Library and Archives Canada yesterday released its strategic plan to 2030.
Following two years of consultations, LAC said in a news release, “Vision 2030 is shaped by ideas and suggestions of over 1,500 Canadians, including our staff, users and partners.
“Vision 2030 will provide LAC with a framework that will enable it to better acquire, process, preserve and provide access to Canada’s documentary heritage.
“This vision will revolve around the statement Discover. Understand. Connect.”
Here are some highlights in the strategic plan:
Improving user’s experience
Vision 2030 looks at improving every aspect of the user’s experience, through a balance of online and in-person services. As Canadians look for more online content, LAC will grow along with them, simplifying access. They will establish an ongoing dialogue with users. They will also review their services on a regular basis, to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of their clients.
LAC’s new digital services will give all Canadians seamless access to research help, interactive content and digital collections, no matter where people live, as well as a variety of self-service options.
Vision 2030: Four key elements
1. Inviting users to discover the collections
2. Reflecting diverse voices
3. Engaging with the community, partnering with the world
4. Supporting our people, sustaining our heritage
A new delivery system for access to information and privacy requests (ATIP), using secure links, will allow LAC to respond to the high volume of requests more easily while still complying with relevant legislation. The system is expected to be in full operation by 2022–23.
The strategy will include many who have been left out in the past, such as racialized groups, linguistic minorities, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, refugees and immigrants, and people with disabilities. The strategy will be launched in 2022–23.
LAC will work actively with First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation within their communities as well, providing the tools and training that they need to preserve and access their collections, in their own way. This work has already begun, and will include targeted research services, increased digitization of Indigenous records, and access to cultural materials available in Indigenous languages.
The need for more online content was a constant theme throughout its consultations, and LAC will continue to actively acquire, manage, preserve, and make it available. The Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) is designed to enable LAC to manage and preserve all of its digital collections, and to make them available, by providing cloud-based preservation and access to collection materials.
LAC will make decisions about the choice of content to be digitized by working actively with users, and will speed up access to digital content by using new technologies.
The entire strategic plan is available on LAC’s website.
