Canadian Metadata Forum 2005
www.collectionscanada.ca/metaforum/index-e.html
The second Canadian Metadata Forum will take place on September 27 and 28, 2005. The theme of this year's Forum is Metadata: A Reality Check. This two-day event is designed for key decision-makers and leaders in the field of information resource management. Sessions will address the challenges of metadata implementation, namely, how to realize the investment in metadata and how to influence metadata policy where it matters most: within organizations and with search engines.

Paper Mountain to Data Stream: Information Management in the Government of Canada.
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/007001-120-e.html
ARMA 2004 Conference Presentation by Ian E. Wilson, June 8th, 2004, Vancouver, B.C.

Information Management (IM)

IM Forum
www.imforumgi.gc.ca/home_e.html
The Information Management Forum, co-chaired by Treasury Board Secretariat and Library and Archives Canada, was established in January 1997 to bring together those Directors (or their equivalents) from departments and agencies in the Government of Canada who share a common interest regarding the effective management of information.

IM Legislation and Policies

Government of Canada

• Communications Policy of the Government of Canada
  www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/sipubs/comm/comm_e.asp
  The purpose of this policy is to ensure that communications across the Government of Canada are well co-ordinated, effectively managed and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public.

• Policy on the Management of Government Information
  www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/ciopubs/TB_GIH/mgih-grdg_e.asp
  The purpose of this policy is to ensure that information under the control of the Government of Canada is managed effectively and efficiently throughout its life cycle. Federal government institutions must manage information in a privacy protective manner that supports informed policy and decision-making and the delivery of high quality programs, services, and information through a variety of channels and in both official languages.

• Government Security Policy
  www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/gospubs/TBM_12A/gsp-psg_e.asp
  To support the national interest and the Government of Canada's business objectives by safeguarding employees and assets and assuring the continued delivery of services.

For a comprehensive list of Government of Canada Information Management legislation, policies and guidelines, please consult the Framework for the Management of Information in the Government of Canada web site at http://www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/im-gi/fmi-cgi/foundation/legis-lois/legis-lois08_e.asp#_Toc12195129

Library and Archives Canada

Legislation

• Library and Archives of Canada Act ( 2004, c. 11 )
  laws.justice.gc.ca/en/L-7.7/index.html
  

Internal Policies

• Appraisal Methodology: Macro-Appraisal and Functional Analysis
  The general purpose of this document is to provide an appraisal rationale and methodology for archivists in response to the comprehensive, multi-media submissions received by the Library and Archives under the Multi-Year Disposition Plan (MYDP) of the planned approach to government records disposition.

  • Part A:  Concepts and Theory
    www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/061101_e.html

  • Part B:  Guidelines for Performing an Archival Appraisal on Government Records
    www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/061102_e.html
    

• Inter-Library Loan Policy (ILL)
  www.collectionscanada.ca/ill/s16-202-e.html
  The Library and Archives Canada has developed an interlibrary loan protocol to facilitate the exchange of interlibrary loan messages between libraries that use different computers, systems, and communication services. The ILL protocol standardizes the number and type of ILL messages, the sequence of messages, data elements and their values and the transfer syntax of the messages, allowing the exchange of information in a consistent manner.

• Networked Electronic Publications: Policy and Guidelines
  www.collectionscanada.ca/9/8/index-e.html
  This document examines the background and legal issues related to legal deposit of electronic publications.

• Policy on Preservation
  www.collectionscanada.ca/preservation/1304_e.html
  The purpose of this policy is to give direction to Libary and Archives (LAC) staff in carrying out their responsibilities regarding the preservation function and communicates to those outside the institution the principles which guide preservation in LAC.

• Preserving the Archival and Historical Memory of Government
  www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0620_e.html
  To fulfill its mission to preserve government's historical memory, Library and Archives Canada must make decisions about the archival or historical value of the information created and maintained by government institutions. This document discusses the strategies and decision process involved in selecting and preserving information of national importance.

IM Services

IM Centre
If you have a question about Information Management in the Government of Canada, please contact the LAC Information Management Centre at: imgi@lac-bac.gc.ca or telephone: (613) 944-4644.

Amicus Services
www.collectionscanada.ca/amicus/index-e.html
AMICUS is an information resource developed and maintained by the Library and Archives Canada (LAC)for libraries, researchers and the public.

ArchiviaNet
www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/0201_e.html
ArchiviaNet provides access to a variety of information resources related to the actual archival holdings. It allows a number of different means of exploration of the fonds and collections by offering the option of searching by theme or by type of document.

Archival Holdings in the Regions
www.collectionscanada.ca/09/0909_e.html
Library and Archives Canada holdings of archival records of the federal government are also found in four locations outside Ottawa.

Canadian Book Exchange Centre
www.collectionscanada.ca/cbec-ccel/index-e.html
The Canadian Book Exchange Centre (CBEC) helps Canadian libraries help each other. A resource-sharing service provided by Library and Archives Canada, CBEC is a redistribution centre, a clearing house that arranges for the exchange of publications deemed surplus by one library but needed by another.

