“Canadian Libraries and Museums Prepare for Natural Disasters, Digital Threats”

From The Canadian Press (via Hamilton Phoenix):

As Brazil mourns the loss of irreplaceable artifacts after a fire ravaged the collection at its national museum, Canadian archivists say some of this country’s heritage treasures could also be at risk.
Cara Krmpotich, director of the University of Toronto’s museum studies program, said dangers like earthquakes, flooding, and forest fires have made emergency preparedness a priority for Canada’s archival spaces, but funding for infrastructure canlip] be hard to come by.
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Krmpotich said the tragic loss is a too-late reminder of the value artifacts have in storytelling, memory and identity.
“We often ask about, what is the value of culture and the arts in moments of economic crisis,” said Krmpotich.
“I think this event has shown us that actually, when they’re not there, we really feel it. That’s what we know what their value is and how important they are.”

Read the Complete Article (approx. 800 words)

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