The Status and Future of Canada’s Libraries and Archives The Canadian Library Association’s Preliminary Response to the Consultation of the Royal Society of Canada’s Expert Panel Presented by CLA President Marie DeYoung Toronto, Ontario January 9, 2014 Introduction The Canadian Library Association welcomes the opportunity to influence the future of libraries and archives in Canada. We build on the experience of the past, the realities of the present and challenges and promises of the rapidly changing digital world, which has been and will continue to transform the role of libraries in society. The Canadian Library Association’s preliminary response is presented in two parts: Section A. The Canadian Library Association Section B. Canada’s Library Communities Section A. The Canadian Library Association / Association canadienne des bibliothèques 1. What is your mandate and who are your members? The Canadian Library Association is the national voice for Canada's library communities for:  Professional advocacy: We champion library values and the value of libraries.  Policy advocacy: We influence public policy that impacts libraries.  Professional development: We inspire and support member learning.  Partnerships: We collaborate to strengthen the library community. The Canadian Library Association /Association canadienne des bibliothèques (CLA) is Canada’s largest and broadest-based national library association. It represents the interests of approximately 57,000 individuals who work in library and information services in Canada and provides a range of services to 1,400 personal, institutional and corporate members. CLA members include individuals and institutions that represent college, university, public, special (corporate, non-profit and government) and school libraries. Other members represent public library boards, companies that provide goods and services to libraries, or include students in graduate level or community college library programs. Increasingly members also include those working in the wider information management sector. CLA is predominantly English-language based, with select activities offered in French. Please refer to Appendices 1 and 2 for more detailed information about the CLA. 2. From your collective perspective, what challenges or issues are most prominent for your association today? The major issues and challenges faced by the Canadian Library Association include:     Branding - strengthening the profile of libraries and the CLA and develop strong value propositions and services for CLA members Meeting the diverse needs of both individual and institutional members A segmented membership that requires differentiated approaches and strategies depending on the age and professional stage of the member Rapid technological change, particularly in the ways members and potential members communicate and manage information in a digital and technological rich environment 2       Rise of e-materials and the need for a solution to provide affordable access to e-materials through Canadian libraries The need for a pan-Canadian, integrated approach to serving the print-disabled Stretched financial resources of CLA and of the members it serves The multiplicity of library organizations at the local, regional, provincial and national levels, often competing for members’ time and resources and duplicating services The “free rider” syndrome, that is all individuals and institutions in the library field may benefit from many of CLA’s activities and services, whether they are members or not, whereas CLA is funded only by its members Increasing CLA’s capacity to meet the priority needs of members, including:  Providing synthesized and credible information in a fast, efficient manner; helping members keep up with the latest news, technology, research and legislation  Offering professional development, networking and participation opportunities while maintaining affordable costs and effectively leveraging new technology, particularly all forms of social media  Providing advocacy services both to influence legislation, policy and funding, and to promote the value of libraries and the expertise and skills of library staff in Canadian society  Providing more services and publications (print and electronic) in both of Canada’s official languages 3. What would your association be doing if funding were increased? And what are you not doing because of cutbacks or reduced funding? If association funding were significantly increased, the Canadian Library Association would have the capacity to undertake new strategic initiatives while strengthening others in two key areas: Increase member capacity to provide service:  Initiate a national Canadian Library Statistics Program with partners  Intensify the current advocacy program and provide more training in advocacy skills in addition to CLA’s current Advocacy Boot Camp program and our “Day on the Hill” strategy  Strengthen collaboration and partnerships among Canada’s many library organizations, resulting in improved services to all members and their customers  Strengthen trend monitoring and information provision programs  Increase engagement and support of CLA Networks, Committees, Juries and Task Forces  Expand CLA’s international reach with like groups in other countries Strengthen association and organizational excellence:  Undertake member needs studies on a more frequent basis  Expand continuing education and life-long learning opportunities for members in collaboration with The Partnership (a network of provincial and territorial library associations which hosts an Education Institute and a job board)  Leverage technology more effectively to support members to better serve their clients, e.g., electronic meetings, web-casting of conferences  Strengthen collaboration with Canada’s post-secondary library/information science schools and library technician schools 3    Sponsor and produce more research in the Canadian context, e.g., annual environmental scans, policy/access to e-materials, library services for Canadians with print disabilities, library services to Aboriginal communities Develop more robust fundraising programs to resource initiatives that support CLA members and the library community at large Increase the availability of information and resources accessible in both official languages Cutbacks and reduced funding require continual change and a transition to alternate ways of thinking and doing things. The Canadian Library Association is doing more with less. Our workforce and the space we occupy are smaller. We have reassigned responsibilities and implemented new approaches to skills development. We have migrated our bi-monthly print magazine and other publications to digital format. We have reduced our use of in-person meetings of our executive and committees and have greatly increased our uses of teleconferencing and related technologies. We are expanding our partnerships and collaborations (e.g. Canadian Library Month). However, the future of the Canadian Library Association in tenuous and if a more robust funding model is not achieved in the very near future, its viability is at risk. 4. How in your view should LAC relate to major archival and librarian/library organizations and associations? Library and Archives Canada is a member of the Canadian Library Association with the exception that it and its employees do not participate in any of CLA’s advocacy work related to government. Close collaboration between the association, the institution and the library community is essential. The CLA Executive meets in-person with LAC head and senior officials at least three times per year, supplemented by teleconferences with senior staff on more in-depth topics. CLA and its members have participated in the LAC-initiated Pan-Canadian Documentary Heritage Network (PCDHN) and its related working groups on such issues as Interlibrary loan, the National Union Catalogue and preparing for Canada’s sesquicentennial in 2017. CLA has several partner initiatives with LAC, including the expansion of public access to Ancestry.ca to ensure broad pan-Canadian coverage. Earlier this year, when the post of Librarian and Archivist of Canada became vacant, CLA joined a coalition of 17 major library and archival associations to communicate to the Privy Council and other key decision makers about the qualifications required in the appointee to this important national position. Most recently, CLA has begun preliminary discussions with LAC on developing a project to collect and report statistics and measures of library activities. It is essential that LAC provide strong leadership and share information in a timely, open and transparent fashion. CLA’s concerns regarding LAC include:     the urgent need to recruit and select a qualified Librarian and Archivist of Canada who possesses the skills and qualifications reflected in the statement of abilities and experience communicated by stakeholders, including CLA. the importance of the continuation of the Pan-Canadian Documentary Heritage Network the ability of LAC to fulfill its core mandate with shrinking resources in an increasingly complex environment the impact on service to the public which is perceived to have been exacerbated by the reduction of the staff complement by one fifth and the apparent de-professionalizing of librarian staff complement 4          the uncertain status of LAC’s Core Digital Strategy given that digital collections constitute an increasingly significant portion of LAC’s collection and are increasingly the avenue by which Canadians access information and learn about their rich heritage the absence of a discrete acquisitions fund in the LAC budget the need for LAC’s leadership role in the collaborative development of a comprehensive Canadian library statistics program and database the need for LAC to become a TDR-Trusted Digital Repository, with all the work and commitment that this designation entails the need for the restoration of the National Archives Development Program, and the expansion of this program to the Canadian library sector to fund national projects and research the need for broader provincial and territorial access to the Ancestry.ca licenses held by LAC the limited hours and service offered to residents of the national capital region and visitors to Canada’s capital area LAC’s uncertain ability to fulfill its role to provide leadership and direction for library services of government institutions to ensure the ongoing provision of quality library services to the departments More transparency and enhanced communication about decisions taken that affect service delivery 5. What inhibits you from providing services that ultimately would improve library service in Canada? This is detailed in questions Section A #2, and Section B. 5 Section B: Canada’s Library Communities 6. How would you describe the services Canadians, including Aboriginal Canadians and new Canadians are currently receiving from libraries in Canada? While it is distressing to point out that no national statistical profile of library metrics has been assembled since the National Core Library Statistics Program sponsored by the former National Library of Canada in 1999, CLA initiated and funded its own research into library statistics and values to begin to address this gap. The result is a CLA report entitled National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries, 2012. http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Advocacy&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentI D=13783 Although the research base could not be as exhaustive as LAC’s former program, below is a summary of the findings:  There were 1 million visits to libraries (public, academic and school) every day of the year in 2010  On average Canadians visited a library once a month in 2010 (11 visits/year)  There were 198,000 electronic database sessions conducted in libraries (public, academic and the three national special libraries) every day of the year