Athabasca Archives
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Athabasca Public Library and Archives during the renovation of the Stucco School. AA01285

Local Archives History

40th Anniversary Edition

 In 1975, Athabasca Town Council decided that the town needed an archives. This decision was implemented as the Public Library was moved from the old Provincial Building into its current location in the Brick School complex. This took a bit to organize as the Archives itself did not open until the next year. While this was not when the Public Library started to store historic documents, (as that happened as early as 1957), the actual decision was probably a formalization process instead of trying to start something new. The Archives was the third largest archives in Alberta not in a major city, only being beat by Wetaskiwin and Red Deer. Since then, many other towns have joined in on having their very own archives. 
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Barbara Parker, Athabasca River, ND
Athabasca Archives Art Collection

This painting, by local artist Barbara Parker, was presented to Alice Donahue by the Athabasca Local of the Alberta Teachers Association in 1972 when she retired. It was then donated to the Athabasca Public Library and Archives which was named for her after her death in 1988. Mrs. Donahue was secretary of the Library Board since 1946 and secretary of the Athabasca Archives Committee since 1975.

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The first official donation to the Archives is the minute book of the Athabasca section of the Edmonton Automobile and Good Roads Association from 1924. It was archived as 85.01 and was recorded with unknown for both donor and date of donation. A large chunk of the early donations were collected as research for the Athabasca Historical Society’s Town of Athabasca 75th Anniversary project, “Athabasca Landing: An Illustrated History.” 
Town of Athabasca's 75th Anniversary parade float, 1986.
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These were by far not the only things that got donated over the last 45 years. For example the children's book and stuffed toy bear named Basky, created by Athabasca Heritage Society Chair Dorothy Lane, as a fund raiser for the society. There are many paintings created by local artists, some of whom were members of the Athabasca Art Club.
Basky the Bear

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The archives has textual records, homestead records, newspapers, photographs, maps, and local artifacts. The newspapers are in several formats, including microfilm, and physical newspapers are archived by year in boxes from the year 1909 to now. All the microfilm, which also includes the homestead records, is backed up off-site in the vault at the Town of Athabasca building. The textual and audio/video records are stored in fireproof filing cabinets, and the artifacts, artwork, and ceramics are displayed in the foyer and on the walls of the archives. The art collection is shared with the public library.
The first printing press at Athabasca Landing with a facsimile of the first newspaper printed November 28, 1908 

The holdings are recorded and accessed through a variety of paper-based finding aids stored in binders, which include, but are not limited to, Fonds Level Descriptions and Inventories, Index, Donor Index, Artifacts Inventory, and Reference Library Inventory. Digitization of the paper-based records was completed in 2025. Some records can also be searched through the Archive Society of Alberta’s Alberta on Record  and the Athabasca University digitization portal. Athabasca Archives is a member of the Archives Society of Alberta (ASA). 
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A dog team with the Union Hotel in the background, C.1914.
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The Archives is primarily staffed by volunteers; however, the archivist is a part-time paid position that was originally held by Eileen Hendy when she was hired in 1988. She had previously been running the archive as a volunteer, and she was already a part of the Athabasca Historical Society. It was not uncommon for the historical society members to also be on the library board; for example, Frank Falconer, Robert Tannas, and Alice Donahue were on both. The archivist is an employee of the Alice B. Donahue Library and Archives Board. The original library board was created in 1946 after Eric Hodgson held a meeting of representatives of various community organizations to create the library itself. The original board members were Mrs. E. B. Nordon, Mrs. L.S. Willey, Mrs. C. Donahue, Mrs. A. J Gorman, Douglas Hay, and W.E. Hodgeson (local school division superintendent). The only ex officio member was R.F. Falconer, who was mayor at the time. This service is funded by grants from the Town of Athabasca, Athabasca County, and by donations. 
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This bag, which was owned by Dr. Wright, was given by Dr. Josephine Brown to the Athabasca Players as a theatre prop. It was then donated to the Archives.

The Alice B. Donahue Library and Archives has been the name of the public library since 1988, but before that it was the Athabasca and District Public Library (1946-1966), the Athabasca Municipal Library (1966-1980), and the Athabasca Municipal Library and Archives (1980-1988). The location of the library itself has moved several times, starting in the town hall, then the Community Centre, and then the former provincial building, which was demolished in 1978. The Library was then moved into the stucco school part of the Brick School complex. It did have a more recent proposed move in 2015; into the new high school building, but that was shot down by many people due to the location of the new high school and the Archives. For the patrons of the library the problem with the proposal was that the location of the new high school is relatively inaccessible unless you have access to a vehicle of some sort, and for members of the board, it was the problem of the archives; the school wanted to split the archives and the library up, as they were only willing to put a library in the junior high/ high school. 
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A truck stuck in the mud on Hwy2 between Athabasca and Clyde, 1956.
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The mission statement is: The Alice B. Donahue Library and Archives provides library and information services, archival services, and materials to further the educational, recreational, and cultural needs of residents of the Town of Athabasca and Athabasca County, and to preserve the heritage of Athabasca and the region. The objectives are serving the community as a centre of reliable information, establishing, maintaining and preserving, in an organized collection, regional items of educational, cultural, and recreational nature, and supporting the educational, civic, and cultural activities of community groups and organizations. It also provides opportunity and encouragement for continuous education to all people in the community, provides such services to meet identified needs, seeks continually to identify community needs, and cooperates with other groups who provide programs or services to meet community needs. This means that every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 5:30 or by appointment, the archive is open to the public to help with whatever research needs people have, and if the volunteers cannot help, they will know who has the information. The entrance to the archives is on the east side of the library building, also known as just farther down the road from the theatre doors. 
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Denis Jacobs
SS Athabasca Car Wash Mural, proof, 2006.


Laura Wentworth, 2025
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