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Historical Stand Off
Victoria University Northrop Frye Hall occupation underway this morning
Students, academics, supporters demand that United Church of Canada
Archives stay put
TORONTO - Nearly two months after the United Church of Canada/Victoria University Archives were closed to the public, a coalition of activists, students and academic researchers are set to occupy the offices of Victoria University President Paul Gooch to try and stop the valuable 108-year-old collection from being removed from its home in the Birge-Carnegie Library of Emmanuel College.
The offices are located on the Victoria University campus at 73 Queen's
Park Crescent in Northrop Frye Hall.
About 60 people are on hand to deliver the message to Gooch that the
archives should not be removed from the current location to a remote, rented
church office, away from the academic and research community that uses the
material.
After years of discussions with the University over the continuation of a
partnership agreement, the Church has announced that it will move its valuable
records from the University to its rented headquarters in Etobicoke. The
records of Victoria University are to remain where they are.
The move is a giant step backwards for the University and research
communities. Thousands of concerned individuals have signed an on-line
petition to preserve the records in their current location at 95 Charles
Street West.
The archives serves more than 3,000 researchers each year. Its primary
role is that of a research centre serving the public. Resources cover a wide
range of topics including the residential schools issue, environmental history
and social justice.
In addition to the role of the archives in the Arts and Science Program
of Victoria University, it is a vital resource for the educational and
research programs of the University's theological institution, Emmanuel
College.
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