Citing Archival Sources

Researchers should take note of the material they are using for their research so it can be easily retrieved by Archives staff at a later date.

Records must be cited in footnotes, bibliographies and in research notes, even if publication is not intended. When taking notes from archival sources, it is important to identify clearly the specific document(s) used–:

Footnote format:

name of archives, name of fonds (i.e., creator of the record), name of record series (if relevant), name of subseries (if relevant), fonds number / series number / subseries number, location number-box number-file number, page number (as relevant), document description.

Footnote example:

            The Salvation Army Archives Canada and Bermuda Territory, Methodist Church (Canada) Missionary Society fonds, Correspondence of the General Secretaries, Correspondence of T.E. Egerton Shore, fonds 14/2/5, 1978.093C-box 2-file 6, T.H. Jones to T.E. Egerton Shore, 1908 August 20.         

Where microfilm of materials owned by this Archives has been substituted for originals, as a protective conservation measure, the citation should be the same as that of the original document — but with the reel number added after location-box-file number (eg. microfilm reel 3).

Footnote example with microfilm:

            The Salvation Army Archives Canada and Bermuda Territory, Methodist Church (Canada) Missionary Society fonds, Correspondence of the General Secretaries, Correspondence of T.E. Egerton Shore, fonds 14/2/5, 1978.093C-box 2-file 6, microfilm reel 3, T.H. Jones to T.E. Egerton Shore, 1908 August 20.


When listing primary sources used in a bibliography, a shorter citation is all that is required.

Bibliographic citation format:

name of archives, name of fonds (i.e., creator of the record), name of series, name of subseries, (if relevant), fonds number / series number / subseries number.

Bibliographic citation example:

            The Salvation Army Archives Canada and Bermuda Territory, Methodist Church (Canada) Missionary Society fonds, Correspondence of the General Secretaries, Correspondence of T.E. Egerton Shore, Fonds 14/2/5.


Citation format for photographs:

location number/item number title of photograph / statement of responsibility, date of creation.

Example of citation for photographs:

            1991.110P/1 Children at Council, Sudbury, Ontario / Wolf Kutnahorsky, Berkeley Studio, 1986. The Salvation Army Archives Canada and Bermuda Territory.

In all cases: If there is no fonds number, please use location number.