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December 1995, vol. 27, no. 12
by Marianne Scott, National Librarian
Although 1995 has not generally been a good-news year, it has certainly been a period full of interesting developments that have stretched our resources and tested our ingenuity. The year began with the completion of a detailed program review required of all federal government departments and agencies. National Library staff had spent most of the previous summer examining program activities with a view to sustaining as much as possible of what is central to the Library’s mandate and mission, despite current and future budget cuts of 20 or 30 percent. We face, and are still facing, extraordinarily difficult decisions. We have been forced to reduce and even terminate certain programs. To continue playing a meaningful role in a rapidly changing environment, the National Library also has to change, adapt, innovate, and address new challenges.
One signal of that kind of change is the National Library’s move onto the Information Highway. We have developed a World Wide Web service to facilitate access to Canadian sources of information on the Internet. We also provide access to electronic versions of National Library publications through our gopher connection. As described elsewhere in this issue, we have completed a pilot project on electronic publications to investigate the issues relevant to handling online publications.
An exciting example of the Library’s involvement in today’s technology that was put to effective use is the Confederation Project, in which two schools, one in Nova Scotia and the other in Virginia, and two national libraries, the National Library of Canada and the Library of Congress, were linked through the Internet to access information on Canada’s Confederation and the U.S. Civil War. Through a week-long demonstration, students could conduct detailed research without leaving their computers. Fascinating in itself, the project involved the cooperation of several national and international organizations and had the added benefit of substantial financial support for the Friends of the National Library from the Stentor Alliance, who provided the electronic links to transport the historical information.
On the home front, our new automated system, AMICUS, is now operational. Despite initial difficulties with slow response times, the functionality of the system is impressive. I am delighted to report that the power of the computer processor unit has already been doubled, and performance has improved significantly. It is no exaggeration to say that AMICUS is growing stronger and speedier with each adjustment.
While we have been somewhat preoccupied with both the fine-tuning of AMICUS and the fallout from the program review and subsequent budget reductions, we have managed to move ahead in other areas as well. For instance, the Adaptive Technology for Libraries Program and the Large Print Publishing Program are now in their fourth and final year. Through these programs, we have helped almost 100 libraries purchase equipment to make their collections accessible to patrons with print handicaps and helped publishers produce some 40 large-print versions of books by Canadian authors.
We are involved in a joint government/private industry research project to determine how lignin affects the longevity of paper. Early indications are that lignin is not the villain it was once thought to be, and that an increased number of papers will qualify as permanent. This could have direct impact on the stability of many of the publications that we acquire.
And that leads me directly to another of the positive achievements of the year. On April 25, when the act to amend the National Library Act was proclaimed, changes to the legal deposit provisions came into effect. The major change is the elimination of the $50.00 ceiling that pertained to the deposit of new publications. Previously, publishers were required to submit two copies of their publications to the National Library if they sold for under $50.00, but only one if the selling price was $50.00 or more. This had become an increasingly costly restriction for the National Library as prices rose and more and more items topped the $50.00 limit. Legal deposit requirements are now based on the number of copies published, rather than their price. The new legal deposit regulations are already having a significant effect on our ability to ensure the future availability of the nation’s published heritage.
As I look back over this challenging, sometimes depressing year, I am encouraged by all that we have been able to achieve in adverse circumstances. I deeply appreciate the support of a dedicated staff and the library community at large. I am confident that, as long as we keep pulling together, we will be able to meet the continuing demands. I believe that, through our collective strength and willingness to adapt, we will maintain -- perhaps even increase -- our ability to make information in all formats available to present and future generations. I know that all of us will keep on trying.
The best of the holiday season to all of you.
Copyright. The National Library of Canada. (Revised: 1996-02-23).