Library and Archives Canada: 2011-2012 Report on Plans and Priorities
From Section One of the Report:
LAC and similar memory institutions in Canada, such as archives and libraries, are asking hard questions about what documentary heritage we should acquire, preserve and make available—not just for present-day users but for people in 50 or 100 years who want to understand the Canada of today. LAC and other memory institutions are questioning how, with limited resources, to get the best results possible from rapidly expanding sources of information. We are asking each other how our traditional roles and relationships can become more effective and efficient through collaboration.
In December 2010, LAC publicly announced a shift towards digital services transforming itself, the country’s leading memory institution, into a fully engaged digital organization. LAC will provide most of its services online by taking a multi-faceted approach: adapting services and transforming business processes to make access easier, and increasing online content by switching to digital formats.
Furthermore, as mentioned in Shaping our Continuing Memory Collectively, pursuing a modernized approach to acquiring, preserving and making accessible Canada’s continuing memory requires working collaboratively with others. This is fundamental to LAC‘s vision, a message which was promoted through its participation in various meetings and conferences. To build support for such a vision, LAC has begun consulting broadly with the various communities. For example, in autumn 2010 LAC organized an Academic Forum and a Stakeholder Forum. These have informed and will continue to inform forthcoming plans and actions. They will specifically guide a set of 12 Modernization Innovation Initiatives (MIIs) that LAC is pursuing to achieve concrete results in the areas of greatest importance to LAC and its stakeholders.
We are reshaping and adjusting our commitments in line with the directions set out by Modernization. One of the core shifts is to develop a new approach to make it easier for Canadians to find what they are looking for within our collection.
Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
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