Kelsey’s post and content
Canada’s national library is called the Library and Archives Canada it can also be identified as a federal institution. The library has many goals, but its primary focus is the heritage of Canadians. An interesting fact about the library, catalogue wise it is the fourth largest library in the world. When the Archives and the National Library were first created, they were separate entities. In 2004 the National Library of Canada and the National Archive of Canada merged into one organization. This was made possible by the Library and Archives Act that was passed that stated that the two facilities would combine. This means most of Canadian’s document and other material are housed together. The Library and Archives mission is to preserve documents that obtain information of the heritage of Canada. Another thing that they focus on is being a source of knowledge. They also help communities preserve and obtain knowledge. They also try to be the continuing memory of Canada.
The Library and Archives has an online component as well. This allows anyone, anywhere access to the collections that they have. Their online catalogue system is called Aurora. There catalogue contains over fifty-four million items in its walls. To start with the institution contains twenty million books, in various different languages. It also has an extensive collection of information on government and private records. It has over thirty million photographic images, from around the world it is not just focused on Canadian photos. Their collection includes ninety thousand films. Another collection that the library has four hundred thousand works of art. They also make an effort to help other establishments expand their repertoire.
Library and Archives Canada also helps other locations preserve heritage documents. It is called the Documentary Heritage Communities Program. There are five projects that they are going to focus on in 2020. In Fredericton, New Brunswick the Atlantic Canada Oral History Symposium will be funded. Also, at this location the How Documentary Heritage is Used Roundtable will be helped. Happy Valley- Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador will be receiving funding as well for their #IDThemDays program. The next program that was funded was the Processing, Digitizing, and Increasing Access to the Collection: Mahone Bay’s Shipbuilding History, Local Families and Town History Research in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The last program that the Library and Archives Canada will help fund is the St. Peter’s Cathedral program called Processing and Providing Access to 150 Years of Archives, which is in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It is fascinating to learn how much the Library and Archives Canada not only focus on heritage at their own place, but branch and help out other facilities.
References
Bipro Das (2018). 15 Largest Libraries In The World According to Catalogued Size Retrieved from https://www.rankred.com
Canada’s Historic Places (1990). Former Archives Building National Historic Site of Canada Retrieved from https://www.historicplaces.ca
Justice Laws Website (2019). Library and Archives of Canada Act Retrieved from https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Library and Archives (2019). Library and Archives Canada: 5 projects for preservation of documentary heritage funded in Atlantic Canada Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca
The Canadian Encyclopedia (2019). National Archives of Canada Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
Our National Libraries 