in 2010  There were 1,600,00 uses of library materials every day of the year in 2010  On average Canadians used at least one library item per month in 2010 (17 library items/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  21,000 Canadians attended programs held by public and academic libraries every day in 2010  Libraries in Canada operate on 28 cents per day per Canadian, or $104/year/Canadian  95% of Canadians had access to local public libraries in 2010 School Libraries: optimally provide service as “learning centre” or “heart” of a school’s learning activities. Staffed with professionally educated teacher-librarians (MLIS and teacher certification), ideally they are intentionally connected with the curriculum, and functioning as interactive, lively learning commons environments in physical and virtual spaces in collaboration with classroom teachers. This environment prepares students to achieve learning outcomes by examining knowledge in all forms— fiction and nonfiction, print and digital—to access, evaluate, dialogue, construct new knowledge and reflect upon it. Extensive research supports the correlation of advanced student achievement and literacy development with quality school library learning commons services, especially when led under the direction of teacher-librarians. For further information on student impact studies see Appendix 3. Research demonstrates that access to a teacher librarian working collaboratively with teachers within a school library increases students’ performance on standardized tests (http://www.lrs.org/documents/school/school_library_impact.pdf) . Professionally staffed school libraries are needed now more than ever to strengthen literacy rates and to teach students how to navigate the enormous amount of information available to them. Public Libraries: 6 Public libraries are the hub of the community and an integral institution to a community’s success. Public library services in Canada are extremely popular and usage continues to climb. The Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) 2011 statistics www.culc.ca representing 47 of the largest public library systems in the country (with a combined population of more than 17 million) indicate:     104 million in-person visits 121 million e-visits 205 million items circulated 4.5 million program attendees More specifically, the Toronto Public Library is the world’s busiest library, reporting (for 2011) an annual circulation of more than 33 million items and more than 19 million in person-visits. Public libraries provide access to a variety of collections to enable learning and entertainment opportunities for Canadians. The wealth of public library resources include: songs, movies, videogames, books for adults and youth, e-books, language learning resources, magazines and access to a multitude of electronic resources including full-text newspapers and journals. Many of these resources are also available in other languages. Public libraries have professionally-trained staff to assist customers to find the answers to their questions. They respond to the diverse needs of people with disabilities, homebound individuals and older adults through home delivery service, large print books, assistive technologies and descriptive videos and DVDs. Public libraries are frequently the go-to resource for job seekers. Public libraries are more than their collections and borrowing. They are the only public institutions that provide free, reliable access to the Internet for those unable to afford or navigate the digital world alone. Most public libraries in Canada provide support for using the Internet and mobile devices, helping individuals develop digital literacy skills. Public libraries strengthen literacies and build social cohesion in communities. Academic Libraries: Similarly, the digital revolution has transformed academic libraries and their services. Academic libraries are becoming much more about collaboration and co-learning than silent study halls of the past. The primary role of libraries continues to be access and provision of information. There is increasing emphasis on combining traditional access to physical and e-resources with teaching, learning and social spaces that support collaborative learning. Likewise, research questions no longer consist of quick facts but more frequently represent complex, sophisticated questions that reflect a shift in how universities are preparing students. Academic library spaces are collaborative spaces that frequently include writing centres, tutoring services (peer and volunteer) to meet the diverse learning needs of post-secondary students. Many academic libraries are positioned to support international students and their need to develop English Language Learning proficiencies through partnerships with teaching English as a second language centres. 7 Academic libraries are assuming leadership roles in the creation and management of Open Access publishing. Institutional repositories are frequently under the management of academic librarians, working in partnership with research faculty. Information literacy instruction is a key service provided by academic libraries. This ensures that students have the skills to identify and evaluate resources to be successful in their studies as well as have a solid foundation for lifelong learning. Library Services to New Canadians: Many of Canada’s libraries have robust programs and resources to serve new Canadians, often in partnership with local settlement and ethno-cultural agencies and Citizen and Immigration Canada. English language learning programs and books in dozens of other languages support newcomers. Public libraries offer a variety of programs from early literacy classes to computer training to book clubs, championing 21st century literacies including early literacy, basic literacy, information and computer literacy, and financial literacy services. They also serve students outside the classroom with the Summer Reading Club and other programs. Finally, libraries are vital community gathering places. CULC libraries alone provide 9.5 million square feet of publicly accessible space in 624 branches. Canadians gather in library spaces to study, read, participate in library programs, meet with friends or get work done in quiet study areas. Many public libraries offer Wi-Fi access enabling customers to use the space as their home office away from home. In spite of budget restrictions, more new and renewed spaces are opening every year in response to growing populations and increasing public demand. Library services for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples: Good library service for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities remains a major challenge and unmet need in this country. In large urban centres major public libraries provide services, spaces and collections targeted to the needs of these groups. However in small, rural, and remote areas, service is usually poor or lacking completely. The Government of Canada no longer has a dedicated library support program for First Nations communities, despite the fact that it is the fastest growing population in Canada. In the provinces of Saskatchewan and Ontario, provincial government financially supports library services for First Nations communities; this is not the case in the remaining majority of provinces. School libraries on First Nation reserves are often non-existent. Furthermore, as noted by the National Reading Campaign, most Aboriginal communities across Canada, especially those on reserves or in remote areas, do not have access to properly funded public libraries. Funding for education for Aboriginal people already falls far behind that spent on education for the rest of Canadians. According to Statistics Canada, the national per-student average in 2009 was $10,439. According to a statement from the Assembly of First Nations, the national average for First Nations students is about $7,101, or less than 70% of the norm for other Canadians. As First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities form significant parts of the population of Canada’s territories, services to them are usually provided in the context of general public library service, which is funded by the territorial governments. Aboriginal language materials and programs are included in general library planning, particularly in the NWT and Nunavut, where several aboriginal languages are 8 classified as official languages, and where the majority of the population in many small communities is aboriginal. However, not a great deal of material is produced or published in aboriginal languages, so even with library systems’ best efforts, aboriginal language resources are limited. As well, territorial funding does not permit every community to have a library, therefore many territorial residents have little direct access to library services regardless of the nature of the materials and services provided. Canada’s Aboriginal peoples are eager to adopt new information technologies; the issue here is a lack of infrastructure and access to technology for some of Canada’s least affluent citizens. Cancellation of the federal CAP (Community Access Program) has removed a vital link to modern society for many of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. On a positive note, libraries serving Inuit in Nunavut have independently developed their own protocols and standards for providing services, such as the creation of Inuit language bibliographic cataloguing standards for Inuit language materials, used by most of the major library systems in Nunavut. The National Reading Campaign facilitated its first of three roundtable meetings, “Aboriginal Readers: Opening New Worlds", including Aboriginal librarians, authors, educators and publishers in Banff, Alberta in late October 2013. This forum along with the National Aboriginal Public Library Organization (NAPLO) is calling on the Federal Government to provide properly funded public libraries so that Aboriginal communities in Canada have the same access to public libraries that other Canadians enjoy. 7. Are libraries the appropriate institution to catalogue, store and provide access to research data? If not, which institutions should provide these services? Research libraries are essential institutions in developing and managing data repositories. Libraries and librarians have the expertise in resource description, storage, and access. Libraries have the ability to work within common standards so that data can be preserved, described, accessed, shared and, ideally used and re-used beyond its original context. Libraries take user privacy seriously and have the capacity to be the interface between the public and the research institution. Academic libraries are the appropriate institutions to catalogue, store and provide access to research data. Currently in Canada the vast majority of research data is at risk of being lost because it is not being systematically managed and preserved. While certain disciplines and research projects have institutional, national, or international support for data management, this support is available for a minority of researchers only. A coordinated and national approach to managing research data in Canada is required in order to derive greater and longer term benefits, both socially and economically, from the extensive public investments that are made in research. The Canadian Association of Research Libraries defines roles for research libraries that include:     Develop and manage data repositories at the institution Support training for librarians in the area of data stewardship Provide support for researchers by hiring qualified data librarians and make these professionals available to the research community Provide education for researchers about data management practice Source: http://www.carl-abrc.ca/uploads/pdfs/data_brochure-e.pdf 9 In Canada, academic libraries are at the forefront of a new infrastructure for research data support. For example: Canadian Research Libraries’ Role in Data Stewardship for Social Sciences. http://www.wssf2013.org/panel-comit%C3%A9/canadian-research-libraries-role-datastewardship-social-sciences Islandora, a software framework designed by the University of Prince Edward Island to hel p institutions and organizations and their communities collaboratively manage and discover digital assets using best-practices. http://islandora.ca/ Libraries across Canada partner with Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centre Network. