The Recueil des règles de conservation des documents des établissements universitaires québécois and its English language translation, Records Retention Schedules for Quebec Academic Institutions reflect a series of collaborations aimed at promoting more efficient management of university-based records and record keeping systems.  Quebec university archivists have provided significant leadership in both archives and records management, bringing together their shared expertise as CREPUQ’s Sub-Committee of Archivists. The opportunity to share the advances made by Quebec universities was first proposed to English Canadian archivists by Guy Dinel (Division des archives, Université Laval) shortly after the publication of the Recueil.  The positive response to the possibility of additional collaboration from both CREPUQ and AUCC, as well as the interest of the archival profession (Association of Canadian Archivists) and their institutions (Canadian Council of Archives) was further evidence of a growing momentum toward interuniversity co-operation and collaboration particularly on the issue of better managing our growing information assets. 

As a guide to the maintenance of university records The Quebec Schedules provides critical advice to institutions in a time of increasingly complex and diverse record keeping.  As the management of university records attracts attention on the international level through the International Council of Archives Section on University Archives, we trust this translation, and the original French-language Recueil, will be recognized for their ground-breaking quality and originality.  We are confident that this collaboration and the approval of The Quebec Schedules by both the AUCC and CREPUQ represent a significant step for university record keeping.

We would like to recognize the work of the English-language editors, Johanne Pelletier (McGill University Archives) and Garron Wells (University of Toronto Archives) without whom the completion of this project would not have been possible.  Our thanks also to Claude Minotto (Université de Montréal), André Gareau (Université du Québec à Montréal), Robin Keirstead (University of Western Ontario), the CREPUQ Archivists’ Sub-Committee, and the Secretary Generals’ Committee for their input and support throughout the project.  The coordination of this effort was facilitated and supported by our own organizational staff, most significantly, Yvon Albert Laurendeau (CREPUQ), Rosemary Cavan (AUCC), and Roger Charland (CREPUQ’s webmaster).