NWT Archives – Response to RSC questions – Sept. 13, 2013.

SERVICES

1. How would you describe the services Canadians, including Aboriginal Canadians
and new Canadians, are currently receiving from libraries and archives in the North?


As concerns the NWT Archives: Outstanding. As an example: since
2004, the NWT Archives has worked collaboratively with the IRSRC
(Indian Residential School Reconciliation Canada) since 2004 to assist
claimants with approximately 2000 claims.

2. Libraries are currently hybrid operations, constantly pulled toward traditional services
by many core users and pulled, equally, by a concern for relevancy from other users
and potential users. What issues are libraries facing as they try to make the
transition to new service models


N/A

3. How do libraries and archives measure outcomes of their service and community
impacts?
 Primarily via the accumulation of usage statistics – ie number of
requests and clients per year.
4. What needs to be done to facilitate libraries in cataloguing, storing, and providing
access to research data? Who would be an appropriate partner in providing these
services?


N/A

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND AWARENESS
1. Would Canadians know of, or understand the contribution you make to
library/archival service in Canada?




There are various means by which the NWT Archives publicizes its
resources:
o Through the distribution of products such as calendars,
postcards, CDs, and traveling exhibits – such as the James
Jerome photo exhibit.
o Through our website and web databases.
o Through our outreach and training activities.
Additionally people might learn of our resources via:
o Scholarly works,
o Publication of archival materials,
o Use of archival materials in exhibits and festivals (i.e. NWT
Archives films at the Great Northern Arts festival)

NWT Archives – Response to RSC questions – Sept. 13, 2013.

2. Describe the services provided directly to users, and if they are consortial in nature
please describe the mechanisms in place to define, refine and measure the impact of
the services.

3. In the digital era, what support for researchers do/should libraries provide?


N/A

4. What in your opinion are the specific roles of libraries and/or archives and/or
museums and other heritage institutions in community building and memory building?


Archives, Museums and Libraries provide professional management of
cultural, historical and heritage resources. Museums provide additional
interpretation services.

NEW DIRECTIONS
Digitization
1. What are the main challenges of born-digital material for your institution?




Long term accessibility to born digital records (file formats)
Confidence by the public in the reliability and authenticity of the born
digital assets acquired and managed by an archives.
The enormous proliferation of born digital data. (Appraisal – Selection –
description – long term storage and management.)

2. What will be the function of a brick-and-mortar library or archive in the future?




For the foreseeable future – the necessity of a reading room and access to
“traditional” format records will continue to exist. While digitization of
traditional records may be an on-going activity – as born digital records
start to make their way into archives – the resources available to digitize
traditional formatted records may come under pressure.
For the moment humans remain “tactile” creatures – and the desire to
“hold” authentic/traditional format records has not been replaced with an
acceptance of “virtual” records.

NWT Archives – Response to RSC questions – Sept. 13, 2013.

Education
1. What changes, in your judgment, are necessary in the professional education and
training of librarians/archivists in the 21st century?


Archivists will continue to require an understanding of how records are
created and managed. This requirement is not novel – but how records are
created and managed is subject to more rapid transition than in the past.

2. What conversations do you think need to take place with library, archival, and
information studies programs about staff requirements, and have they begun?


Archivists, librarians, information specialists and heritage resources
managers need to address the on-going changes in how the world
accesses information and client expectations in a “google” world.

Resources
1. Public libraries are primarily funded by local municipalities, with little funding from any
other level of government. Most towns and cities are too small to support needed
technology. How do we encourage the creation of library systems (or consortia) that can
meet the increasingly sophisticated technology-driven needs and vital digital resources
of libraries?
 N/A
2. What percentage increase to your current budget would permit you to realize the
aspirations of your users? If you received an increased budget and consistent adequate
resources, describe your library/archives in 2020.
