• What is an Archives?
• How does and archives differ from a museum?
• How is the archival material stored & cared for?
• Who may use the archives?
• Can researchers make copies of archival documents & photographs?
• When can I visit the Archives?
• What is archival and non-archival material?
• Can family or business records be donated to the archives?
• Can I research my home or property at the archives?

"Archives are vital to the success of our knowledge-based economy and are the cornerstone of our democratic society. From city planning, to land claims, to climate studies, archival documents are evidence from the past that can help shape our future."

Lara Wilson U.Vic. archivist
Times Colonist, Jan. 3, 2008

• What is meant by “heritage”?
• How is “heritage" determined?
• Does heritage only include the protection of houses?
• Does heritage end at World War II?
• Why does Oak Bay have a Heritage Committee and a Heritage Foundation?
• What help exists to preserve a property in Oak Bay?
• What properties are most threatened in Oak Bay?

“A civilization is a heritage of beliefs, customs, and knowledge slowly accumulated in the course of centuries, elements difficult at times to justify by logic, but justifying themselves as paths when they lead somewhere, since they open up for man his inner distance.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery