In Our Collection

How the Collection is Developed

• Introduction
• Overview
• Preservation
• How the Collection is Developed
• How to Contribute Materials to LAC

The nature of Library and Archives Canada's (LAC's) mandate "to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage" of Canada is outlined in the Library and Archives of Canada Act [http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/L-7.7/249401.html]. The general power given to the institution to "acquire publications and records or obtain the care, custody or control of them" is supported by more specific powers relating to sampling the Internet, the legal (that is, required by law) deposit of publications, and control of the disposition of the records of the Government of Canada. In addition to these legally-mandated methods, material is also acquired by purchase, donation, exchanges, and special arrangements and partnerships. These methods are described in more detail in the Appendix to the Collection Development Framework (2005). That document is LAC's basic policy statement regarding how it implements its collecting mandate. It also identifies specific areas of collecting priority for the period 2005-2010. Given the increasing importance of digital materials, LAC has also developed a Digital Collection Development Policy (2006), which provides specific guidance to staff for the acquisition of materials in digital form.

Further Information: Legal Deposit www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/6/25/index-e.html

Further Information: Metadata Framework for Resource Discovery www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/cataloguing-standards/index-e.html