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National Library News
November 1998
Vol. 30, no. 11
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An Active Presence for 25 years
by Louis Cabral,
Director General,
Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation
The Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation (ASTED) has decided on this slogan to highlight its 25th year of existence. It also represents an entire plan of action of a program defined by its dynamism and driven by a thirst for achievement that is characteristic of ASTED.
ASTED celebrated its official November 1 anniversary in a special way as part of a joint conference with the Association du personnel des services documentaires scolaires (APSDS) in Montréal, November 4-7, 1998. This was not a casual meeting; it underscored our partnership and willingness to work with members of other professions in all documentation and information sectors.
I am sure you agree that ASTED seems young when compared with the 52 years that the Canadian Library Association (CLA), our sister association in the anglophone community, has been in existence. ASTED owes its beginning to the Association canadienne des bibliothécaires de langue française (ACBLF), from which it inherited its identity. If we consider their joint tradition, a part of the francophone library community since 1943, ASTED can boast 55 years of service to French documentation and information professionals.
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In the early 1970s, prompted by such factors as the creation of college-level training courses on documentation techniques and the increasing needs of institutional document management, the ACBLF pondered its future direction. Consequently, as of November 1, 1973, following the recommendations of the Brault report 1, which completely overhauled the association's objectives, a new vision was created for the association. Henceforth, the information sciences perspective became the association's primary concern and the place for library and documentation centre staff members within the organization was clarified. We define information sciences as a "point of convergence between different disciplines..." 2
To justify the new focus, the Brault report points to the necessity of looking at things differently and bringing about new growth.
Throughout our report, we believed it was necessary to mention these information centres because it is obvious they require qualified staff and staff members who are specially trained in new work methods. This personnel, we think, could favourably join the ranks of our Association. As with librarians and documentation experts, they can adopt the goals and objectives that we propose. 3
Since its establishment, ASTED has set guidelines, goals and objectives to justify its existence and define its framework of activities. ASTED is an association that pursues general goals in the field of documentation and information. Its objectives are:
- to promote excellence in services and library and documentation and information centres staff;
- to influence legislation and promote the interests of libraries, documentation centres and information centres with appropriate governments;
- to play a leading role in library science as well as in the science and technology of documentation and information, within North American Francophonie.
It is important to place ASTED in the Canadian panorama of documentary and information centres. ASTED has worked for 25 years to promote documentary establishments and the people who work in them. Since 1973, ASTED has continued to further the development of library science and information sciences. It pays special attention to the French presence, including the publication of work tools, school text books and tests in various documentation sectors.
ASTED is, above all, a meeting place for close to 700 collective and individual members; the hub of a network of documentary information specialists in Quebec and the entire Canadian francophone community. This nucleus of participants, whose energy is channelled by its board of directors, is a dynamic group primarily concerned with the influence of information sciences and documentation. It is important to note that ASTED's membership is drawn from a variety of work environments (directors, department heads, librarians, documentation experts and technicians, archivists, etc.). Through their actions and participation in the ASTED network, the members have helped breathe life into the association and broaden its influence.
ASTED offers an opportunity for group efforts, since it works with various partners on major current issues in the field of documentation and information. Joint actions undertaken by ASTED and such major institutions as the National Library of Canada, the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information promote the development of libraries and documentation centres.
Since October 1997, ASTED has committed itself (at the suggestion of our colleague Benoit Ferland, director general of the Hawkesbury Public Library) to developing closer ties with francophone associations across the country. This cooperative consideration of issues among francophone associations has been applauded by Quebec's Ministry of Culture, as noted in a recently published policy. 4
The regrouping of French-speaking associations has given rise to a number of productive exchanges. In a few months, we plan to hold a training seminar and to discuss the expectations of all associations involved.
In addition to promoting the interests of the library community, ASTED helps to demonstrate the value of documentary information to contemporary society. Its participation on numerous parliamentary and senate committees, at summits and public consultations clearly demonstrates the pertinence of its existence and the critical value of its viewpoint.
The establishment of specific working committees, some formed by ASTED, provides forums for many discussions -- on information technologies, copyright, postal rates, statistics and service evaluations and resource sharing. Through such forums, the association can draw on the knowledge of its wide network.
ASTED is also active in information dissemination and communication. Information development on our Web site is an excellent example. Annual conferences on specific themes, which include some 40 workshops and conferences, symposiums and training days, offer a variety of ways of disseminating information. The conferences and activities energize participants and are an excellent source of continuing education. The implementation of the Quebec Information Sources collection, aimed at specialized directory publishing, and of the Turn-key collection, aimed at publishing practical works and useful guides to members of various sectors of the profession, serves a similar purpose. In short, ASTED plays a fundamental role in the production of extremely useful reference works and work tools in the documentary area.
The publication of the magazine Documentation et bibliothèques speaks eloquently of the development of library science in both the province of Quebec and the whole of Canada. The magazine is generally recognized as an information product of considerable intellectual quality. In 1977, the American Library Association recognized its quality by naming it the winner of the Library Periodical Award. It "constitutes an important link to promote the advancement of the scientific and technological aspects of documentation. It seems to us that the magazine is the most visible sign of the association's vitality." 5
All these activities are in line with developing an international outlook. Therefore, in 1982, ASTED hosted IFLA's 48th general conference, which took networks as its main theme. The event was a resounding success not only because of the massive involvement of participants but also because of the cooperation of numerous documentary associations. This resulted in an exceptional synergy directed towards ensuring the success of this international conference.
Most recently, ASTED collaborated with the National Library of Canada, the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec in the publication of the 21st French edition of the document Dewey Decimal Classification, thereby setting a precedent in the preparation of work tools adapted to the francophone reality. Along similar lines, the French-language version of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) was published in 1990. This document-processing tool is widely used by libraries in francophone Canadian communities.
ASTED is not celebrating its 25th anniversary alone. It is using the occasion to honour an individual from the field of information and documentation, whose exceptional career has helped to shape ASTED's 25 years of existence. The individual, chosen by popular vote at the ASTED/APSDS joint conference in November, is being awarded the title of "ASTED's 25th Anniversary VIP" and presented with a work of art to commemorate the special event. In this way, we are making the occasion even more special. (At press time, the winner had not been announced.)
ASTED's past clearly illustrates the wealth of its achievements and the necessity of adjusting to changing information sciences trends. ASTED/APSDS's joint conference this year is intended as a time to reflect on professional opportunities in the documentary information field in the current labour market and on readying ourselves for possible future alliances.
ASTED's actions, values and ethical sense transcend difficulties and troublesome periods. As an association, it has established its approach to the professional development of French-speaking information and documentation specialists nationwide.
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Notes
1 Rapport de la Commission de révision des objectifs et des structures, chaired by Mr. Jean-Rémi Brault, Montréal: ACBLF, 1972, 96 p.
2 Ibid. p. 15.
3 Ibid. p. 15.
4 Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. Le temps de lire, un art de vivre, Reading and books policy, Québec, p. 36, 1998.
5 Brault, Jean-Rémi, "Editorial", Documentation et bibliothèques, vol. 38, no. 4, October-December 1992, p. 179.
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