Canadian Heritage Information Network’s mandate
For more than 40 years, the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) has been connecting museums with Canadians. It is a special operating agency of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
A national centre of expertise, CHIN enables Canada's museums to connect with each other and their audiences through the use of digital technologies.
CHIN performs research on how museums can best approach issues of collections management, digital technologies, intellectual property and standards. It applies its knowledge base to provide heritage professionals and volunteers with training, both online and in person.
Learn more about the history of the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN).
What CHIN does
Working with heritage institutions across Canada, CHIN makes it possible for Canada's heritage professionals and volunteers to:
Interact and learn with colleagues through the Canadian Heritage Information Network
CHIN provides an online space for heritage workers to learn, share and collaborate. Shaped by its collaborative research activities, CHIN's skill development resources cover topics such as intellectual property, standards, collections management and digitization.
Explore and share collection records through Artefacts Canada
Canada's national inventory of museum objects, Artefacts Canada is a vital research and reference resource for heritage professionals. It contains more than four million records, including images.
Work together
In partnership with organizations in Canada and abroad, CHIN conducts and publishes primary and applied research. This research enables CHIN and the heritage community to better understand and manage issues and developments relating to heritage digital content. It also allows them to adopt standards and best practices related to digital technology, such as:
- digital preservation;
- sustainable business models for museums in a digital environment;
- intellectual property management; and
- in-house policy development.
Skills and career development
CHIN develops and provides skill development products and services for heritage professionals and volunteers.
These activities strengthen the Canadian heritage community's ability to create, present, manage and preserve digital content.
Online skills development
CHIN provides online skills development products free of charge. These resources include:
- standards documents;
- online courses on image digitization, collections management systems and other topics;
- bibliographies, data dictionaries and reference databases;
- reports and studies, including publications on intellectual property and collections management; and
- best practices.
In-person skills development
CHIN also provides skill development services, including:
- presentations at professional gatherings across Canada;
- practical, hands-on workshops; and
- one-on-one guidance that meets the specific needs of individual member institutions.