CLA Continues Its Support For Dale Askey

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) continues to monitor the legal action taken against Dale Askey by the Edwin Mellen Press. While the lawsuit in which both McMaster and Askey are named has been dropped, the second lawsuit in which Askey is named as an individual remains.

CLA strongly reiterates our support of Dale Askey and of intellectual freedom. We urge Edwin Mellen Press to drop this second lawsuit against Dale Askey.

National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries: Highlights

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) is pleased to launch the National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries.

CLA Executive Council, under past-President Karen Adams, commissioned this research to provide CLA members with a current comprehensive overview of the activities of libraries in Canada. The statistics are supported by a compilation of statements from a wide variety of sources on the value that Canada’s libraries bring to society. This research will provide much needed support, in the form of both statistics and testimonials, for CLA’s advocacy initiatives.

Many thanks to Dr Alvin Schrader and Michael Brundin for their work to compile this report.

National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries

• Report
• National Values Profile
• National Statistical Profile

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National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries

Alvin M. Schrader and Michael R. Brundin
November 30, 2012

Introduction and Background

We are pleased to submit this final report to CLA Executive Council on the project National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries. The report consists of an Executive Summary of findings and methodologies for each of the two principal components of the project—library statistics and library value—together with corresponding detailed appendices, the national statistical profile and the national values profile, that are intended to serve as “raw data” for future analysis, synthesis, review, discussion, refinement, and advocacy efforts.

Early in 2012 the CLA Executive Council endorsed a new mission for the Association as “the national public voice for Canada’s library communities”:

• We champion library values and the value of libraries.
• We influence public policy impacting libraries.
• We inspire and support learning.
• We collaborate to strengthen the library community.

This project was prompted in part by apprehension about how well the library community could speak to the value of libraries in the face of cuts to Library and Archives Canada, federal government libraries, and school libraries in various provincial jurisdictions, as well as in the face of burgeoning Internet-based sources of both free and “pay-per-view” information.

Prior to the adoption of CLA’s new mission in early 2012, the 2011 transitional Executive Council had become concerned about the absence of national Canadian data supporting the role that the library profession plays in communities, education, government, and business, as well as about the absence of a Canadian document addressing the “value proposition” of Canadian libraries. At the initiative of CLA President Karen Adams, Executive Council approved a contract in June 2012 to gather available statistical information on specified measures of interest and to create a value propositions profile.

The goal of the project was to produce a Canadian snapshot of library data and library meaning for use in CLA’s national advocacy role with elected officials at every level of public affairs, community leaders, government policy makers, and library partners including library user communities and the general public. Information from the report will also be shared on the CLA Web site for all to use selectively as judged relevant to local advocacy and marketing efforts.

Executive Summary: National Statistical Profile

No national statistical profile of library investments and activities has been assembled since the National Core Library Statistics Program (NCLSP), sponsored by the former National Library of Canada, was abandoned in the early 2000s; the last statistical report was for 1999 data, subsequently published in 2002 as National Core Library Statistics Program: Statistical Report, 1999: Cultural and Economic Impact of Libraries on Canada in English and French.

Unlike the NCLSP, the current project relied exclusively on the availability of secondary sources of data already collected by other national, regional, and provincial agencies and library consortia, which in part explains why somewhat fewer measures for the school library sector are reported, and the special library sector is not represented at all except for three “national special” libraries (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information [CISTI], Library and Archives Canada [LAC], and the Library of Parliament [LofP]). Together, special libraries made up an estimated 3,000 libraries (service points) in 2010 (based on a figure of 3,020, which includes an unstated number of small archives, from the 2010–2011 edition of Libraries Canada; the NCLSP report for 1999 accounted for 2,262 special libraries with 2,549 service points).

It is important, therefore, for readers to be cognizant of which specific library sector or sectors any particular library measure pertains. None of the measures documented in this report represents the entire universe of Canadian libraries; as noted above, excluded are special libraries, with the exception of three national special libraries. Most of the reported measures are available only for public and academic libraries; the report and accompanying spreadsheet are very careful in specifying applicable sector coverage.

