Archival materials pertaining to the history of the Canadian Psychological Association and the history of Canadian psychology more generally, are contained at Library and Archives Canada (formerly the National Archives of Canada) located in Ottawa. Members of the Canadian Psychological Association, scholars and researchers are invited to consult these materials. 

In archival terminology, these materials comprise what is known as the “Canadian Psychological Association fonds” and consist of textual records and sound recordings from 1919 to 1984. The textual records include papers pertaining to: CPA’s constitution, by-laws and elections; committees; finances; meetings; membership; publications; conferences; reprints; and transcripts of the “Oral History of Psychology in Canada” series, and occupy some 15 metres of shelf space. The sound recordings consist of audio reels and cassettes of the “Oral History of Psychology in Canada” series and run about 214 hours in total.

Most of the materials that comprise the Canadian Psychological Association fonds are open - that is, they are available for consultation without any restrictions. There are some materials however, where access is restricted. Among the restricted materials, some are restricted for a certain period of time, others (e.g., the textual records and sound recordings of the “Oral History of Psychology in Canada” series) are restricted to researchers who have written permission from the CPA Historian.

The Canadian Psychological Association made its first donation of archival materials to Library and Archives Canada in 1972. Since then, it has made several additional donations, namely in 1974, 1978, 1980 and 1986.

A detailed description of the archival materials donated prior to 1986 is available by consulting what is known as the “Finding Aid” for the Canadian Psychological Association fonds. Prepared by Library and Archives Canada, the Finding Aid for the Canadian Psychological Association fonds delineates the contents of the fonds by volume and file. The Finding Aid is now available on the Association’s web site courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Detailed information concerning archival materials donated in 1986 is not available at this time. Nonetheless, a brief summary of what is known as the “Accession” of the Canadian Psychological Association fonds is available on the Association’s web site. Based on information made available by Library and Archives Canada, the “Accession summary” delineates the contents of the Accession by volume.

Archival materials pertaining to the Canadian Psychological Association from 1986 to the present are either currently in use or in storage at the Association’s Head Office awaiting processing. It is hoped that materials no longer in use will be processed and donated to Library and Archives Canada in the near future where they will be further processed. An announcement will be made to CPA members when these materials become available for research purposes.

Fonds: A French term, a fonds refers to all the material created and/or accumulated, used and retained by a person, family or an organization in the course of normal, day-to-day activities.

Canadian Psychological Association Fonds: Refers to all material created and/or accumulated, used and retained by the CPA in the course of its normal day-to-day activities.

The Call Number for the Canadian Psychological Association fonds is: 
MG 28 I 161

Finding Aid: Provides a detailed description of the contents of a fonds. It is an essential reference tool for determining what materials are avaliable and in facilitating retrieval.

Finding Aid for the Canadian Psychological Association fonds: Contains a detailed description of the materials contained in the fonds by volume and file.

The Call Number for the Finding Aid for the Canadian Psychological Association fonds is: 843

The Call Number for the Accession of the Canadian Psychological Association fonds is: MG 28 I 161, 1986-0317