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/rdc-cdr/network-reseau-eng.htm. OCUL (Ontario) consortium supports Research Data access through a variety of Scholars Portal Services including: GeoPortal: http://spotdocs.scholarsportal.info/display/sp/GeoPortal. ODESI: http://spotdocs.scholarsportal.info/display/sp/ODESI. Dataverse: http://dataverse.scholarsportal.info/dvn/ Additionally, the Library and Archives Canada plays a fundamental role in cataloguing, managing, preserving, storing and providing accessing to Canada’s historical knowledge. As indicated in its mandate, “Library and Archives Canada preserves and makes accessible the documentary heritage of Canada. It also serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.” http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/about-us/Pages/our-mandate.aspx As indicated previously, without sufficient funding, LAC is at a serious disadvantage in fulfilling this mandate. 8. 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? There are many predictions about the future of libraries and some excellent sources of information on future library trends are: the IFLA Trend Report; the book, Library 2020: Todays Leading Visionaries Describe Tomorrow’s Library; the data from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project1; and ALA’s most recent future trends-related publication, Planning Our Future Libraries: Blueprints for 2025. These sources reveal several primary drivers of and trends in the future of library service: evolving technologies and the digital shift, leading to a technological divide, differential access to technology and the need for increased technology training and assistance; the need to embrace participation and community-led service models to remain responsive to customers accustomed to greater control and greater choice; the reimagining of libraries and library spaces (both physical and digital) as places of 1 that is used to produce presentations such as: Libraries 2020: Imagining the library of the (not too distant) future. A complete list of and access to presentations about libraries is available at: http://www.slideshare.net/PewInternet. 10 creation rather than places of mere consumption; and a shift from entertainment to learning with the library positioned to take on a role in the life-long learning of customers. Evolving Technologies and the Digital Shift The most common theme that emerges from trend and future directions reports is an emphasis on the impact that rapidly changing technology has had and continues to have on all facets of library service. The ubiquity of information in a digital format has made information literacy skills increasingly valuable. No longer does this encompass competence with print media alone; in order to be information literate in the digital age, individuals must be able to navigate a variety of digital tools. As the IFLA Trend Report notes, “in a hyper-connected world, access to information becomes the gateway for health, education and employment resources – as well as social, political and economic freedoms” (IFLA, 2013). Those who lack digital skills and/or digital access will face increasing barriers to meaningful participation in their communities and world. If they are to remain relevant, libraries must respond to the digital shift by adopting a broadened notion of literacy that includes digital skills. Libraries are increasingly offering digital literacy support, training, and access to digital resources. Library staff competencies increasingly involve comfort and skill with digital technologies and resources and the flexibility to work with a variety of clients. The digital shift has also impacted the lending of material in libraries. Libraries are currently lending, and will continue to lend, increasing amounts of digital information, providing access to databases, ebooks, emusic, evideos, and a variety of other online information sources. In 2011, the Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC) published a trend report based on usage data collected from member libraries over the previous 10 years, which illustrated the digital shift that is occurring. They noted that per capita number of library usage transactions had increased 45% in the last decade, mostly driven by increases in digital information usage (For more information, please see http://www.culc.ca/cms_lib/CULC%20Public%20Library%20Trends.pdf). The loan of e-material, particularly e-books, has raised issues between publishers, vendors and public libraries (Polanka, 2012). In this particular area, libraries’ success in keeping up with changing technology is hampered by publisher restrictions on material. The coming decade will continue to bring shifts in digital lending models. In annual customer service surveys a reoccurring theme is a request for more e-material. We can hope that lending models will allow for a greater amount of e-material with reasonable DRM restrictions. Conversely, in the academic sector, the desire for print material persists as the preferred platform for the absorption of scholarly works and textbooks. This poses similar issues as raised above in terms of DRM limitations and lending models, but also for research libraries struggling to maintain sufficient space and storage for their physical collections. High-density storage facilities are costly to build and maintain, and while some universities have had success in collaborative efforts, academic libraries have yet to solidify a clear plan for partnership in the preservation of unique collections. Perhaps the biggest challenge in academic library collections is what is increasingly being recognized as the unsustainability of the “Big Deal” packages. While enormous efficiencies have been realized through the consortial negotiation and acquisition of content, the inflationary increases coupled with an erratic exchange rate has resulted in the cannibalization of academic library budgets. The result is that libraries struggle to provide continued access to the ever growing universe of subscription material, and are unable to invest in the collection and curation of unique collections (Anderson, 2013; Lewis, 2013). 11 Academic Libraries, in response, have been investing in and developing scholarly publishing infrastructure that should, over time both preserve and secure Canadian scholarly publishing with more resilience. One example of this work is the now concluded Synergies project (http://www.synergiescanada.org/) which involved 21 Canadian universities that brought print-only Canadian humanities and social sciences journals into the the online environment. Many of those journals were hosted on the Open Journal Systems software (http://pkp.sfu.ca/ojs/) , which is, likewise, developed and hosted at a Canadian university and is sponsored by a variety of library partners including the Ontario Council of University Libraries. As well, more and more academic libraries are finding other means to support Open Access Scholarship, which as defined by Peter Suber, is “digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions”. http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/overview.htm Some libraries support author’s publishing costs directly through Open Access Author Funds and many academic libraries now host Institutional Repositories that not only preserve the work of Canadian researchers, it makes such research more accessible and discoverable. Open Access Publishing has been growing dramatically http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.ca/2014/01/dramatic-growth-of-open-accessdecember.html and all indications suggest that this will continue, as most recently signaled by the Canada's Tri-Agency request for comment on its draft Open Access Policy An increasing trend in public libraries is the lending of e-readers and other devices. Whether the ereaders belong to the library itself or to the customers, libraries are now expected to provide training and assistance with e-reading devices (Polanka, 2012) and other digital literacy skills support. E-reader lending requires increased staff proficiency with e-reader devices, a shift in the amount of time staff spend with customers and in their level of technological expertise. Embracing Participation/Community-Led Service Leeder and Frierson (2014) state that “the history of libraries is a history of control; until recently, librarians controlled the selection, organization, description, and provision of access to the great majority of information” (viii). Indeed, self-reflection on the part of libraries has led to the realization that libraries have been gatekeepers rather than community members. Now that many of the gates have disappeared (Internet + anywhere/anytime devices), libraries have been forced to take on greater patron participation in all aspects of decision-making. Patron-driven acquisitions are expected to continue to expand, and community consultation in space planning and library visioning will become increasingly central to public library relevance (Leeder and Frierson, 2014). The demand for increasingly customer-driven service has led to the development of community-led service philosophies that focus on the “lived experiences of socially excluded community members and the librarians who engage with them as equal members of the community” (Williment, 2011). In this new model of library service, community members are engaged outside the confines of the library, where librarians develop relationships with communities and individuals, and, work with those communities to build a robust picture of community needs and to design responsive services to meet those needs. Trends suggest libraries will continue to move in this direction, with library staff spending more time outside of branches, and libraries developing innovative ways to provide service beyond their four walls. For more information, please see: Developing Community-Led Public Libraries: Evidence from the UK and Canada by John Pateman and Ken Williment, 2013. Reimagining Library Space 12 If library collections are no longer sufficient to draw people to library spaces (as the data is beginning to suggest), what happens to that space? A new emerging trend that addresses this is the development of makerspaces in libraries. Mostly technological in nature (e.g. 3D printers, and video/music/photo editing/creation software) these spaces are meant to both connect with new tech-savvy communities and introduce these tools to a broader audience for both educational and entertainment purposes. Libraries are re-imagining their customers as, not just readers, but creators, and reimagining reading as involving more than just print material (Fontichiaro, 2012; Polonka, 2012). Makerspaces require libraries to acquire new tools and redesign spaces, but they also require support systems to allow customers to use those tools and spaces. The learning curve for advanced design software, espresso book machines and 3D print design may be sharp; libraries require enthusiastic staff willing to learn new systems, and co-learn with customers. For more information on makerspaces in libraries, see this web-resource: http://library-maker-culture.weebly.com/makerspaces-in-libraries.html Libraries and Learning The technological shift has meant that on-demand entertainment is everywhere and, for many people, it is accessible for a modest fee without recourse to the library. In response, libraries