Quotable Facts

A snapshot of public, academic, national special, and school libraries in Canada for the latest available reporting year of 2010 (for most of the data) reveals the following patterns of usage, assets, and investments:

• 360 million visits were made in person to public, academic, and school libraries across Canada
  • 164 million visits were to public libraries
  • 88 million visits were to academic libraries
  • 108 million visits were to school libraries

• 69 million electronic database sessions were conducted by library users in public, academic, and national special libraries across Canada
  • 18 million sessions by public library users
  • 31 million sessions by academic library users
  • 20 million sessions by national special library users

• 590 million publications were borrowed for off-site use or consulted on site by library users in public, academic, national special (CISTI, LAC, LofP), and school libraries across Canada (including more than 5 million interlibrary loan transactions, both to and from institutions)
  • 362 million uses of public library items, of which 15% were on site
  • 33 million uses of academic library items, of which 24% were on site
  • 168,000 uses of national special library items, of which 37% were on site
  • 194 million uses of school library items (off-site only)

• 478 million publications, both print and electronic, were owned or leased by public, academic, national special, and school libraries across Canada
  • 101 million items by public libraries
  • 212 million items by academic libraries
  • 60 million items by national special libraries
  • 105 million items by school libraries

• 25 million questions were asked by library users in all public and academic libraries across Canada
  • 21.8 million questions by public library users
  • 3.6 million questions by academic library users

• 8 million library users attended 386,000 programs held by public and academic libraries across Canada
  • 7 million attended 351,000 public library programs
  • 1 million attended 35,000 academic library programs

• 37,000 staff (FTE) provided user services and products through 19,000 service points managed by 16,000 public, academic, national special, and school libraries across Canada
  • 16,000 staff worked in 3,400 service points managed by 1,700 public libraries
  • 8,000 staff worked in 700 service points managed by 200 academic libraries
  • 2,000 staff worked in 7 service points managed by 3 national special libraries
  • 11,000 staff worked in 14,500 service points managed by 14,500 school libraries

• 20 million service hours per year were available in public, academic, national special, and school libraries to the people of Canada in all walks of life (397,000 hours per week for 50 weeks)
  • 3 million hours per year in public libraries (61,000 hours per week for 50 weeks)
  • 3 million hours per year in academic libraries (62,000 hours per week for 50 weeks)
  • 14,000 hours per year in national special libraries (268 hours per week for 50 weeks)
  • 14 million hours per year in school libraries (380,000 hours per week for 36 weeks)

• $3.5 billion were invested in services, products, and capital assets in public, academic, national special, and school libraries across Canada, of which $2.1 billion went to staff and $558 million to library collection acquisitions and database subscriptions
  • $1.5 billion were invested in public libraries, $925 million for staff and $159 million for collections
  • $952 million were invested in academic libraries, $507 million for staff and $332 million for collections
  • $197 million in national special libraries, $136 million for staff and $11 million for collections
  • $896 million in school libraries, $561 million for staff and $56 million for collections

An Executive Summary Table at the end of this report details these statistical measures by library sector.

These key measures can be “sliced and diced” into a myriad of ratios and percentages such as per capita, per library, per day, per month, and combinations thereof. Here are some “Quotable Facts” of interest that try to reduce the magnitudes of these national patterns to more anchored perspectives, which themselves can be rephrased in different ways and recalculated even more times on the basis of individual library sectors. On average:

• There were 1 million visits to libraries (public, academic, and school) every day of the year in 2010.
• Every Canadian visited a library once a month in 2010 (11 visits per year).
• There were 189,000 electronic database sessions conducted in libraries (public, academic and the three national special libraries) every day of the year in 2010.
• Every Canadian conducted 2 electronic database sessions a year in Canadian libraries in 2010.
• There were 1.6 million uses of library materials every day of the year in 2010.
• Every Canadian used at least one library item per month in 2010 (17 library items per year).
• Print and electronic resources owned and leased by libraries amounted to 14 items per Canadian.
• Public and academic libraries answered almost 70,000 questions by Canadians every day of the year in 2010.
• Every Canadian asked one question a year in 2010.
• 21,000 Canadians attended programs held by public and academic libraries every day in 2010.
• Libraries in Canada run on 28 cents per day per Canadian, $104 per year per Canadian.
• 41% of Canadians are active public library cardholders, and an estimated 20% have a library card but haven’t used it in the last three years, for a total of 61% of all Canadians with public library membership.
• 95% of Canadians had access to local public libraries in 2010.
• 93% of Canadian schools had libraries in 2004.

