LHI names new archivist

by James Morgan

EDMONTON – A historical transition has taken place at the Lutheran Historical Institute (LHI). After 21 years as Executive Director and Archivist of the Edmonton-based organization, Karen Baron has retired. Concordia University College of Alberta History Professor Dr. Grant Grams is the new Executive Director of LHI.

LHI acquires and preserves the historical records of Lutheran Church–Canada, LCC’s Alberta-British Columbia District, Concordia University College of Alberta, Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton), Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada, Lutheran Layman’s League of Canada, and Lutheran Association of Missionary Pilots, along with personal papers of synodical officers, pastors, professors, and laypersons. These records date back to 1892, while LHI’s Special Collections library contains materials regarding the history of Lutheranism in North America dating back to the 1500’s. In total, LHI’s collection is appraised at approximately one million dollars in value.

Dr. Grams credits Karen Baron, along with East District Archivist Carol Nagel and Central District Archivist Maxine Holm, for bringing professional and consistent preservation and cataloging methods to the archives. Baron also had the support of longtime volunteers Marlene Schmidt, Muriel Threinen, and Trevor Baron. “Without their dedication and sacrifice the archival collection would never have reached the level of professionalism it has reached today,” says Dr. Grams, noting that LHI is now recognized as a professional institution and has been part of many professional and national initiatives.

“I will oversee the archival program and move it forward within the 21^st century,” says Dr. Grams of his role at LHI. His experience as a historian includes previous working as a part-time archivist and volunteer for LHI. As an academic, he has over 25 publications related to various aspects of immigration and church organizations in Canada. He earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Saskatchewan, a Master of Arts degree at Albert Ludwig’s University, Freiburg University in Germany, and a PhD at Phillips University in Marburg Germany. He also completed postdoctoral work at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Challenges Dr. Grams says he will face in his leadership of LHI include maintaining a budget and staffing levels that best serve the institution, and meeting the challenges of acquiring and preserving historical records that are increasingly digital.

Individuals or congregations can also support LHI by purchasing a membership. For more information on the Lutheran Historical Institute, its activities, collection, and facilities, go to: www.lccarchives.com. To contact Dr. Grams, email archivist@lccarchives.com or forward mail to:

Dr. Grant W. Grams
The Lutheran Historical Institute
7100 Ada Boulevard
Edmonton, Alberta  T5B 4E4

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James Morgan is a writer and former broadcaster living in Gatineau, Quebec where he is completing a Ph.D in History at the University of Ottawa. His home congregation is Trinity Lutheran near Gowanstown, Ontario, and he also worships at the Lutheran Tri-Parish of Western Quebec.

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