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September 1995, vol. 27, no. 9
by Rolande Blair,
Director General, Information Resource Management
Since its foundation early in 1994, Information Resource Management (IRM) has been future-oriented (see "Speaking from...Information Resource Management", National Library News, vol. 26, nos. 8-9, August-September 1994, pp. 2-3). It was created as a focal point for the development of policies and strategies within the National Library for its management of key information resources such as collections, databases and government information access and dissemination. As part of the Library's new matrix organization, IRM's primary role is as a facilitator, initiator and coordinator of corporate input to information resources policy development.
It is work that touches many areas and involves us in a number of exciting programs. We have participated in several major initiatives this year, and they have involved work on:
IRM has responsibility for four port-folios: management of federal government holdings; collections development policy; preservation policy and planning; and database policy and planning.
Management of Government Information Holdings
In relation to improving access to government information, we developed a user-driven system for locating and disseminating government information in both electronic and print formats. This model is now being considered by Treasury Board for government-wide adoption. Like other branches of the Library, IRM has also been heavily involved in the Library's gopher server and World Wide Web (WWW) development, particularly in making government information available on the Internet. We respond to requests received by the Library under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. As well, we complete library-related questionnaires and participate in numerous working groups and committees with government partners who are involved in developing and managing information and access mechanisms in this electronic age. As one example, IRM was involved in evaluat-ing bids for a federal/provincial/territorial study of online access to information on government services. Considering this one portfolio alone, it is apparent that the work of IRM touches many areas.
Collections Development Policy and Planning
On the collections side, this year we have concentrated much energy on the electronic environment. The Electronic Publications Pilot Project (EPPP) is a good example. We have mounted 25 Canadian online publications on a World Wide Web server and are examining issues such as acquisition, processing and service provision for electronic publications. Many of these issues are proving to be quite complex. Preservation, ownership, copyright, management and access have altered nuances when documents appear in electronic format only and readers can easily change them. A report on the pilot project will be available soon.
IRM is part of a team working with Industry Canada to test and assess the effectiveness, including costing, of disseminating scholarly publications via the Internet. In addition, we are re-examining the Library's collections development guidelines to take into account the sharpened focus on Canadiana, the impact of recent budget cuts, and the new electronic formats. This is all part of establishing strategic directions to ensure access to information and protection of electronic documents.
Preservation Policy and Planning
But I do not want to give the impression that IRM is so future-oriented that it does not deal with policies involving materials in traditional formats. Policies for developing collections and preserving printed matter are very much within our bailiwick. We are, for instance, coordinating a major research project to determine the effects of lignin on the permanence of paper. Lignin is known to discolour paper, but industry has long held that it does not affect its longevity. Through this two-year cooperative research project among industry and cul-tural agencies, we are seeking a definitive answer. The result could be a significant increase in the number of papers that can be classed as permanent and, therefore, a change in international standards for paper permanence.
The National Library is currently carrying out a major review of its collections space. Collections are now so badly crowded that, in one area, we even have items shelved in a non-functioning washroom. It should be possible to compare the data collected from this survey to the data from the condition survey of the collections undertaken in 1989 and obtain a correlation between increased space constraint and potential increase in damage as a result of overcrowding.
The National Library recently obtained resources from Treasury Board for replacing or conserving items damaged in three major water incidents. It is anticipated that the project will take a full year to complete. There has been little docu-mentation about disaster recovery operations in the past. Given the great complexity of effecting such a large project touching most branches and functions in the Library, we hope to be able to share our experiences and the lessons learned with others.
Database Policy and Planning
The position for this responsibility has been staffed. Some of the objectives will be to evaluate the need for policy in the areas of database development, loading priorities, partitioning, corporate information architectures, and mainstreaming electronic publications, including the creation of a registry and repository for electronic information and full-text management.
Conclusion
This year, our work has focussed on initiatives involving government information holdings and library preservation because these are the areas that are fully staffed. Within a few months, the selection of staff for the collections development policy and planning position will have been completed and our work in this area will expand proportionately. For all of us, the concentration will remain on helping to shape effective corporate policies for the Library in a future of electronic expansion and budgetary restraint.
Copyright. The National Library of Canada. (Revised: 1995-10-31).