Library and Archives Canada is in crisis. There have been many reports about the massive cutbacks and the decimation of our National Heritage.
Our National Family Record Keeper is a bureaucrat and not a librarian or archivist. A bureaucrat is the member of the family who tosses all the paper and photographs from a family member’s estate into the garbage because they don’t understand what they have in their possession.
The Harper government has no concern about public opinion. They have been given their mandate with the majority government and now they are going to do what they want. It is fairly typical of any majority government.
There have been cut backs before for Library and Archives Canada but this time there seems to be a blatant disregard for the preservation of our Nation’s history.
In five years we will be celebrating Canada’s sesquicentennial and there is a project called “Canada 150” to help preserve the stories of families, communities, associations, churches and any number of other entities in this country.
Where are people going to do their research for these projects if they do not have access to Library and Archives Canada? The records are not all held locally.
Local archives, museums and libraries are in difficulty because of the cutbacks. Some will probably end up closing their doors. If they do where do their collections end up? Will the collections be able to go to Library and Archives Canada? Will they have the personnel and expertise to deal with the influx of material?
While attending a lecture this weekend the presenter said something rather prophetic. He said that not even our children’s children will see everything digitized and online in their lifetime. We still have a need for libraries, archives, museums and historical societies to preserve and protect our historical data.
If Library and Archives Canada is only to preserve the information relating to the Government of Canada and not for the people of Canada then it needs to be renamed Library and Archives for the Government of Canada.
Please let your voice be heard.
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Save Library & Archives Canada
Send a Letter to Help Save Library & Archives Canada
Daniel Caron letter in Canada’s History Magazine
Saving Library and Archives Canada
The Wrecking of Canada’s Library and Archives
Cutbacks At Library And Archives Canada
Saskatchewan Archives cuts
Nanaimo archives in crisis after feds cut grants
Cuts to Canadian archives suit the Harper Tories in more ways than one
The Bibliographical Society of Canada has recently sent a letter to all Canadian MPs that poses the question:
Do the latest round of cuts at LAC place the institution in a position where it can no longer meet its legislated obligations under the Library and Archives Canada Act? Please feel free to share the link with your readers.
http://www.bsc-sbc.ca/en/letter.pdf