Collaboration: Library and Archives Canada & University of Ottawa Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the University of Ottawa will collaborate in several key areas over the next five years to share expertise, knowledge and technology as well as support research and outreach initiatives.
This unique agreement—the first of its kind signed with a Canadian university—was announced today by Librarian and Archivist of Canada Guy Berthiaume, University of Ottawa President Allan Rock and University Librarian Leslie Weir.
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I’m extremely pleased that Library and Archives Canada has shown a willingness to work together by signing this first memorandum of understanding with the University. And I’m doubly happy it’s with the University of Ottawa,” says Berthiaume. “The innovation and the skill level at the Library and the University’s School of Information Studies are well known across the country. I’m convinced this new partnership will position both our institutions at the cutting edge in library and archival sciences.”
“Being a bilingual, research-intensive university makes us a natural fit with Library and Archives Canada,” says Rock. “Our researchers and graduate students will enjoy greater access to the LAC’s wealth of indispensable resources and staff to support their research efforts—especially in the social sciences and humanities.”
As an example of the collaborations to be made possible by this partnership, LAC will work with students and staff at the University, providing advice and expertise to ensure the preservation of one of the University of Ottawa Library’s oldest and rarest books—Platonis Opera, a collection of Plato’s works, published in 1517.
A coordination committee composed of four members from the University and four from LAC will recommend and evaluate possible projects to collaborate on.
Filed under: Academic Libraries, Archives and Special Collections, Libraries, Preservation, Resources, School Libraries
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.