The Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections (CTASC) are located in room 305 on the third floor of the Scott Library on the Keele campus.
• Access is by appointment only and appointments must be made in advance.
• Appointments are usually available from Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
• Researchers must complete a virtual registration form provided by Archives and Special Collections and submit it by email prior to their first visit.
• Researchers must submit a list of up to six items to be examined during their initial visit. Additional material can be retrieved during visits based on staff availability.
• Researchers are welcome to use digital cameras to take images of our holdings for their personal use and private study.
• Face masks are no longer required to be worn on campus, but we strongly encourage researchers to continue wearing them to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
• Please contact us at archives@yorku.ca to make an appointment to use our holdings.
We are closed for the York University holiday period
This research guide was originally developed in 2005 by Carolyn Caseñas, Adjunct Archivist, Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, Scott Library, York University and Katherine Kalsbeek, Librarian, Rare Books and Special Collections, University of British Columbia. It has subsequently been revised and developed by Anna St.Onge and Julia Holland.
Welcome to York University's guide on conducting archival research. This guide will introduce you to the archival resources held by the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections (ASC) and methodologies needed to successfully complete your papers and assignments.
The Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections is managed by a small team of dedicated archivists, an archives technician and York University undergraduate students.
Michael Moir is Associate Archivist (on sabbatical; retirement 01 July 2025)
Michael Moir began his career as an archivist in 1982, and served as Records Manager/Archivist for the Toronto Harbour Commissioners from 1984 to 1995. He was appointed Manager of Archival Services by the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, and became the Director, Corporate Records Systems and City Archivist for the new City of Toronto in 1998. Michael joined York University in July 2004, and taught a course on “Specialized Archives” at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information in 2005 and 2006. His research interests include the history of Canadian shipbuilding, and port and harbour management in Canada during the 19th and 20th centuries.
He served as President of The Champlain Society from 2004 to 2010. When not attending meetings or filing old paper or electronic files, Michael serves as Pipe Major of the Scarborough Pipes and Drums and the Pipes and Drums of 32 Service Battalion, a Canadian Army Reserve Unit.
For more information regarding Moir's research interests and teaching, see his faculty profile.
Katrina Cohen-Palacios joined the team in January 2017 as an Adjunct Archivist and effective 01 July 2019 as an Archivist - having previously gained experience at the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services, Library and Archives Canada, and the National Ballet of Canada Archives. She has a B.A. History (specialization public history) from Concordia University, a Masters of Information, and a Masters of Museum Studies form the University of Toronto. Katrina is on leave until January 2026
Jennifer Grant is an Archivist. Jennifer holds a MISt from the University of Toronto with a specialization in archival studies and an MA in English from York University. Since graduating in 2008, Jennifer has worked concurrently as both a part-time archivist with CTASC and also as an assistant archivist in the Corporate Records and Archives department of the Law Society of Ontario. As a result she brings an enviable breadth and depth of professional archival experience and knowledge of archivy to the team. Her research interests include the management of born-digital records and issues concerning personal papers in archives. We welcomed her full-time 23 October 2018!
Julia Holland joined the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections in 2007, having previously worked almost eight years with the United Church of Canada / Victoria University Archives in Toronto. A graduate of Archives Technician Program at Algonquin College, and the University of Toronto's iSchool Master of Information Studies Program, she draws her extensive experience gained through previous positions in community, municipal, health, religious and academic archives in Ontario. She was the Host Committee Chair for the 2019 Association of Canadian Archivists Conference, and has volunteered with the Toronto Area Archivists Group (taag) and was the Program Chair for the 2017 Archives Association of Ontario conference.
Taylor Tryburski joined the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections in December 2021 as the Special Collections Cataloguing Assistant. Taylor holds a B.A in Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Medieval Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Masters of Information from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Book History & Print Culture. Her previous experience includes working with the special collections at the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies at Victoria University and cataloguing rare books for St. Michael’s College.
Anna St.Onge is currently Interim Head, Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections (1 July 2024 - 1July 2026). She holds a B.A. in History and Celtic Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Information Studies degree from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Archival Studies and Book History & Print Culture. Her research interests focus on censorship, popular culture, issues of privacy, silence, trauma and disclosure in the archival papers of individuals.
Support staff
The Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections works in collaboration with other departments in York University Libraries to ensure the preservation, description and cataloguing of our holdings. We are also assisted by a part-time archivist who assists in the processing of back-logged accessions. In addition our reading room is staffed by York University undergraduate student assistants. Job opportunities for students will be posted at the main library job site.
Related subjects guides of interest