are re-embracing their educational origins, realizing that there is space between elementary/high school and MOOCs for both career and interest oriented education. IFLA predicts the explosion of inexpensive online education will lead to enormous increases in the number of people participating in online learning and the introduction of innovative, cross-sectional, multidisciplinary online learning opportunities. In addition, as technological change continues at rapid rates and the economy becomes increasingly globalized, individuals will be required to adapt by gaining new skills and knowledge throughout their adult lives. While libraries may not emerge as a key player in the world of MOOCs, they may have an essential role to play as intermediaries, providing platforms for peer learning, mentoring, network-building, co-study, collaboration and informal support systems. This question captures the tensions that libraries are facing in the digital age. Usage of libraries continues to rise and users are demanding both traditional and digital services and resources in an environment where many public institutions are challenged to keep up. This tension was identified in a recent study from the Pew Research Centre entitled Library Services in the Digital World (January 2013). http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/ The Pew study confirms what CLA members and their constituents experience daily: customers are embracing new technologies and would welcome more and, at the same time, still want access to physical library materials (books, CDs and DVDs). Increasingly, users want:  Just-in-time online research services  apps-based access to library materials and programs  access to technology “petting zoos” to try out new devices  GPS navigation apps to help users locate materials inside library buildings  Redbox style lending machines (e.g. Ottawa Public Library kiosks, Loblaws new Red Box services) located throughout the community where people can check-out books, movies or music without having to go to the library itself  Amazon-style customized book/audio/video recommendation schemes that are based on a user’s prior library behaviour (e.g. BiblioCommons, -a made-in-Canada next generation online public access catalogue used by many libraries in Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand) 13 The same Pew study identified the four top overall services that users wanted: 1. closer coordination with schools; 2. free literacy programs for young children; 3. more comfortable spaces for reading, working and relaxing; and 4. a broader selection of e-books. Public and academic libraries have their ear to their community, their vision on the horizon and strategically and creatively combine new and traditional services to meet community needs. They are facilitating the creation and new service models to innovate and try new things. School Libraries: are an essential component in the learning ecology of Canadian society. They too are balancing the best ways to provide traditional print materials and e-materials to their students and teachers. Many schools have not yet met Achieving Information Literacy Standards (CLA 2003). The CLA School Libraries Advisory Committee and CLA’s Voices for School Libraries Network are currently producing a common set of complementary standards for educators across Canada, to acquire and develop skills and expertise in order to implement a comprehensive school library learning commons model. A steering committee and focus group have developed five basic “Principles of Effective School Library Learning Commons” and are currently developing standards rubrics for these principles. The results of this project will be launched as an e-book at the 2014 CLA National Conference and Trade Show in Victoria. CLA is working in cooperation with eleven provincial/territorial school library organizations and/or school board representatives in coordinating this national initiative. Each of these organizations has developed strong contingents of school library committees and has met physically or virtually, submitting responses to the project writing on an ongoing basis. Many have shared new resources regarding Canadian and international school libraries and the learning commons perspective to the project site. To view these resources, the principles, template and tasks see: https://sites.google.com/site/nationalslproject/home. See also Appendix 3. The CLA identifies the following related challenges:  Maintaining and upgrading physical facilities  Aggressive expansion of digital resources with sustainable pricing models  Collaborative/regional approaches to analog preservation  Strengthening and expanding broadband capacity  Branding libraries and library services more effectively  Strengthening operating budgets for access and resources  Developing staff expertise in the new and developing technologies and related devices  Meeting customers’ needs for both digital and traditional services  Providing digital services (access to Internet, mobile devices and digital literacy training) for Canadians, particularly those on the wrong side of the “digital divide”  Ensuring and championing equitable access to information and knowledge 9. How do libraries measure outcomes of their service and community impacts? Traditionally, libraries have measured their value by outputs: gate counts, circulation counts, and various website counts. Traditional measures of activity indicate strong performance, but libraries are increasingly blending this data with outcome measures and qualitative approaches. Methodologically, this is an evolving discipline because there can be long times between an action (library service) and its impact (early literacy development). 14 More and more, libraries are compiling detailed reports and statistics that present stronger emphasis on qualitative assessment of library performance and measuring the outcomes or impact of library services in addition to inputs and outputs. Some of the major qualitative indicators used by public libraries include results of user satisfaction surveys. Many Canadian public libraries use various survey instruments (online, third party, etc.) to obtain occasional or on-going customer satisfaction ratings. Municipal government often includes libraries in surveys of citizen satisfaction where various municipal services are compared against each other. On a national level, the Canadian “Citizens First” survey conducted every 4 years measures citizen satisfaction with a wide range of federal, provincial and municipal services in both the private and public sectors with the goal to track improvement (or lack of) over time. Repeatedly, public libraries have exceled coming out on the top of the list in service satisfaction. Other quantitative measures have included prizes, honours and awards won by the library and its staff, library scores in city-wide assessments of city departments making effective use of technology, and the role of the library in rating a city as a learning or smart city. In Ontario many public libraries participate with their municipalities in OMBI-the Ontario Municipal Benchmark Initiative. The Southern Ontario Library Services organization (SOLS) developed a tool to help its members generate information that would measure their public library’s contribution to and impact on their local communities. A Library’s Contribution to Your Community helps public library boards and administrators to create plans to generate this data. It helps the library to construct a document that confirms the value of a library’s contribution to its community. The benefits are identified as lifelong learning, support for individuals in the education system, reading and numeracy skills, language skills including English language learning, cultural awareness, and information services for local businesses, tourism, career development and search for employment. The contributions include: education and learning, literacy, culture and recreation, business and the economy, personal support and community development. Increasingly, libraries are being required to identify the economic contribution they provide in communities in order to justify not only their funding and support, but in some cases their very existence. Library authorities are now using tools from economics and political science to demonstrate, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the value of the library to the community it serves. One of the most well-known economic impact studies used by libraries in North America is The Seattle Public Library Central Library: Economic Benefits Assessment (2005). The independent study concluded that the new central library was functioning as a highly effective gateway to public space and tourist destination and that it was a significant contributor to Seattle’s economy and a catalyst for downtown revitalization. Furthermore, citizens and political leaders are realizing that not only are new central libraries a catalyst for civic engagement and commitment to ideas, knowledge and growth, but they are also drivers of economic vitality, contribute to community character and liveability, and enhance both the image and identity of the whole city. The Vancouver Public Library completed an impact study in 2011 which sought to estimate the indirect benefits or value to the community as a whole in economic terms as well as a tool kit for outcomes based evaluation of public libraries: https://www.vpl.ca/images/uploads/file/pdf/Outcomes_Based_Evaluation_Toolkit.pdf. Toronto Public Library just released So Much More: the Economic Impact of the Toronto Public Library on the City of Toronto (December 2013) completed by the Martin Prosperity Institute (http://martinprosperity.org/media/TPL%20Economic%20Impact_Dec2013_LR_FINAL.pdf). This study, 15 highlighted as the first of its kind in Canada, demonstrates that Toronto Public Library contributes over $1 billion in economic impact. For every dollar invested in Toronto Public Library (TPL), Torontonians receive $5.63 in value. Additionally, the report highlights the intangible benefits provided by community branches. Other libraries are increasingly using customer testimonials and Social Return on Investment methodologies to communicate the qualitative impact of libraries and the difference they make in the lives of Canadians. For example, Edmonton Public Library has produced testimonial videos to communicate to stakeholders such impacts (http://www.epl.ca/iheartepl). Likewise, below is a written testimonial from a new Canadian who describes the invaluable impact of learning database provided through Edmonton Public Library: Hello. I just want to share my experience and show how valuable the program was in my personal career development and life. I am a new Canadian. It was taking me a lot of time to find a suitable program to study in order to be qualified for jobs I was applying. Learn4Life helped me in many job search activities, I also enrolled in the courses. Being new to Edmonton, I took Business Writing Course. It helped me to learn how to write professional e-mails, letters and overall North American standards of maintaining professional correspondence. You just cannot imagine how much I improved thanks to this course. I even started receiving invitations for interviews. I have taken 5 maximum courses I could take and I wish I could take more, as they are great and free. Being new to the area, I was not able to spend a lot of money on expensive courses, so these courses were as a Christmas Gift that I value very much. The most important is that in 4 month period I was fortunate enough to get a job. I would like to thank the EPL staff for giving this opportunity to people like me. The program changed my life and made me successful in my career. I wish the program could continue and help more people. Thank you. Strategic and organized repositories are essential to collect and organize these testimonials and other user feedback in