Executive Summary: National Values Profile

A forward-thinking innovation in the current project was the introduction of a key feature on library value propositions. Unlike the ability to rely on secondary data sources for library statistics, this component of the project involved primary data collection of a qualitative and narrative nature from a large number of sources. As such, it should be regarded as exploratory and tentative, and feedback is invited for future refinement of the “data” for alignment with current Canadian political words and concepts. Already, the project has convinced one library official that a much better job of keeping track of valuable comments and expressions of local support needs to be addressed. Also unlike the national statistical profile, the values profile includes contributions pertaining to special libraries.

The national values profile “database” consists of a brief “Framework for Thinking about Messaging,” which are suggested (and perhaps idiosyncratic) guidelines for considering and constructing value propositions, together with a series organized by library sector of bulleted listings of “Value Propositions”: libraries in general; academic libraries; school libraries; special libraries; and public libraries. Entries within sectors are grouped loosely into contributions by political and community leaders from all walks of life, by other library supporters, by library user communities, and by library workers; unattributed statements are placed last in each sector. At the end is a listing of sources specifically referenced in the value propositions, but excluded are many other sources that were consulted during the course of the project.

Statements and attributions contributed by third parties are accepted as presented to us and have not been authenticated or permissions to use confirmed. It should also be noted that quotations and texts have been edited or paraphrased for length and flow; original texts should be checked before use for advocacy and marketing, particularly more extended ones that are frequently highly condensed synopses. The emphasis is on Canadian statements but others are included.

The framework for messaging starts with a common understanding of the term “value proposition” as an actionable, credible, succinct, and compelling promise to intended recipients of specific benefits, promises that recipients can visualize and get excited about.

In this context, Stephen Abram has observed, “Statistics aren’t emotionally engaging,” and that librarians should market experiences, not statistics. Raw statistics are just representations of effort, he has also noted. Along similar lines, George Needham said that librarians should “connect the dots for people,” and “talk about the results we get from reading books – not the lending, not the tools, not the assets.”

In a related vein, Kathleen Shearer has written that “the library community seems well disposed to move from basic statistical measures to measures that tie the value of libraries more closely to the benefits they create for their users, thus defining new research objectives for the future.” In other words, sell benefits, not features. And at the risk of a certain authorial conceit, these observations echo remarks made a decade ago in the 1999 NCLSP Report (2002) about the imperative of effective messaging and identity formation:

The biggest challenge facing the library community is telling its story—going beyond the data in meaningful ways that will resonate with sponsors, policy makers, politicians, and library users alike.

Value propositions for academic, school, special, and public libraries in Canada reveal a broad diversity of benefits—individual outcomes and societal impacts—that are not easily summarized or categorized, and assuredly not quantifiable.

Among the most challenging aspects of library value messaging are that:

• Many profoundly important benefits to individuals and society occur over a much longer period of time than the one-year budget cycle or short-term program offerings, for example, summer reading programs;
• Learning, however acquired, is elusive, just as information is elusive, and few people ever think about the meaning of either or about the value of library resources;
• Recent research points to a perception that the library is not making a critical and essential contribution to the issues facing communities today; and,
• Though supportive of libraries, people are generally unaware of library funding challenges in any of the sectors with which they have direct interaction or personal knowledge.

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National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries

• Report
• National Values Profile
• National Statistical Profile

Recent CLA Statements and Advocacy Tools

Updated: March 31, 2013

Looking for statements from the Canadian Library Association about current issues affecting the library community and its clients?

