Inside the Archives: Digitizing 6 Million Day School Records
Guest post by:
Brianne Boucher, Lead Archivist, Day Schools Project, Library and Archives Canada
Beth Greenhorn, Manager, Day Schools Project, Library and Archives Canada
https://doi.org/10.82389/e79e-y632
Understanding Federal Indian Day Schools Records at Library and Archives Canada
The federal government funded and operated a network of Indian Day Schools across Canada. Located in every province and territory except Newfoundland and Labrador, these schools formed part of a broader colonial education system designed to assimilate First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation children into Euro-Canadian society. An estimated 200,000 Indigenous children attended Day Schools, with many schools operating from the late nineteenth century into the 1990s.
Unlike Indian Residential Schools, children attending Day Schools generally returned home at the end of the school day. However, this distinction did not shield students from harm. Day School students were subjected to similar forms of cultural assimilation, systemic racism, neglect, and, in many cases, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. The impacts of these experiences continue to affect individuals, families, and communities today. For Survivors, their families, and researchers, archival records related to Day Schools are essential for uncovering these histories and their ongoing legacies.
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds thousands of records documenting the administration and operation of the Federal Indian Day Schools system. Created primarily by the former Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and its predecessors, these records span more than a century and include textual files, photographs, architectural plans, maps, and other media. Produced for administrative purposes, they reflect a colonial bureaucratic worldview shaped by government categories, terminology, and perspectives that often obscure or depersonalize the lived experiences behind them. Historically, the records have been difficult to navigate, particularly for those seeking information about specific schools, communities, or individuals.
The Day Schools Project: improving discoverability
The Day Schools Project (DSP) ran from 2022 to February 2026. The project’s mandate was to digitize, describe, and significantly improve the discoverability of up to six million pages of archival material related to the Federal Indian Day Schools system and its legacy.
Before the project began, the majority of records relating to Day Schools were searchable at an accession level where there was only a brief description of the file contents. The finding aids had to be consulted if they had not yet been imported into the public database, so not everything was searchable by keyword.
The DSP team undertook the task of creating enhanced file-level descriptions for tens of thousands of files. These descriptions were designed to help Survivors and researchers better understand the contents of each file before requesting access. They include the types of documents within a file, the Indigenous communities and school locations, the names of schools and related institutions, and whether student or staff names were mentioned. The team also identified and described specialized media, including photographs, maps, and architectural plans. This information is now fully searchable by keyword and media format.
In addition to creating enhanced file-level descriptions, the team imported finding aids that were previously not searchable by keyword. This resulted in an additional 300,000 file-level entries. To further support access, they corrected and updated finding aids in LAC’s database. This involved verifying file information, including titles and dates. These updates provide a clearer and more accurate picture of the files related to Day Schools.
Source: Library and Archives Canada/Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds/e011078102, MIKAN 4673878
Navigating restricted records
While some of the Day Schools related records are open to the public (Code 90) and viewable in LAC’s online database, the majority of them are restricted by law under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (Code 32). This is due to the fact that they contain personal information. Access to them can be requested through an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request, submitted via LAC's website.
The enhanced descriptions enable clients to better assess a file’s relevance before initiating an ATIP request, ultimately saving time and narrowing the scope of their requests.
Research tools
Recognizing that discoverability and access is facilitated by enhanced descriptions, the DSP developed research tools to support clients. These include the DSP Overview and Research Guide available on LAC’s website, which explain the historical context of the records, how they were created, how to search for them, and how to submit an ATIP request.
Additionally, the team wrote Documents of a Colonial System: Day Schools Records at Library and Archives Canada, an eBook that situates the records within the broader history of federal Indigenous education policy. Together, these tools help Survivors, their families, and researchers navigate complex archival records.
Looking ahead
While the DSP formally concluded in February 2026, its impacts extend well beyond the life of the initiative. By enhancing file-level descriptions, improving finding aids, and developing research tools, the project has improved how Day School records are discovered. As a result, the DSP has contributed to more transparent, researcher-centred archival description.
Editor's note: Learn more about the Day Schools Project at the 2026 CRKN Virtual Conference on May 12–14! View the program and register today.
Brianne Boucher
Brianne Boucher is Lead Archivist on the Day Schools Project at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), where she works to increase the discoverability of records for Survivors of the Federal Indian Day School system. She began her archival career at LAC in 2014, working on the Document Disclosure Project for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Since then, she has worked with LAC’s Research Support team, contributing to the development of Indigenous Reference Services and working directly with clients and Indigenous communities to support their research and enable them to connect with the records.
Beth Greenhorn (https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5780-6967)
Beth Greenhorn is Manager on the Day Schools Project at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), where she leads initiatives to improve access to records for Survivors of the Federal Indian Day School system. With over twenty-five years of experience in archives, museums, and public history, she has led nationally recognized projects at the intersection of Indigenous histories, archival practice, and community engagement. From 2003 to 2017, she managed Project Naming, an award-winning initiative partnering with Indigenous communities to identify individuals in archival photographs. She co-edited Atiqput: Inuit Oral History and Project Naming (McGill-Queen’s, 2022), winner of the 2023 Clio Prize.