order to communicate the impact libraries have on the lives of Canadians. Academic Libraries The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) is committed to supporting and developing outcomes-based measures to assist libraries in moving beyond inputs and outputs in order to better demonstrate library impact on research, teaching and learning. They provide an annual library statistics report and coordination of LibQUAL+ Canada; / Measures program - http://www.carlabrc.ca/statistics.html. In 2013 they, along with Ryerson University, delivered a Library Assessment Workshop - http://www.carl-abrc.ca/en/research-libraries/claw.html Landmark studies such as the 2010 The Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report from the Association of College and Research Libraries in the U.S. (http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/value/val_report.pdf) have established methodologies and benchmarks with which to assess academic library impact and influence. Not all academic libraries are members of CARL, however, and therefore their statistics are not represented in that realm. However, the data definitions used by CARL are widely embraced by 16 provincial organizations such as OCUL, which routinely gathers annual data about their member institutions and houses them on their website: http://www.ocul.on.ca/node/397 Data on instituional investment in libraries can be found in the Canadian Association of University Business Officers publication Financial Information of Universities and Colleges: http://www.caubo.ca/resources/publications/financial_information_universities This data is often used for ranking exercises such as those undertaken by Macleans magazine as they are a strong indicator of the prominence given to the library on campus. University and college libraries are frequently called upon to perform internal evaluations to determine their fitness to support specific programs in the program approval, the accreditation or the program review processes. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of collections, facilities and services are all included in these reports. 10. Would Canadians know of or understand the contributions libraries make to civic life in Canada? Canadians love their libraries. They understand that libraries provide free service; they are for everyone, they are there to provide and support literacy development and that the library is a trusted community service. Canadians’ understanding is built on their experiences using library services as well as the marketing and promotion of libraries. In survey after survey, when citizens are asked to indicate what comes to mind when they think of libraries the answer is: books, books and books. As the national voice for the Canadian community of libraries, the Canadian Library Association and its members and partners need to be more effective and dynamic in helping Canadians rediscover their libraries and the everexpanding range of services they offer. Enhancing the ability to communicate the impact of libraries is a definitive role CLA could play in developing a better understanding of the contributions libraries make to society. 11. In the digital era, what support for patrons do/should libraries provide? The digital era provides vast opportunities for libraries and their communities. Many creative libraries have implemented programs reflective of our digital era. Some of these opportunities include the following:  Standard services in most public and academic libraries include free internet access, basic software packages, printers, fax machines, scanners and photocopiers; additionally, many provide Wi-Fi access, computer training, online research chat services, support for mobile devices such as tablets, e-readers and smart-phones  Libraries will continue to support their customers to become empowered through expanding their own abilities, to help them to become better versed in their interests and to become more connected to their communities  Already some libraries are providing support for the entire creative process from idea to artifact. They do so by hosting writers in residence who mentor members of the public or their user community. They host reading and writing support groups. They provide self-publishing vehicles such as the Espresso Book Machine. And some libraries are creating maker-spaces, a demonstration of the transformation from consuming to creating.  Libraries support learning, facilitating courses, providing programs and offering access to online programs 17        Libraries continue to support self-directed, interest-driven activity and are expanding into providing support for more collaborative learning and creative activities within their spaces Libraries teach library users how to use and interpret new technologies and ways of accessing information Libraries provide spaces for people to work collaboratively on projects with equipment that would be beyond their own personal reach (media labs, scanners, 3-D printers, etc) Academic libraries provide collaborative learning spaces Libraries actively support charitable and not-for-profit organizations and help find ways to connect their work with their communities Libraries provide services that help users convert and save older digital materials into more modern formats Libraries provide robust genealogical services and in-house expertise; many facilitate other means by which the public has access to local and national history. 12. What in your opinion are the specific roles of libraries in community building and memory building? Libraries build communities in many ways. In one sense, they are community builders because they connect people both with the things they need to develop themselves, and with other people in the community. Academic libraries connect students and researchers with the literature and data they need to develop their learning and writing in neutral space. Government libraries connect citizens with government information and provide information and the knowledge base for informed decisions by government. Special libraries connect businesses and research institutions with their resources and their clients. Public libraries have a particularly strong role in community building, as they are community centres of activity, reaching all ages from infants to the older adult, and providing access to information and technology to all members of society regardless of income level. Public libraries are one of the last remaining free public democratic civic spaces. Library programs offer the opportunity for people interested in the same subject to connect with each other, whether it’s a story time for infants, a genealogy seminar for family historians, or an exhibition of a treasured part of a library’s collection for interested viewers. Many public libraries have a community-led framework, connecting with communities, understanding needs and delivering services to meet those needs. Healthy libraries create healthy communities. Libraries also have a culture of memory, and believe in preserving information in all its many diverse forms. When people are looking for the history of something, a library is often the first source they think of. And when a community’s history is threatened, it often turns to libraries to help preserve it. Many libraries are already taking steps in becoming community publishers and hosting institutional repositories. Libraries have a memory-building role as collaborators with community partners such as museums, archives and historical societies. They often work collectively on digitizing projects and creating finding aids to documents stored in an archive, objects in a museum, photographs in an online gallery or books on a shelf. 18 CLA was supportive of the Heritage Project initiated by LAC. This innovative initiative, with appropriate agreements regarding access, represents a sustainable means to further large scale digitization. It also reflects the partnership model necessary to advance some of the key challenges in the stewardship of Canadian heritage materials. 13. What are the main challenges for born-digital material for libraries? Libraries, more than any other institution, understand what born-digital materials are and how to collect and provide access for Canadians. Library staff have the knowledge and understanding to position libraries to be most effective in this emerging new role. Many libraries are under-prepared to address the born-digital challenge, in both content and the sheer volume of material, because of lack of funding or existing funding in competition with other services and programs. As a result many libraries are currently unable to host e-materials, and are unprepared for archiving born-digital materials such as blogs, mp3s, and videos. Consequently, these artifacts created by our communities are at risk of being lost to future generations. Canadian libraries have, in general, been unable to invest sufficiently in the staff, staff training and the infrastructure required for more robust digital preservation, description and distribution. Libraries are for the most part willing to embrace the challenge of bridging the gap between the born-digital generation and the institutions serving them. 14. What will be the function and future of a bricks-and-mortar library in a paperless-society? In any foreseeable future, society will see a mixed use of physical and electronic resources. And although we collaborate across the country and outside our bounders, people have not lost their affinity for sharing in public spaces. Among institutions in society, libraries have pioneered the use of space and collaboration and the blended approach of changing paradigms. Libraries have a unique position to demonstrate through their role as free public gathering spaces and co-learning spaces. Some libraries are developing co-working spaces for non-profits and small businesses. Libraries have already developed labs for the individual and group development of creative works, both digital and non-digital. In the future, libraries could help users convert and save older digital materials with the option of keeping copies for a community historical archive. Libraries of all types have a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with each other and with community partners to become memory places in both physical and digital form. As noted earlier, a new emerging trend that addresses re-visioning library spaces is the development of makerspaces. Mostly technological in nature (e.g. 3D printers, and video/music/photo editing/creation software) these spaces are meant to both connect with new tech-savvy communities and introduce these tools to a broader audience for both educational and entertainment purposes. Libraries are reimagining their customers as, not just readers, but creators, and reimagining reading as involving more than just print material (Fontichiaro, 2012; Polonka, 2012). For more information on makerspaces in libraries, see this web-resource: http://library-maker-culture.weebly.com/makerspaces-in-libraries.html Libraries continue to be regarded as essential, relevant and vital public institutions. Now new forces are shaping library design and are drawing users back. These forces include the proliferation of new media, the integration of non-media-activities, expanded and convenient hours, the introduction of living room customer oriented conveniences. These include coffee houses and digital labs, retail outlets, and the 19 new view of libraries as economic generators as well as hubs of urban revitalization. Increasingly in many parts of the world the library is becoming a third place-apart from home and school or home and church-a community gathering place where there is no pressure to buy, consume or perform, as well as a place that provides encouragement and support for exploration, discovery, connection and civility. Library space is becoming more and more important when so many other activities and services are increasingly offered only in virtual or commercial form. From Canada to China to Colombia to Australia, to Slovenia and South Africa, new and beautifully designed libraries are becoming facilities of service, community congregation and human engagement, and a source of civic pride. Post-secondary education is the key to Canada’s future. The trends demonstrate that the fastest growing sector is the distance-learning sector and libraries of all types are well positioned to support distance learning. Well-coordinated support to distance learning will benefit all sectors and CLA is the place to have those conversations. Collaborative mechanisms to meet distance-learning needs such as MOOCs can be coordinated through Canada’s libraries as the implementation network. The library community possesses the technology, infrastructure and collaborative and innovative spirit to facilitate these learning opportunities. 