Editing Library and Archives Canada (section)

====Modernization====
In June 2004, LAC issued a discussion paper titled ''Creating a New Kind of Knowledge Institution'';<ref>{{cite web|title=Creating a New Kind of Knowledge Institution|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/012012/f2/01-e.pdf|publisher=LAC|access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref> after consultation in June 2006, it issued ''LAC Directions for Change'', a document setting out five key directions to define the new institution, including being a new kind of knowledge institution; becoming a truly national institution, a collaborative institution that works to strengthen Canada's documentary heritage; a learning destination; and an institution in government information management.<ref>{{cite web|title=LAC Directions for Change|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/012016/f2/012016-1000-e.pdf|publisher=LAC|access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref>

LAC's modernization policy provides for transformation from an institution focused on the acquisition and preservation of analogue (non-digital) materials to one that excels in digital access and [[digital preservation]].<ref name=Mod>{{cite web|title=Modernization |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/about-us/modernization/Pages/default.aspx |publisher=LAC |access-date=May 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611165743/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/about-us/modernization/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=June 11, 2013 }}</ref> A Documentary Heritage Management Framework developed in 2009 seeks the right balance between resources dedicated to analogue and digital materials and is based on:
*three main business pillars: acquisition, preservation and resource discovery (''resource discovery'' includes description, discovery, access and services to the public)
*four guiding principles for fulfilling its documentary heritage mandate, i.e. significance, sufficiency, sustainability and society (broad social context)
*four key roles, i.e. foundation building (relationship building), collaboration, program (integrated collection management processes) and transfer (formal agreements with third parties to fulfill its legislated mandate).
Eight pilot research projects were initiated to validate the framework, including projects on military documentary heritage, aboriginal documentary heritage, and stewardship of newspapers in a digital age.<ref name=DHMF>{{cite web|title=Library and Archives Canada |url=http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/maf-crg/assessments-evaluations/2009/bal/bal-eng.asp |publisher=Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat |access-date=June 5, 2013 |date=2009 |quote=Under the guidance of the new Deputy Head, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has identified new strategic directions for the organization and implemented a change management agenda. More broadly, LAC continues to adapt to technological changes in dealing with its mandate to preserve and make available the documentary heritage of Canada. LAC has commenced a modernization initiative and has also established a "Documentary Heritage Management Framework" to meet the challenges of collecting and preserving information in an environment that is transitioning from analogue production to digital production. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603124540/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/maf-crg/assessments-evaluations/2009/bal/bal-eng.asp |archive-date=June 3, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Documentary Heritage Management Framework|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/modernization/012004-2010-e.html|publisher=LAC|access-date=June 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328154945/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/modernization/012004-2010-e.html|archive-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Levene |first=Mark |title=Documentary Heritage Development Framework |url=http://www.interpares.org/display_file.cfm?doc=aca-ubc_symposium_2010--levene_2-2.pdf |publisher=LAC |access-date=June 5, 2013 |date=2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703074415/http://www.interpares.org/display_file.cfm?doc=aca-ubc_symposium_2010--levene_2-2.pdf |archive-date=July 3, 2014 }}</ref> In March 2010 LAC issued its final report on Canadian Digital Information Strategy stakeholder consultations initiated in accordance with its mandate to facilitate co-operation among Canadian knowledge communities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Digital Information Strategy (CDIS): Final Report of consultations with stakeholder communities 2005 to 2008|url=http://datalib.library.ualberta.ca/data/CDIS_FinalReport_eng_REVISED_Final.pdf|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6M3NUTR2P?url=http://datalib.library.ualberta.ca/data/CDIS_FinalReport_eng_REVISED_Final.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 22, 2013|publisher=LAC|access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref> In the same month it issued ''Shaping Our Continuing Memory Collectively: A Representative Documentary Heritage'', a document which outlines how it plans to achieve its modernization objectives.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shaping Our Continuing Memory Collectively: A Representative Documentary Heritage|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/013/f2/013-449-e.pdf|publisher=LAC|access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref>

Despite LAC's stated objectives of continuing to fulfill its mandate by adapting to changes in the information environment and collaboration with others, the actual experience since 2004 has been a reduction in both services and collaboration.<ref name=Mod/><ref name=DHMF/><ref name=TSEd>{{cite news|title=Stephen Harper should appoint a pro to head Canada's library and archives: Editorial|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/05/21/stephen_harper_should_appoint_a_pro_to_head_canadas_library_and_archives_editorial.html|access-date=June 5, 2013|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=May 21, 2013|quote=Caron oversaw $10 million in budget cuts in recent years, laying off dozens of staff, eliminating grants to independent archives across the country and, most controversially, ending an interlibrary loan program that massively expanded the reach of the government collections.}}</ref> Federal funding cuts since 2004 have also impacted on LAC services and acquisitions.<ref name=Hall/><ref name=CobbMay3/><ref name=TSEd/><ref name=MooreNADP/><ref name=CobbJune10/> A detailed timeline of relevant developments and the decline in LAC services since 2004 has been compiled by the Ex Libris Association.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ex Libris Association Timeline on Library and Archives Canada Service Decline|url=https://www.exlibris.ca/doku.php?id=activities:archive:library-and-archives-canada-service-decline|publisher=Ex Libris Association|access-date=March 18, 2017}}</ref>