Positioning the National Library of Canada in the Digital Environment: Strategic Directions

1. Vision

The National Library of Canada will be a leader in the application of digital technologies to library services and will be the richest resource of Canadian information published in electronic format now and in the future.

The National Library will take a lead role in enabling Canadians to access information in the digital environment in order to support and contribute to the development of a knowledge-based society for Canada and to document, preserve and promote the Canadian experience published in digital formats. To this end, the National Library will collaborate with libraries and other public institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and the private sector.

The National Library will actively build its electronic collection and will vigorously promote a diverse digital program that will focus on Canadian information resources of lasting cultural and research value. The program will combine provision of full-texts of Canadian publications with provision of a variety of access tools enabling Canadians and others interested in Canada to find the information they seek.

The National Library will actively participate at the international level in advancing the use of digital technologies in libraries and will collaborate with partners to achieve this end.

2. Government Policy Context

In line with its objective to enable Canadians to know their country and themselves through their published heritage, and to provide an effective gateway to national and international sources of information, the National Library's strategy addresses both access and content in the action areas of the government agenda for Connecting Canadians.

The strategic directions of the National Library are consistent with the strategy of the Government of Canada to make Canada a world leader in developing and using an advanced information infrastructure to achieve our social and economic goals in the knowledge economy.

The National Library's strategy also supports the strategies of the Canadian Heritage Portfolio to:

• Connect Canadians with each other and with our heritage
• Ensure a more cohesive approach to the care and management of Canada's heritage
• Encourage exploration and exploitation of new technologies

The National Library is a key federal player in implementing these programs in collaboration with the network of public, academic and special libraries with which it is associated.

3. Policy and Organization

3.1 Policy Context

3.2 Functional approach

Ongoing activities related to collection development, cataloguing, collection management, and provision of client services vis-à-vis electronic information resources are mainstreamed to the extent possible. However, certain areas of the National Library may dedicate staff resources from time to time to handle specialized activities such as digitization projects or research related to such projects.

4. Collection, Preservation, Access

A networked electronic publication is a digitally encoded information resource made available to the public through a communication network.

The National Library builds its electronic collection by acquiring networked electronic publications; linking to such items; digitizing materials; and electronic publishing.

4.1 Building the Collection

4.1.1 Acquiring

The National Library endeavours to comprehensively acquire original¹ Canadiana networked electronic publications of Canadian origin and published abroad which meet criteria developed to assure the acquisition of publications of lasting cultural and research value. Within this framework, priorities may be set to reflect available resources.

The National Library selectively collects Canadiana networked electronic publications released in both networked and other media formats where appropriate to complement or enhance Canadiana collections in other formats.

The National Library selectively acquires non-Canadiana networked publications in the Library's areas of emphasis (Canadian literature, Canadian history and society, and music in Canada) and to support library services in Canada.

The definitions of Canadiana, including creator and subject, and the Canadiana Collection Guidelines outlined in the Collection Management Policy (1990) apply to the collection of networked electronic publications.

4.1.2 Linking to Networked Electronic Publications

4.1.3 Digitizing

The National Library undertakes an active digitization program that focuses on Canadiana. In doing this, the Library enhances access to retrospective Canadian content and broadens the range of materials available electronically.

The National Library selectively acquires electronic versions of material which has been digitized on demand from its collections, obtaining the necessary copyright permissions .

4.1.4 Electronic Publishing

The National Library's electronic publishing program results in networked electronic publications that advance knowledge of Canada's published heritage; facilitate access to its collections, services and programs; support resource sharing; and contribute to library development nationally and internationally. The results of the program are incorporated in the Library's electronic collection.

4.2 Preservation

The National Library takes preservation measures to ensure the longevity and accessibility of its electronic collection.

The National Library endeavours to preserve the content, the functionality and the presentation of all Canadiana networked electronic publications acquired for its collection. Priority is given to the preservation of content.

