Thursday Morning, October 2 — Multiple Locations

Pre-Conference Workshops:

Shared Reading Workshop
10:30-12:00 – Halifax Central Library, Room 301 (3rd floor)
Instructor: Dr. Alison Brown, Department of Information Science, Dalhousie University

Interpretive Planning with Confidence
9:30-12:00 – Museum of Natural History, Project Room (basement level)
Instructor: Elizabeth Todd-Doyle, Know History

TBA
Location: Nova Scotia Archives, Akins Room (main level)
Instructor: TBA

Thursday Afternoon, October 2 — Halifax Central Library

Welcome & Opening Remarks
1:30-2:00, Paul O’Regan Hall

Session 1: Opening Keynote Presentation
2:00–3:00, Paul O’Regan Hall

Presentation Title, Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada

Leslie Weir is the Librarian and Archivist of Canada, leading Library and Archives Canada since August 2019. Leslie is overseeing LAC’s work on Reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation and the implementation of Vision 2030 with a focus on transformation of service and IT infrastructure, as LAC looks forward to the upcoming move of its public services into Ādisōke in 2026, in partnership with the Ottawa Public Library, all in support of achieving LAC’s mandate with a focus on people and access.

As University Librarian at the University of Ottawa, Leslie played important roles in many transformative moments at the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and in research libraries and archives in Canada. Leslie served as President of Canadiana.org, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Ontario Library Association. She is currently a member of the FAN (Forum of National Archivists) Steering Committee, Vice-Chair of CDNL (Conference of Directors of National Libraries) and President-Elect of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations), taking on the role of IFLA President in August 2025.

Refreshment Break
3:00–3:30, Paul O’Regan Hall

Session 2A: Heritage at Risk
3:30–4:45, Paul O’Regan Hall

Archaeology, Climate Change and You: Sites, Stewardship and Identifying Climate Threats in Nova Scotia
Andrea Richardson, Cape Sable Historical Society

Andrea Richardson is the Climate Change Adaptation Coordinator for Nova Scotia’s Archaeology Sector. Her work is funded through the Nova Scotia Climate Plan for Clean Growth, on a multi-year grant administered through the Cape Sable Historical Society. Andrea has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Geography from Saint Mary’s University, and a Master of Arts in Archaeology at the University of Calgary. She has more than 25 years of experience as an archaeologist in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, and research interests in ceramics and in the impacts of climate change on archaeological sites.

Working Towards Sustainable Heritage: Traditional Skills in Action
Dale Jarvis, Department of Folklore, Memorial University

Folklorist and author Dale Jarvis is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Folklore, Memorial University, and the Executive Director of Heritage NL, helping communities to safeguard living heritage and historic places. Dale has been working for Heritage NL since 1996, and holds a BSc in Anthropology/Archaeology from Trent University, and a MA in Folklore from Memorial University. He has served on the UNESCO Consultative Body to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and is a 2023 Laureate of the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming. He regularly teaches workshops on oral history, cultural documentation, and public folklore.

Juno Beach Centre: A Case Study in Sustainable Tourism
Sal Falk, Juno Beach Centre

Sal Falk is the Outreach and Interpretation Coordinator for the Juno Beach Centre Association. She is a project manager with diverse experience in the fields of history, conservation and community engagement. After working for Veterans Affairs Canada in the European Commemorations Division, she developed a passion for sharing Veterans’ stories with audiences around the world. Sal’s experience in curating and creating exhibitions has enabled her to further develop her storytelling skills. In her spare time, she runs the Lunenburg Barnacle in Nova Scotia, a print publication that serves an information desert with local journalism and engaging community content.

Session 2B: Building Connections through Digital Outreach
3:30–4:45, Paul O’Regan Hall

Beyond Burnside: Halifax Municipal Archives’ Scan-A-Thons Bring Archival Acquisition to Communities
Elena Cremonese and Jennifer MacDougall, Halifax Municipal Archives

Elena Cremonese is an archivist at the Halifax Municipal Archives. She has a BA in History and Gender & Women’s Studies, and a Masters of Gender and Feminist Studies. Since she began working at the Municipal Archives in 2019, she has focused on reference services and the development and implementation of social media, training, and outreach events.

Jennifer MacDougall is an assistant archivist at Halifax Municipal Archives, where she has worked since 2023. She holds a Master of Information Studies, with a concentration in archives, from McGill University.

Kings Hants Heritage Connection: Showcasing Heritage through Social Media
Margrete Kristiansen, Prescott House Museum, and Sarah Atkinson, Acadia University Archives and Special Collections

Margrete Kristiansen is the Senior Heritage Interpreter at Prescott House Museum. And she has been a member of the KHHC since 2008. With over 20 years experience in Heritage, she still enjoys collaborating with fellow heritage organizations and like-minded individuals and sharing the stories and history of Nova scotia to anyone who will listen!

Sarah Atkinson is the Archives and Special Collections Assistant at Acadia University. She enjoys
providing reference services, coordinating their social media pages, and collaborating on outreach
projects and programs. She received her BA (Hons) in History from Acadia University in 2016, and
her Library and Information Technology Diploma from NSCC in 2023.

Acadia College 1852: How a 173-Year-Old Tragedy Unfolded in Real Time
Wendy Robicheau, Acadia University Archives

Wendy G. Robicheau has been an Archivist at Acadia University since 2005. She also chairs the Kings-Hants Heritage Connection, which is a locally-based, heritage group. Her archival work focus is on classroom instruction and public engagement. Robicheau’s research is rooted in the Annapolis Valley and especially the University. She has published two historical fiction novellas. The first one is called Hidden in Plane Sight (2024). The second one is called Founded in Tragedy (2025).

Session 2C: Teaching, Learning, and Community Engagement

Patti Bannister, Nova Scotia Archives
Nick Drane, Army Museum Halifax
Karen Geddes-Selig, South Shore Public Library

Special Event:

6:00-7:30 — Opening Reception, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 1675 Lower Water Street
Join us in the beautiful Small Craft Gallery of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on Halifax’s waterfront.

Friday Morning, October 3 — Halifax Central Library

8:30-9:30 — Registration and Refreshments
Rear Entrance to Paul O’Regan Hall (see map)

Keynote Session:

9:30-10:30 — Session 3: Keynote Presentation (Paul O’Regan Hall, main floor)
Details coming soon!

10:30-11:00 — Refreshment Break, Paul O’Regan Hall

Concurrent Sessions:

11:00-12:00 — Session 4A: Community‑Engaged Storytelling (Paul O’Regan Hall, main floor)
Dr. Ligoure Project: Preserving the Legacy of Halifax’s First African Nova Scotian Physician
Russell Grosse, Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia
Shawn Smith, Loyalist Connections Creative Society
Juanita Peters*, Africville Museum
Karin Kierstead, Association of Nova Scotia Museums
Emilie Surette, Association of Nova Scotia Museums

11:00-12:00 — Session 4B: From Campus to Careers in LAMs (BMO Community Room, 2nd floor)
– Citizenship through Service and LAMNS: Building Capacity and Connections with NSCC Library and Information Technology Program Students, Kristina Parlee and Bruce Ross, Nova Scotia Community College
– Clifton Museum Park Site Visit Reflection: Experiential Learning in Dalhousie’s Master of Information Program, Sandi Stewart, PhD Candidate, Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick, and Sessional Instructor, Dalhousie University University; and Sandra Toze, Department of Information Science, Dalhousie University

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