Access Copyright

• CLA Statement on Licenses with Access Copyright in Post-Secondary Institutions (June 2012)

Access to Information

• Submission to the Information Commissioner’s consultation on the Access to Information Act (January 2013)

Community Access Program

• Canadian Library Association Dismayed at Cancellation of Community Access Program (April 2012)
• CLA releases CAP Toolkit (May 2012)
• CLA’s letter to Industry Minister regarding cut to CAP (April 2012)

Copyright

• Canadian Library Association Releases Proposed Technical Amendments to Bill C-11 (February 2012)
• Urgent Call to Action on Bill C-11, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act (February 2012)
• National Library Association Acknowledges Passing of the Copyright Modernization Act (June 2012)
• IFLA-EIFL-CLA Statement on Copyright Limitations and Exceptions for Libraries and Archives at SCCR 25 (November 2012)

Federal Budget 2013 Consultations

• Pre-Budget Consultation 2012 – Submission by the Canadian Library Association (August 2012)

Government Libraries

• 2012 Federal Budget highlights (March 2012)
• CLA dismayed by impact of budget cuts on federal libraries (May 2012)
• CLA Toolkit: Budget Cuts to Federal Libraries
• CLA Member Advocacy Survey on the Impact of Federal Budget Cuts to Canada’s Libraries: Final Report (December 2012)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

• Position Statement on Access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (June 2012)

Intellectual Freedom and Freedom of Expression

• Challenges to Materials and Policies in Canadian Libraries 2011 (July 2012)
• CLA Supports Dale Askey in Libel Suit Defence (February 2013)
• CLA continues its support for Dale Askey (March 2013)

Library and Archives Canada

• 2012 Federal Budget highlights (March 2012)
• CLA dismayed by impact of budget cuts on federal libraries (May 2012)
• CLA’s letter to Heritage Minister regarding cuts to federal libraries and LAC (May 2012)
• CLA continues dialogue with LAC (June 2012)
• CLA Member Advocacy Survey on the Impact of Federal Budget Cuts to Canada’s Libraries: Final Report (December 2012)
• Determining the impact of the 2012 federal budget cuts on LAC : Questions to LAC (January 2013)
• CLA Responds to Article on Library and Archives Canada (LAC) in Toronto Star (March 2013)
• CLA Statement on the Library and Archives Canada Code of Conduct (March 2013)

Print Disabilities

• National Network for Equitable Library Service for Canadians with print disabilities (NNELS) (June 2012)

School Libraries

• Canadian Library Association Disturbed by Cuts to School Libraries (April 2012)

Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

• IFLA and other library organisations express concern about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) (July 2012)

CLA Member Advocacy Survey: The Impact of Federal Budget Cuts on Canada’s Libraries

• Full Report [PDF]

Executive Summary

In the spring of 2012 the federal government announced a series of budget cuts that raised serious concerns within the library community. Library and Archives Canada was subject to a 10% budget reduction, and many federal department libraries were restructured, reduced or closed.

CLA issued a press release in May 2012 expressing serious concern about the impact of budget cuts on federal libraries, and on the staff of those libraries.

In order to determine how these cuts will impact the broader library community, CLA conducted a survey of its members. More than 400 individuals provided detailed responses to the survey questions. They overwhelmingly agreed that the cuts will impact both local and national library services, with 98% of respondents indicating concern. Areas most likely to be affected were identified, and include: access to material/information, research, interlibrary loans, Community Access Program, preservation, staffing cuts, digital issues.

CLA is preparing follow up actions based on these survey results. Specific concerns regarding how cuts are being implemented at Library and Archives Canada will be raised as a series of questions to the Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist and the Management Board. A campaign will be launched to inform MPs as well as departmental managers of the essential role of government libraries in the development of informed public policy and legislation. Research will be conducted regarding the implementation of the cuts and their impact on library staff, collections, and services to Canadians.

CLA will keep members informed of developments as we take our next steps, and seek further input as necessary. We will engage members in local advocacy initiatives, to reach out to MPs in their ridings and help spread the message about the impact of these cuts.

The CLA Executive Council thanks all members who contributed to the survey. Your input provides valuable details to inform our advocacy efforts.

• Full Report [PDF]

Library Value Statements: CLA Project on National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries

As part of a new project National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries, the Canadian Library Association (CLA) is currently gathering statements, testimonials, phrasings, and thoughts about the essential value of libraries to various constituencies including politicians, post-secondary officials, other community leaders, library users, funding agencies, and key librarian leaders.

As project lead for the CLA initiative, I invite you to offer “quotable quotes” for strategic use in CLA advocacy with politicians, policy makers, and the general public; a selection of quotations will also be posted to the CLA web site.

