Backgrounder
The Provincial Archives was established in 1967 in the former Bonar Law Bennett Library building on the University of New Brunswick campus.
The Provincial Archives houses millions of textual records including correspondence, reports, registers, of government and individuals, institutions and corporations who have played a part in the history of New Brunswick, as well as priceless maps, architectural drawings, photographs, and films.
These records are used annually by over 20,000 researchers who are students, professionals, members of the public and public servants for such purposes as proof of obligations, rights and entitlements, background for government programs, educational research, development of cultural products and personal interest such as genealogical information.
The
original archives on the UNB campus has been housing less than 25 per
cent of current archival holdings. The other 75 per cent have been stored
offsite in warehouse space in the Fredericton Industrial Park where other
semi-active records of government departments are also stored.
Inside the Provincial Archives. (Large photo.)
This storage did not meet required standards of temperature, humidity, or the fire risk for stable, long-term storage. In addition, based on projections, the offsite storage would have been filled within 2 years necessitating the allocation of additional space for storage of both archival records and semi-active records.
The new storage facility will solve space needs by providing storage for all holdings of archival records, and by releasing space in the offsite warehouse for semi-active records. The original storage area on the UNB campus is being converted to public research and display areas, work areas and public washrooms providing barrier-free facilities.
In addition to the storage of paper records, there is adequate storage for film and microfilm records that have even more stringent storage requirements. Storage in inadequate conditions for the last 15 years has caused record deterioration. The new facilities will reduce costly restoration work and avoid irretrievable record loss.
The storage facility is attached to the existing Archives Building, which government owns, and which is located on land on a 99-year lease from UNB with 67 years remaining. It can provide 4,950 cu. m. (55,000 cu. ft.) of high-density storage and about 315 sq. m. (3,500 sq. ft.) of service space dedicated to preservation of permanently valuable records. Existing holdings will fill about 2,430 cu. m. (27,000 cu. ft.) of the storage immediately.
The storage facility was designed to stringent engineering specifications to support 30-foot high shelving, which will provide maximum cost efficient storage and strict climate control to prolong the life expectancy of archival material. Fellows & Company Limited, Architects were engaged to prepare the design. The project contractor was Springhill Construction Ltd. Cost of the project was about $5 million.