RSC Expert Panel on the Status and Future of Libraries and Archives

CNSA VP Hansel Cook and I (Jamie) appeared before the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Expert Panel on the Status and Future of Libraries and Archives on behalf of the Council on Friday, November 8th at Dalhousie. Due to a last-minute scheduling change, we were able to gain a private audience with the four Halifax panelists! It was a fantastic opportunity to share who we are, what we do, and our thoughts on the direction and future of Canada’s archival community. A public session followed our meeting, so we stayed to listen and take part. Turnout was very good – probably 50-60 people – and a good mix of archivists, librarians, historians, authors, professors, students, and other interested parties. The discussion was wide-ranging and included thoughts on leadership in the archival community, funding programs and making ourselves visible to funders, advocacy, resource sharing and collaboration, digitization, challenges and opportunities in the field…I could go on!
Another successful session was held on Saturday, November 9th in Dartmouth. Thanks to everyone for coming out and sharing your experiences and stories!
Don’t feel, however, that you’ve missed the opportunity to share your stories if you happened to miss the Halifax sessions. The panelists are producing a report based on their consultations across the country, and they are particularly interested in gathering stories of positive experiences in the archives. Do you have a story to share? Send it to the panel via Jessica MacQueen at jlmacqueen@gmail.com. Contribute to the discussion and share with them the importance of your archives!
For more information on the RSC Expert Panel and their consultations, visit their blog athttp://librariesarchivescanada.wordpress.com/.