A “quotable quote” could be just one word, a short phrase, or a sentence that captures your basic thoughts and feelings about why libraries are needed – whatever the library sector.

To help you focus your thoughts, you might think about it this way:

• When you hear the word “library,” what pops into your head?
• What is the key benefit — or benefits — of having a library in a community – whether that community comprises the general public or a targeted constituency such as post-secondary students/faculty/staff, or a more specialized clientele?

CLA would be very grateful for a personal contribution from you, and from 1 or 2 key leaders with whom you have personal contact.

Your response is needed by October 31, 2012, to Dr Alvin M Schrader at alvin.schrader@ualberta.ca. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Dr Alvin M Schrader
Project Lead

News from Australia: ALIA and Government Library Cuts

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has created a follow up advocacy tool to our Dumb Idea campaign.

Below are links to two prospectus on government libraries, one targeted a government libraries across Australia and one targeting QLD government libraries. These prospectus are available to help you inform anyone you might need to about the irreplaceable services government libraries provide.

• Government Libraries: Essential for well informed decision-making [PDF]

• Queensland Government Libraries: Essential for well informed decision-making [PDF]

• Dumb Ideas Wiki

• ALIA Advocacy and Lobbying Resources

 

CLA Launches Advocacy Toolkit to Support Federal Libraries

In response to the survey conducted over the past summer on the impact of budget reductions to federal libraries and Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian Library Association has produced an advocacy toolkit to help members raise this issue with their Member of Parliament. The kit includes key talking points, a sample draft letter, and information on how to conduct a meeting with your MP.

Members of Parliament will be in their ridings next week, so this is a great opportunity for you to arrange a meeting.

• CLA Toolkit: Budget Cuts to Federal Libraries

Canadian Library Month 2012: Libraries Connect / Bibliothèques branchées

People! Ideas! Communities! Information! Canada’s libraries foster connections between people, ideas, communities, and information.

In October, these connections will be celebrated during Canadian Library Month. The theme, Libraries Connect, highlights how libraries enable people to connect with others, foster the development of ideas, and promote the growth of strong communities. For generations, libraries and librarians have worked at the grass roots level, providing access to current information, bringing forward new programs and ideas to share, leading and supporting communities as they grow.

While always evolving to meet the needs of Canadians, engaging in new technologies like e‐books, Facebook, Twitter, and providing access to varieties of formats for different learning styles, etc., libraries continue to be at the centre of their communities, a place where people learn, engage and connect with each other.

An important ongoing role of the library is support, teaching library users how to develop new skills needed in their busy and ever changing world, connecting them to friends and the larger community.

Today, over 23,000 librarians and library clerks serve in over 22,000 libraries in incredibly diverse communities, from major metropolitan areas to towns and rural hamlets, from research‐intensive universities to colleges of art and design.

Over 21 million Canadians hold a public library card, making public libraries the most popular cultural institution in the country. Over 97 per cent of Canadians live in communities served by a public library, and the library adds to the vitality of every one of these communities. The library is the hub of community activity.

Academic libraries, school libraries and special libraries add immensely to the creativity and personal, professional and academic growth of Canadians, serving everyone from students and faculty to those in the corporate, government and non‐profit sectors.

Check out the Canadian Library Month Website for promotional materials and program ideas: www.cla.ca/clm12.

From coast to coast to coast, libraries connect, providing endless opportunity where Canadians have an equal right to access resources, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, social status, language or location.

The concept of influence

Originally published in Feliciter, 58 (2012): 93

Kelly Moore
Executive Director, CLA

“You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.”
J.S. Knox

The 2012 CLA National Conference and Trade Show has just wrapped up, and by all accounts it was one of our most successful events. There was a decided focus on advocacy this year, taking advantage of the fact that we were meeting in Ottawa. And given the impact of the recent federal budget on programs and services provided to and by libraries, this opportunity for advocacy was very timely.

On Wednesday 30 May, we held our inaugural “CLA on the Hill” day: more than 50 members received training at an Advocacy Boot Camp in the morning, and then headed up to Parliament Hill for a packed schedule of group meetings with 63 MPs and Senators. Our advocacy messaging focused on 4 key issues: copyright, library book rate, the Community Access Program, and budget cuts to Library and Archives Canada and other federal libraries. We have gathered feedback from the groups who participated in the meetings, and will undertake analysis of that information to support our future advocacy efforts.

