PRINCE OF WALES NORTHERN HERITAGE CENTRE
CONSULTATION 13 September 2013
Aurora Campus Library
Aurora College, Inuvik
Melanie Adams, Librarian/Student Success Co-ordinator
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?
Services in many areas of the North are excellent. Public libraries in Yellowknife, Hay
River and Inuvik have well-developed collections available, as well as access to
interlibrary loan services that give their patrons the ability to borrow from other libraries
in Canada. As well, Aurora College students have access to college libraries in
Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Inuvik that hold items that are particularly relevant to Inuit
and Aboriginal students. Smaller communities, however, do not have access to as
many materials and if they have a library at all it is often operating with few staff and on
reduced hours.
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?
One key issue facing many libraries is to try to find a balance between the electronic
resources and more traditional materials. While many patrons still prefer physical
items like books and magazines, there is an increasing demand for e-books, access to
online resources and to digital subscriptions of periodicals, particularly by younger
patrons. Trying to budget for both is challenging, as is keeping library staff familiar
with all of the new technologies.
3. How do libraries and archives measure outcomes of their service and community
impacts?
One effective way to measure outcomes is through keeping accurate statistics of
patron numbers (particularly of people participating in library programs) and tracking
circulation data. If the library is delivering services that are effectively meeting the
needs of the community, these numbers should reflect this. Surveying community
members and library users can also be a way to gage the effectiveness of the library in
reaching the community.
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?

In the North in particular, more training and education for library staff in methods of
cataloguing, storing and accessing research data would be helpful. Library and
Archives Canada could potentially be a good partner in providing access to or
information about appropriate training.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND AWARENESS
1. Would Canadians know of, or understand the contribution you make to library/
archival service in Canada?
Many Canadians (in my opinion) see libraries as public spaces/ locations where
books and computers are held and are not always aware of contributions made to
library/archival service.
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.
The library at Aurora Campus provides it users (who are exclusively Aurora College
students and staff) with access to material, both print and electronic, to assist them in
their educational and research needs. Our library holds books, periodicals, DVDs and
provides access to electronic resources (such as online journal databases) that are of
particular interest to staff and students. In addition, the library provides support to
students by providing library orientations, education about conducting research and
assistance in locating materials. We assist staff by acquiring materials to supplement
the courses they are teaching, by providing assistance with copyright questions and by
allowing instructors to reserve collections for their studentsʼ use. In addition, the library
strives to meet the cultural needs of our population by acquiring material that may be
of particular interest to our Aboriginal and Inuit students (books celebrating Inuit art or
biographies of inspiring Aboriginal people are some examples).
3. In the digital era, what support for researchers do/should libraries provide?
Many libraries provide access to online databases of journals that can quite useful for
researchers. Subscriptions to these electronic resources should be maintained in the
interest of supporting researchers. One other possible way for libraries to support
researchers would be to make digital copies of archived print materials, such as
copying newspapers or community newsletters that have been preserved in the library
to an electronic form that may be more user friendly.
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?
A good library can be the heart of a community. By providing materials that educate,
entertain and inspire the local library can be a source of great enrichment and

enjoyment to a population. Libraries not only hold books and periodicals, many also
contain items in their collections that are unique and of particular interest to their
specific area. Libraries should strive for this uniqueness, by preserving, displaying
and promoting these items. Special collections dealing with local interests and history,
historic pictures, interpretive displays of local handicrafts or archives of local
newspapers or community newsletters are just a few ways that a library can meet this
goal. By building and promoting collections such as this, a library can help to preserve
the memories of a populace as well as create a stronger sense of community spirit.
NEW DIRECTIONS
Digitization
1. What are the main challenges of born-digital material for your institution?
Educating users (students and staff) about the proper way to cite born-digital material
can be a challenge. Promoting the use of quality resources and teaching users to be
discriminating and to think critically about their choices of materials can also be
challenging.
2. What will be the function of a brick-and-mortar library or archive in the future?
In the future, physical libraries will continue to be a location to access print materials.
Libraries will also function as learning space for communities, through library
programs (such as family literacy programs, childrenʼs reading promotions and
learning activities for teens and adults) and by serving as a place for individuals to
research and learn.
Education
1. What changes, in your judgment, are necessary in the professional education and
training of librarians/archivists in the 21st century?
An increased focus on the use of electronic resources as well as training in the
technology that accompanies these resources will be essential in the 21st century.
2. What conversations do you think need to take place with library, archival, and
information studies programs about staff requirements, and have they begun?
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?

The first step in creating such systems may be to promote increased co-operation and
partnerships among diverse libraries. Once these relationships are built, the trust
required for libraries to work closely together and share their resources/ build
consortia will be more easily established.
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.
It is difficult to say exactly what percentage increase would permit me to realize the
aspirations of my users, as almost any amount would be useful and itʼs difficult to think
of what “too much” would be! With an increased budget, more resources (both print
and electronic) could be purchased. This would give users a greater variety of
learning materials to choose from, which would help to meet the diverse needs of our
student/ staff population. As well, equipment that might be of use to students and staff
could also be purchased (items such as I pads with language and learning apps
installed immediately come to mind). In an ideal world, e-readers could be made
available for loan to students and staff, which would enable our library to give users
greater access to electronic resources (such as e-books and digital copies of
periodicals). E-books could potentially be of great use to our student population as it
would be easier to share one high interest item with many users at once; however
most of our students do not have e-readers of their own. The purchase of all of these
items, particularly the electronic equipment, would require a budget at least 200%
higher than what my current budget is! Given this budget, I would describe our library
in 2020 as one that is well stocked with diverse items, both print and digital, that are of
interest to our population and with easy access to the equipment that would permit
users to make use of these materials.