15. What changes are necessary in the professional education and training of librarians in the 21st century? The most recent and comprehensive report on human resources in Canadian libraries has been the Canadian Library Human Resource Study, 2005. Currently in the process of being updated, this report addressed recruitment, retention, retirement, education, training, and job satisfaction. A major finding and a repeated theme was the need for librarians skilled in performing managerial functions and able to assume leadership roles. Now, almost a decade later, it is clear that managerial and leadership skills are increasingly important. In addition, it is evident that we have an urgent need for awareness and knowledge of digital literacy skills. This is of paramount concern and speaks to the need for:          continuing professional education and skill development networking and community building skills linking professional competencies to professional development opportunities flexible online and distance education programs at the beginning, mid and top of careers (e.g. use of MOOCs, webinars, video-conferencing) flexibility and the ability to think outside the box in order to find workable solutions ability to manage in an environment of rapid change and even more rapid technical innovation in-depth programs, at the certificate level, to develop and train middle managers (e.g CULC’s Public Library Leadership Development Program) ongoing awareness of the changing employment market greater involvement of Canadian library educators in the Canadian library community and conversely a stronger relationship between library schools and the Canadian Library Association (and related organizations) to ensure that institutional human resource needs are well articulated and educational programs develop a robust response to those needs 20 The library community is taking initiative to review the 2005 data from the Canadian Library Human Resource Study, 2005 and we will have an excellent longitudinal base to develop new recommendations for the education and training needs of librarians. 16. Public Libraries are primarily funded by local municipalities, with little funding coming from any other level of government. Many towns and rural communities 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 of libraries-whether urban or rural? This question raises the opportunity for collaborations that pool knowledge and solution sharing spread over a larger base, which has been a response to the need to improve service by sharing resources in all library sectors:  In several provinces (e.g. Alberta and Saskatchewan) rural areas have achieved much improved levels of service through the creation of regional libraries where combining local funding and expertise has leveraged additional provincial resources; these regional units are in turn collaborating with each other to leverage funds and technology to improve service even more  Many provinces have created provincial planning and purchasing cooperatives such as The Alberta Library (TAL) or SOLS (Southern Ontario Library Service) or BC’s Interlink and OLS-North (Ontario Library Service-North) regional consortia providing collective services that small public libraries could not afford on their own such as affordable subscriptions to databases and e-book collections. Nunavut and Northwest Territories public library systems both have centralized headquarters functions that are responsible for all purchasing, cataloguing, technical services, etc., since most small community library locations are staffed by people with limited library training.  University and College libraries have formed consortia to act collectively and leverage financial resources available (e.g. The Canadian Research Knowledge Network). The CRKN is a partnership of Canadian universities dedicated to expanding digital content for the academic research enterprise in Canada. Through the coordinated leadership of librarians, researchers, and administrators, CRKN undertakes large-scale content acquisition and licensing initiatives in order to build knowledge infrastructure and research capacity in Canada’s universities. University libraries are the drivers of CRKN’s initiatives, and play a primary role in leveraging expertise and resources for the benefit of Canada’s scholarly research community. http://crkn.ca/  The BC Libraries Cooperative is a community enterprise, strategically focused on the delivery of shared operational infrastructure and resources for its diverse library members. Delivering services to over 100 organizations across Canada, the Co-op realizes economies of scale, secures access to quality resources, and develops robust, future-oriented library technology solutions. With specific expertise incubating and deploying enterprise-class open source solutions, the Coop is increasingly recognized as an innovation hub for collaborative library technology initiatives in Canada, including partnering with the National Network for Equitable Library Service to create the Canadian Accessible Library Service, a repository of downloadable alternate format materials for the print disabled. http://bc.libraries.coop/ 21  CULC (Canadian Urban Libraries Council) is collaborating with CNIB to develop a comprehensive response to the needs of library service to the print disabled in Canada. www.culc.ca  Many libraries are collaborating with other non-library stakeholders including settlement service organizations, health services and other organization in the provision of settlement services, early literacy programs, tutoring services, English Language Learning services and financial literacy programs The creation of collaborative service delivery enhances innovation and builds economies of scale so that in the local community, the library can focus on service delivery. Conclusion This preliminary brief has been developed by a CLA members team, CLA’s President and supported by CLA headquarters staff and is submitted by CLA President Marie DeYoung. We thank the Royal Society of Canada and the Members of the Expert Panel for the opportunity to present CLA’s views. We look forward to submitting a final brief following our formal presentation to Expert Panel and the conclusion of the Panel’s Canada-wide consultation process. Submitted on behalf of the Canadian Library Association, Marie DeYoung President, Canadian Library Association University Librarian Saint Mary’s University 923 Robie Street Halifax, NS B3H 3C3 Email: Marie.deyoung@smu.ca Canadian Library Association 1150 Morrison Drive #400 Ottawa, ON K2H 8S9 T. 613-232-9625 www.cla.ca info@cla.ca 22 Members of the CLA – RSC Response team include: Jo-Anne Gibson, Co-moderator, CLA Voices for School Libraries Network and, Teacher-Librarian Pembina Trail School Division, Winnipeg, MB Dara Hofman, MLIS Candidate, Richmond, BC Pilar Martinez, President Canadian Library Association (ex officio), Edmonton, AB Julia Merritt, CEO, Stratford Public Library, Stratford, ON Carol Rigby, Cataloguing, Editing and Information Management Services, Iqaluit, Nunavut/Maberly, ON Judith Sykes, School Library Services Manager (Retired)/Project Coordinator CLA National School Library Standards, Edmonton, AB Edel Toner-Rogala, Chief Librarian, Burnaby Public Library, Burnaby, BC Mita Williams, User Experience Librarian, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON Barbara Clubb, Interim Executive Director, Canadian Library Association, Ottawa, ON Geraldine Hyland, Manager Member Services, Canadian Library Association, Ottawa, ON 23 Appendix 1: Brief Overview of the Canadian Library Association www.cla.ca The Canadian Library Association /Association canadienne des bibliothèques (CLA) is Canada’s largest and broadest-based national library association. It is predominantly English-language based, with select activities also in French and provides a range of services to 1,400 personal, institutional and corporate members, and represents the concerns of some 57,000 individuals who work in library and information services in Canada. CLA members work in college, university, public, special (corporate, non-profit and government) and school libraries. Others sit on boards of public libraries, work for companies that provide goods and services to libraries, or are students in graduate level or community college programs. Increasingly members are also working in the broader information management sector. We believe that libraries and the principles of intellectual freedom and free universal access to information are key components of an open and democratic society and a knowledge economy. The CLA mission states: "CLA is the national 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 member learning. We collaborate to strengthen the library community." Founded in 1946, CLA is a not-for-profit corporation under the (federal) Canada-Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (S.C. 2009). It is also a registered charity BN: 118833763RR000. It is governed by a sixperson elected executive council, which is advised by 13 appointed advisory and standing committees and as-needed task forces. There are CLA student chapters at six English-language library and information science post-graduate programs in Canada, and there is a student chapter at one library technician program. To provide arenas for focus on member-identified needs within the broad national library and information community, CLA currently has 24 Networks focusing on such diverse topics as accessible collections and services, evidence-based library and information practice, human resources, library history, government library and information management professionals, library and literacy for First Nations and Voices for School Libraries. New networks are forming regularly. Governance The six member CLA board of directors is led by President Marie DeYoung, University Librarian, Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. All board terms are two years and the Vice-president automatically becomes the President. Other members of the governing board are Vice-president, Sandra Singh (City Librarian, Vancouver Public Library), Treasurer, Mike Ridley (University of Guelph), and Councillors-atlarge Lorna Rourke (Library Director, St. Jerome’s University), Marc Truitt(University Librarian, Mount Allison University) and Jane Schmidt (Head Collection Services, Ryerson University). Operations of the association are managed by an Executive Director, Valoree McKay, with a full time staff of three and a part-time staff of five. The national headquarters is located in Ottawa to facilitate the interaction with federal government departments and agencies and other national organizations with interests in libraries and information management. CLA also operates the Young Canada Works program for libraries across the country on behalf of the federal department of Canadian Heritage. The 24 annual budget of the association is $1.3 million which comes primarily from membership dues and the annual conference. Members occasionally make financial contributions