CLA has a long history of advocating on behalf of the national library community, of lobbying the federal government to try to influence policy that impacts the ability for our institutions to serve the public good. It is important that these efforts have been funded by our members, and that they continue to be funded by members. This gives strength to our voice: we are supported by and speak on behalf of libraries – the services they provide, the users they serve, and all of the library staff who make these activities possible.

To be an advocate, to attempt to influence government policy, is a long-term concerted effort. CLA’s value as an advocate comes from its ability to create relationships with elected officials and departmental staff, and its demonstrated commitment to policy issues that impact how all Canadians are able to access and make use of information. We seek to influence not for professional gain, but for public good.

While it is important for CLA to react to particular issues as they arise, it is critical that we continue to build our relationships within government so that we can influence those issues as early in their development process as possible. The more proactive we are, the less reactive we will need to be.

The capacity for CLA members to contribute to our advocacy efforts will be crucial to our future success. Those who had the opportunity to take part in the “CLA on the Hill” day have many lessons to share, and I hope they will speak to their colleagues, local trustees and other potential allies in their home regions about their experience.

We anticipate that legislation on both copyright (Bill C-11) and the library book rate (Bill C-321) will be passed in the near future. This doesn’t mean that we will have fewer issues to address with government; but we will be able to re-direct our emphasis to other policies and potential legislation that will be equally important to our institutions and the communities we serve. And CLA will continue to educate and support our members to address these future challenges. Exciting times are ahead!

Canadian Library Association continues dialogue with Library and Archives Canada

At its meeting on 29 May, CLA Executive Council discussed its relationship with Library and Archives Canada, and potential actions in light of the recently announced budget cuts. Executive Council concluded that enhanced engagement with LAC management and with relevant federal Ministers and Members of Parliament is the best way for CLA to influence the impact of the budget reductions. By providing input from the library community regarding the impact of the  cuts on access to Canada’s documentary heritage, CLA supports LAC management in making informed choices about the changes they must make in light of their budget restrictions.

CLA’s relationship with LAC includes having invited Dr Daniel Caron, Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada, to present the opening keynote address at the recent CLA National Conference in Ottawa.  While some members of the library community came away from the presentation feeling positive because they understood his vision for LAC, others came away feeling annoyed about the lack of consultation with libraries across the country and disappointed that the role of LAC’s Pan Canadian Documentary Heritage Network was not clearly explained.  His second session, a dialogue with CLA’s delegates, was well attended, and many voices were heard.

Some of our colleagues have taken different approaches to expressing their frustration with LAC. The archival community gathered on a trek to Ottawa with a mock funeral in front of the main public LAC building; the Association of Canadian Archivists has withdrawn its participation in the Pan Canadian Documentary Heritage Network; CAUT members have launched a SaveLAC campaign, and held a day of action and distributed black ribbons at the CLA conference.

CLA’s immediate response to the situation was to issue a press release on 2 May, expressing dismay at the cuts within LAC and at many departmental libraries within the federal government.  We sent a letter to James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, expressing concern about the negative impact of these cuts.

During the unprecedented “CLA on the Hill” day at our conference, 60 members held meetings with 63 different MPs, Senators, and key political staffers, and used the opportunity to draw attention to the cuts at LAC and other federal libraries.  One immediate impact of this effort was that the cuts were raised in the House of Commons by MP Dennis Bevington during the debate on 4 June on the library book rate.  CLA will continue our advocacy initiatives on this issue.

There are more concrete steps to be taken in the coming weeks.  CLA President Karen Adams and members of Executive Council are continuing discussions with Dr. Caron and LAC staff.  And we are developing a plan, in cooperation with other national, provincial and territorial associations, to determine the community’s expectations of LAC.  We will be seeking input from CLA members to gauge the anticipated impact of the LAC cuts to libraries across Canada.

CLA Executive Council is committed to the association’s role as the national voice for Canada’s library communities.  We will advocate for Library and Archives Canada to be adequately funded to fulfill its mandate and ensure that Canadians have access to the whole of our documentary heritage now and in the future.

CLA Executive Council
8 June 2012