act places some limits on this right. Please see our Customer Service Guide 109: Freedom of Information and The Protection of Privacy
[ Word PDF ] for more information on the Act and how it may affect your research.
Donor Agreements
Some private records have been donated to the Archives with certain conditions on access as part of the donation agreement. For example, some records may not be available until a number of years have passed or until a donor has died. However, most private records are open to the public. Any restrictions on them are explained in the description of the records.
Fragility of Records
In some cases, documents may be so fragile that they cannot be made available for research use. Generally, a copy of the document is available, sometimes in another format such as microfilm.