to particular projects and funds. Areas of activity CLA advocates the values of the library and information community – such as intellectual freedom and freedom of expression; literacy and learning; access to information (particularly government information); the right to privacy – and represents the concerns of its members to governments, media and the public. CLA advances the profession by providing life-long learning opportunities for its members and all in the information community by; providing a mechanism by which those in the community can share best practices and work together on common causes; keeping the community informed through its regular journal, news products and Web site, www.cla.ca our Facebook presence, the use of Twitter and a range of listservs; and recognizing outstanding achievements in intellectual freedom, children’s literature and Canadian librarianship. Current Activities With its partners, CLA advances Canadian society by leading or contributing to policy development and public education on issues such as literacy of all types; copyright; international trade agreements; use of the Internet by children; and underserved populations including aboriginal, print-disabled and the economically disadvantaged. CLA continues to lead a variety of national advocacy initiatives and to offer professional development opportunities. Major activities have focused on these two elements, with federal advocacy taking a predominant role. Advocacy and Public Awareness Copyright Legislation: CLA was pleased to see that the government passed its long-awaited update to the Copyright Act, Bill C-11 in 2012. Many positive elements related to libraries are included in the new legislation, and CLA looks forward to continuing to work together as it goes through regular review stages. CLA, along with our wide community of library users, continues to embrace copyright legislation as one of our key priorities. Canadian libraries play a vital role in providing Canadians access to all forms of material. This access to information is integral to ensuring that Canadians are regular contributors to the economic, social and cultural well being of their communities. We need a made-in-Canada copyright solution, to ensure that the legislation ultimately succeeds in its objectives of being both balanced and technologically neutral. Library Materials Rate: Since 2007, CLA has maintained a strong focus on advocating for the passage of an amendment to a section of the Canada Post Corporation Act known as the Library Book Rate. In June 2013, Bill C-321 received Royal Assent and it protects the existing reduced rate for postage on library materials between libraries and between libraries and their users within Canada. The Library Materials Rate as it is now known is about more than a reduced rate for libraries to send and reduce materials. Over one million Canadians benefit from it annually and it is an indispensable part of the service 25 delivered by libraries across the country, collectively saving libraries hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in postal charges. Access to the Internet and Digital Resources: CLA believes that it is fundamental to an engaged and productive society that all Canadians, regardless of economic status or geographic location, require the ability to access information and services through broadband connection to the Internet, along with the assistance required to become digitally literate. For Canadians in remote and rural locations, the Community Access Program (CAP) funded by Industry Canada (1994-2012) provided this access. CLA is extremely concerned that federal government funding for reasonable broadband access is not currently available. With only 54% of Canadian households in the lowest income quartile that have home Internet, it is imperative the federal government provides funding for community-based Internet access through public libraries. The continued need for digital access is borne out by use at sites across Canada. Indications are that use of the computers, as well as requests for assistance, is increasing. The public library is the only institution that provides free internet access and digital literacy training and support for its customers. CLA has strongly urged the Federal Government to reinstate the funding for internet access with longterm, sustainable funding, and re-imagine this support program as part of a policy mix focused on bringing the benefits of broadband connection to all Canadians, thereby helping each citizen meaningfully contribute to Canada’s economic future. CLA believes that the federal government needs to initiate a program to support access to the Internet and digital resources for all Canadians in order to remain competitive with other nations. Equity of Internet access and developing a society’s digital skills is critical to empowering citizens and building an even stronger Canada in the 21st century. Digital Technology: Canada has been a world leader of digital technology but has not taken full advantage of its infrastructure. In the development of a Canadian digital economic strategy, improving the digital literacy of Canadians must be priority. Investment is needed not only in technology and digital skills, but also in content – the sum of which represents our cultural heritage. Libraries play and will continue to play an instrumental role as national digital economy policies are implemented, primarily due to their role in providing Canadians with equitable access to the content contained within that digital infrastructure. CLA recommends that the government develop targeted policies and programs to ensure that Canadians have access to emerging and digital technology, as well as the skills needed to take advantage of the opportunities that this technology provides. Library Investments: Canadian cultural industries are vital economic drivers; those cultural workers create works that must be acquired, made accessible, and preserved for future generations. Recent budget cuts to libraries in federal departments and at Library and Archives Canada will negatively impact access to information for the people of Canada. Continued access to and preservation of Canada’s documentary heritage is urgently needed. CLA recommends that the Government of Canada reinvest in the capacity of libraries, particularly through increased funding to support a digital access program and to Library and Archives Canada, to preserve, digitize and provide access to our documentary heritage. With implementation of this recommendation, the following would occur: Ensure that Canadians of all ages have equitable access to the information and skills they need to be full participants in the Canadian economy; Libraries can leverage the information and services that are already provided to Canadians, in order to positively 26 impact productivity, job creation and economic growth; and Ensure access to and preservation of Canada’s documentary heritage. Intellectual Freedom: CLA continues to monitor intellectual freedom issues in Canada through its annual survey of challenges to library materials and policies. The survey, conducted in both English and French, captures details of challenges to remove library materials from libraries of all types across the country. Canadian Library Month: The association also spearheads Canadian Library Month/Le Mois Canadien des Bibliothèques, partnering with provincial, regional, and territorial library associations and governments. Under the theme "Libraries Connect/Bibliothèques branchées” this collection of events has helped raise awareness of all types of libraries—public, academic, school, and special—and their roles for Canadians of all ages. Canadian Library Support Staff: More than 75% of employees working in libraries and like institutions are not professional librarians; this group however forms the backbone of library and information service in Canada. In recognition of this group, CLA promotes Canadian Library Support Staff Day each year on October 18. Professional Development CLA’s major contribution to continuing professional development continues to be its annual national conference held in major cities across the country. The 2013 CLA National Conference and Trade Show was held in Winnipeg in May; the 2014 and 2015 Conferences will be held in Victoria and Ottawa respectively. International Engagement CLA maintains strong contact with the international library community, mainly through its involvement with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). The Canadian library community has strongly supported Ingrid Parent, University Librarian at the University of British Columbia, as the first Canadian President of IFLA from August 2011 to August 2013. CLA also maintains observer status with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIP0) Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights. Canadians have played key leadership roles in many IFLA units and the Canadian Library Association coordinates the Canadian nomination process for these elected positions. Publications and Communications As information professionals, Canadian librarians depend on timely and attractive publications and resources from their professional association, and those outside the community look to the major national association as a significant source of information. CLA's bi-monthly publication, Feliciter, published since 1956, explores core themes in the library community. In 2012, CLA transitioned Feliciter from a print publication to an online magazine. A second publication, CLA Digest, is a bi-weekly e-newsletter for members, with links to in-depth news items. CLA also publishes a limited number of monographs each year. Current and publications-in- production include:  The Canadian IFLA Adventure: 85 years of Canadian Participation in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 1927 to 2012. Available. 27    An Introduction to Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress Classification Systems: A Workbook. In production. Demystifying Copyright: A Researchers Guide to Copyright in Canadian Libraries and Archives 2nd Edition. In production. National School Library Standards for Canadian schools. In production. (E-Book format only) CLA is also the sole, authorized Canadian distribution agent for the large publishing line of the American Library Association. Awards and Honors CLA recognizes individuals from the library and information community with awards and honors. CLA's most significant award is for Outstanding Service to Librarianship. Other awards are in the areas of Innovative Technology, Promotion of Librarianship, Advancement of Intellectual Freedom, Mentorship, Emerging Leaders, Service to Seniors. Book Awards include the Book of the Year for Children, the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award and the Young Adult Book Award-all coveted and prestigious. There are also eight awards in the area of research and scholarships. Independent juries are convened for these awards and honours. Conclusion CLA is constantly adapting to meet the needs of its members and the broader library community in Canada. The association has recently achieved tangible success with government on key files including copyright and the Library Materials Postal Rate. Promoting public awareness of the role and importance of libraries 21st century literacy remain key CLA areas of focus and action. __________________________________________________________________ 28 Appendix 2. Canadian Library Association: Mission, Values and Operating Principles Our Mission: CLA is the national voice for Canada’s library communities. As members we:     champion library values and the value of libraries influence public policy impacting libraries inspire and support member learning collaborate to strengthen the library community Our Values:        intellectual freedom diversity transparency and open communication accountability universal access to library service member voices and contributions collaboration Our Operating Principles:      An active and engaged membership is crucial to our success. CLA will have a governance structure that meets member needs. CLA will be efficiently run, fiscally responsible and financially stable. CLA facilitates the many diverse opinions and ideas about libraries and library issues. CLA will work closely with networks and other library associations to promote libraries, learning and advocacy opportunities. 