The National Library encourages and participates in preservation research in support of these goals.

4.3 Access to Collections

All networked electronic publications collected by the National Library are accessible to both on-site and off-site users. However, it is recognized that there may be restrictions on access to some materials from time to time.

The National Library provides access to its electronic information resources in such a way that intellectual property rights are respected as required by Canadian law.

Networked electronic publications are organized and indexed to enhance their accessibility.

Bibliographic access to networked electronic publications acquired for National Library collections is provided through the AMICUS database and associated products. Canadian networked electronic publications are included in Canada's national bibliography, Canadiana, as per criteria established for other formats. Bibliographic access to electronic publications which are only made accessible by means of linking may be provided by other methods.

The National Library enhances access to publications which it digitizes by using various forms of metadata in addition to bibliographic data.

5. Services

The National Library delivers its range of services electronically, in both official languages. Included in this suite of services are reference and referral, information provision, bibliographic services, resource sharing, and liaison and public programming. Services are developed in consultation with user communities.

As it pursues innovations in its services, the National Library will increasingly call upon electronic networking to link it with a varied and geographically diverse clientele. To be within reach of all Canadians and those with an interest in studying Canada - in the classroom, in the home, in other libraries, and in the workplace - is the goal of library service in the digital environment. Having reached those users, the Library will improve the immediacy and responsiveness of its services through embracing more interactive technologies.

The National Library uses digital technologies and digital information resources to provide an effective gateway to national and international sources of information, thereby facilitating the equitable sharing of information resources while maintaining the rights of privacy for all Canadian citizens.

The National Library uses its Web site to provide specifically Web-related services aimed at organizing and facilitating access to Canadian information on the Web.

On-demand digitization of material in the National Library collections is provided where appropriate, on the condition that the requester has obtained the necessary copyright permissions in writing and pays any applicable National Library fees.

6. Technology Infrastructure and Standards

6.1 Infrastructure

The Technical Strategy for library services in a digital environment is consistent with the National Library Information Technology Strategy which is to maintain an integrated internal computing environment which reduces system complexity and maximizes efficiency in systems administration, operation, maintenance and development. Distribution and/or integration of functionality on dissimilar systems is addressed on a case-by-case basis.

6.2 Standards

Technical standards are consistent with those in the current information technology architecture. The National Library strives to adopt standards and best practices within the National Library technical architecture that are consistent with national and international best practices in order to meet user needs and ensure interoperability.

The National Library works with publishers to foster publishing in standard formats and use of standard identifiers so that publications can be cited, transferred and preserved for long-term access.

7. Human and Financial Resources

The National Library is committed to moving ahead in developing its digital program (see Appendix B: Summary of Current Digital Library Activities). To that end, human and financial resources will be dedicated to continue to make progress in digital activities.

7.1 Human Resources

Increasingly staff throughout the organization deal with digital documents and services in carrying out their duties.

Training is provided for all staff to develop relevant competencies.

Continuous learning to keep up with new digital trends and technologies is encouraged, consistent with the National Library's leadership role in the application of these technologies to library services. Staff share their knowledge and expertise with colleagues and associated professions in the information economy around the world.

Where necessary, staff with specific expertise are recruited to meet new organizational needs.

7.2 Financial Resources

The growth and maintenance of the electronic information resources held by the National Library requires a solid financial foundation. To help support the Library's digital agenda, partnerships and agreements with other institutions, both governmental and commercial, are actively pursued so that the financial burden of developing, acquiring, and preserving digital resources can be managed successfully.

8. Promotion

Emphasis is placed on promoting the National Library's electronic collection and its digital activities so that the services, achievements, and the leadership role of the Library, and the Canadian published heritage in all formats become better known to a larger public, both in Canada and abroad. This promotional effort serves to maximize the exposure of the Library's electronic information resources and aids in the solicitation of new partnerships and co-operative digital activities with other players in the digital arena.