29 Appendix 3: Resources for CLA Submission to RSC Expert Panel General American Libraries. The 2013 State of American’s Libraries Report. American Library Association, Special Issue/Digital Supplement, 2013. http://www.ala.org/news/sites/ala.org.news/files/content/2013-State-ofAmericas-Libraries-Report.pdf [last viewed Oct 17, 2013] Associations Matter: 2013 State of the Sector Report. Study conducted and prepared by Survey Matters, Australia, August, 2013. http://www.surveymatters.com.au/projects [last viewed Oct 17, 2013] Association of College and Research Libraries. Environmental Scan 2013. ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee. Chicago: American Library Association, April, 2013. http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/publications/whitepapers/EnvironmentalScan13.pdf [last viewed Oct 17, 2013] Canadian Library Association. Annual Reports: 2008-2012. Ottawa. www.cla.ca [last viewed Oct 16, 2013] Dijkstra, Rients and Jason Hilgefort et al . The Architecture of the Knowledge-The Library of the Future. Rotterdam: NAi (Netherlands Architecture Institute) Publishers, 2010. Flavelle. Dana. Canada Ranks High in Digital Skills: OECD Report. Toronto Star, Oct 08, 2013. Hernon, Peter and Joseph R. Matthews, eds. Reflecting on the Future of Academic and Public Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association, 2013. http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=4018 [last viewed Oct 8, 2013] Holt, Glen E. "Future Economic Realities for Libraries: A Lesson in Current Events." Public Library Quarterly, 28 (2009): 249-268 International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Building Strong Library Associations. IFLA Impact Report 2012. The Hague, Netherlands, 2012. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Riding the Waves or Caught in the Tide? Navigating the Evolving Information Environment. IFLA Trend Report Insight Document. The Hague, Netherlands, 2013. http://trends.ifla.org/insights-document [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Lovine, Julie V. "The Library's Future is Not an Open Book." The Wall Street Journal, D5, US Edition, May 13, 2013. OCLC. How Canadian Public Libraries Stack Up. OCLC Primary Research, 2011. http://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/reports/canadastackup/214109cef_how_libraries_stack_up.pdf [last viewed Oct 17, 2013] Pateman, John and Ken Williment. Developing Community-Led Public Libraries: Evidence from the UK and Canada. Farnham, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2013. Rainie, Lee. "The Power and Relevance of Libraries-Takeaways from PEW Internet Research". Pew Research Centre, Presentation to American Library Association, May 7, 2013. http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2013/May/The-Power-and-Relevance-of-Libraries.aspx 30 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Roberts, Ken. Building the Future: New Directions in Library Design and the Future of Central Libraries. Presentation to the Calgary Public Library, April 27, 2013 (online video) http://www.jjjheessels.nl/?p=577 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Roberts, Ken. Facing the Future: A Vision Document for British Columbia’s Public Libraries. December, 2012 http://commons.bclibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Facing-the-Future-A-Report-on-the-future-oflibraries-for-the-Province-of-British-Columbia.pdf [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Rooney-Browne, Christine. "Methods for demonstrating the value of public libraries in the UK. A literature review." Library and Information Research Vol. 35 Number 35 (2011): 4-39. Question 3. The Partnership: Canada's national network of provincial and territorial library associations. http://www.thepartnership.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Question 6. Canadian Association of Research Libraries. http://www.carl-abrc.ca/en.html?lng=1 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Canadian Library Association. National Statistical and Values Profile of Canadian Libraries: Report to CLA Executive Council, by Alvin M. Schrader and Michael R. Brundin. Ottawa: November, 2013. http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Advocacy&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=13783 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Canadian Library Association National School Library Standards Project: https://sites.google.com/site/nationalslproject/home [last viewed Oct 17, 2013] Canadian Urban Libraries Association. http://www.culc.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] CODE. http://www.codecan.org/burt-award [last viewed Oct 16, 2013] Toronto Public Library. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] School Libraries and Academic Achievement The Mansfield University Project http://library.mansfield.edu/impact.asp [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Research Foundation Paper: School Libraries Work! Scholastic. 3rd ed. http://www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pd Library Research Service: School Libraries and Student Achievement, 2013. http://www.lrs.org/data-tools/schoollibraries/impact-studies/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Ken Haycock. Connecting British Columbia (Canada) School Libraries and Student Achievement. American Library Association, 2011. http://www.ala.org/research/librariesmatter/node/141 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Evidence-based practice: Ohio Educational Library Media Association. 2012. http://www.oelma.org/careerresources/eba 31 Question 7. Canadian Research Libraries’ Role in Data Stewardship for Social Sciences. http://www.wssf2013.org/panel-comit%C3%A9/canadian-research-libraries-role-data-stewardship-socialsciences [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Islandora, a software framework designed by the University of Prince Edward Island to help institutions and organizations and their communities collaboratively manage and discover digital assets using best-practices. http://islandora.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Libraries across Canada partner with Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centre Network. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/rdc-cdr/network-reseau-eng.htm. [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] OCUL (Ontario) consortium supports Research Data access through a variety of Scholars Portal Services including: GeoPortal: http://spotdocs.scholarsportal.info/display/sp/GeoPortal. [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] ODESI: http://spotdocs.scholarsportal.info/display/sp/ODESI . [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Dataverse: http://dataverse.scholarsportal.info/dvn/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Question 8. Pew Research Centre. Library Services in the Digital Age, January 2013). http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] BiblioCommons. http://www.bibliocommons.com/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Anderson, Rick. (August 1, 2013). Can’t buy us love. Ithaka S+R Issue Brief Series. Retrieved from http://www.sr.ithaka.org/blog-individual/cant-buy-us-love-rick-anderson-kicks-new-ithaka-sr-issue-briefs-series Lewis, David W. (March 2013). From the stacks to the Web: the transformation of academic library collection. College and Research Libraries. 74(2) :159-177. Retrieved from http://crl.acrl.org/content/74/2/159.full.pdf+html Question 9. Berk Associates. Seattle Public Library Central Library: Economic Benefits Assessment, July 2005. Prepared for The Seattle Public Library Foundation and the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development. http://www.spl.org/Documents/branch/CEN/SPLCentral_Library_Economic_Impacts.pdf [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Clubb, Barbara. Public Libraries. Entry in the Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Science, 3 rd edition, 2010, last updated 2012. http://www.tandfonline.com/action/bookPricing?doi=10.1081%2FE-ELIS3&. [last viewed Oct 18,2013; access by subscription only] Southern Ontario Library Service. The Library’s Contribution to Your Community, 2007. 32 http://www.sols.org/index.php/develop-your-library-staff/sols-publications/the-library-s-contribution-to-yourcommunity [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Ontario Public Library Guidelines Accreditation Council. Ontario Public Library Guidelines,6th Edition as amended 2013. http://www.ontariopubliclibraryguidelines.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Shaffer, Marvin and Associates Ltd. Bringing Perspective to the Value of the Vancouver Public Library. Report prepared for the Vancouver Public Library, March 2011. Martin Prosperity Institute. So Much More: the Economic Impact of the Toronto Public Library on the City of Toronto (December 2013) (http://martinprosperity.org/media/TPL%20Economic%20Impact_Dec2013_LR_FINAL.pdf [last viewed December 24, 2013] Vancouver Public Library. A Toolkit for Outcome Based Evaluation of Public Library Service, April 2012. https://www.vpl.ca/images/uploads/file/pdf/Outcomes_Based_Evaluation_Toolkit.pdf [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Question 15. The 8Rs Research Team. The Future of Human Resources in Canadian Libraries: Canadian Library Human Resource Study, 2005. http://www.ls.ualberta.ca/8rs/8rsresearchpropNov14A.pdf [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Canadian Urban Libraries Council/University of Toronto School of Information Studies. Public Library Leadership Fellows Program. http://www.culc.ca/knowledge/pllfprograms/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Question 16. BC Libraries Cooperative. http://bc.libraries.coop/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Canadian Association of Research Libraries. http://www.carl-abrc.ca/en.html?lng=1 [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Canadian Research Knowledge Network. http://crkn.ca/lang [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] Ontario Library Service: Ontario Library Service-North and Southern Ontario Library Service. http://library.on.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] The Alberta Library (TAL). http://www.thealbertalibrary.ab.ca/ [last viewed Oct 18, 2013] References Canadian Urban Libraries Council. (2011). An Analysis of Public Library Trends. Accessed December 2, 2013 from http://www.culc.ca/cms_lib/CULC%20Public%20Library%20Trends.pdf Fontichiaro, K. (2012) Chapter 2. In Janes, J. (2013). Library 2020: Today's leading visionaries describe tomorrow's library. Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 33 International Federation of Library Associations. (2013). Riding the Wave or Caught in the Tide? Navigating the Evolving Information Environment. Accessed December 2, 2013 from http://trends.ifla.org/files/trends/assets/insights-from-the-ifla-trend-report_v3.pdf Leeder, K. and Frierson, E. (2014). Planning our future libraries: Blueprints for 2025. Chicago: American Library Association. Pateman, J., & Williment, K. (2013). Developing community-led public libraries: Evidence from the UK and Canada. Farnham, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2013. Polanka, S. (2012). No Shelf Required 2: Use and Management of Electronic Books. Chicago: American Library Association. Williment, K. (2011). "It Takes a Community to Create a Library." Public Libraries, 50, 2: 30-35. 34