Canadian Library Gateway
www.collectionscanada.ca/gateway/index-e.html
The Canadian Library Gateway provides a centralized window to Canadian libraries of all types and sizes. Through this site you can find information on and link to Canadian library catalogues and Websites, directory of Canadian interlibrary loan and charging policies, directory of special collections held in Canadian libraries and other resources of interest.

Cataloguing and Metadata Services
www.collectionscanada.ca/6/17/index-e.html
This site contains information regarding the cataloguing standards, practices and policies of the Library and Archives Canada.

Federal Records Centres Regional Operations
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0616_e.html
The federal records centres manage records in all media on behalf of over 80 federal government departments and agencies. Centres are located in Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Government Information
www.collectionscanada.ca/8/4/index-e.html
Government Information is a selective collection of links to government sites and key federal documents maintained by Library and Archives Canada.

MARC Records Distribution Service
www.collectionscanada.ca/6/17/s17-204-e.html
This subscription service offers the Library and Archives Canada's bibliographic and authority records in machine-readable form either as a full service option or as a selected records option.

New Books Service
www.collectionscanada.ca/newbooks/index-e.html
The New Books Service is an electronic showcase for new Canadian publications featuring both forthcoming print and electronic releases from Canadian publishers.

Virtual Reference Service
www.collectionscanada.ca/vrc-rvc/index-e.html
Virtual Reference Canada (VRC) is a free, bilingual and innovative network of libraries, archives, museums, information centres and research institutions that pride themselves on the delivery of professional reference services to all Canadians. This uniquely Canadian service has been designed to extend the reach of local reference staff to encompass information resources and staff expertise available in other institutions throughout the country.

IM Tools and Guidance

Information and Records Management Life Cycle
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0625_e.html
As part of an ongoing, government-wide initiative, the Library and Archives of Canada has collected a number of resources to provide a foundation for building IM resources and competencies.

Business Activity Structure Classification System Guidance (BASCS)
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0630_e.html
The Business Activity Structure Classification System (BASCS) Guidance offers implementation guidance to support function-based classification system design and implementation by departments. Key concepts and principles are articulated to help IM practitioners apply these concepts and principles to their own unique operational requirements.

Canadiana - The National Bibliography of Canada
www.collectionscanada.ca/canadiana/index-e.html
Canadiana lists and describes a wide variety of publications produced in Canada, or published elsewhere but of special interest or significance to Canada.

Canadian Subject Headings
www.collectionscanada.ca/csh/index-e.html
Canadian Subject Headings (CSH) is a list of subject headings in the English language, using controlled vocabulary, to access and express the subject content of documents on Canada and Canadian topics.

Electronic Collection
www.collectionscanada.ca/electroniccollection/003008-200-e.html
The Electronic Collection of the Library and Archives Canada consists of Canadian books and periodicals published online. It includes more than 13,000 titles and more than 45,935 serial issues published by both the commercial publishing sector and the government publishing sector.

Email Management in the Government of Canada
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/060404_e.html
This guide discusses the life-cycle management of e-mail records, and includes relevant definitions, procedures and roles with respect to managing and protecting e-mail. Also included are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which provide overview of key points.

Guidelines for Computer File Types, Interchange Formats and Information Standards
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0612/061204_e.html
This document identifies computer file types, interchange formats and information standards that the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is recommending to facilitate the interoperability of digital information in the Government of Canada (GoC).

Guidelines for the Transfer of Civilian Personnel Files
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0628_e.html
The personnel files of staff no longer employed in the Government of Canada as of two or more years ago must be transferred to the Manitoba Region Federal Record Centre of Library and Archives Canada. These guidelines provide the necessary direction for transferring files and for requesting file returns.

Guidelines for the Transfer of Textual Archival Records to the Library and Archives
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0611/docs/transfer_e.pdf
The purpose of this document is to provide government institutions with guidance on how to prepare records for transfer to records for custoday to the Library and Archives Canada.

Information About Publishing Electronically
www.collectionscanada.ca/electroniccollection/003008-300-e.html
This site provides guidance related to electronic publishing for Government of Canada and commercial publishers, including areas such as copyright, best practices and archiving.

Information Management (IM) Capacity Check Tool and Methodology
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0603/060301_e.html
The Information Management (IM) Capacity Check is a self-assessment tool intended as a diagnostic tool for senior management of a federal government department or agency. An assessment using the IM Capacity Check can help institutions assess the state of IM practices within each entity against a common standard, bring together all the elements of information management practices, compare against best practices, and provide information to enable management to develop plans for improvements to their own IM practices.

Information Management Publications
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0603_e.html
The products described in this list respond to identified government-wide needs for guidance concerning the management of government records. Certain documents were developed by the Office of Government Records as internal working documents to support either working groups or the endeavours of partners who invested in certain projects.

Legacy Business Records Toolkit
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0627_e.html
The Legacy Business Records Project Toolkit consists of guides and workbooks that have been developed in order to enable Government of Canada institutions to plan and cost a Legacy Business Records Project within their respective institutions.

Managing Documentary Art Records in the Government of Canada
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0624_e.html
All documentary art is a record and, like any memorandum, letter or electronic file connected to government business, it must be organized, preserved and scheduled for disposition according to good information management principles. Through the management of their documentary art records, government institutions can meet their own information needs, fulfil legislative and policy requirements, and help preserve the corporate memory of the Government of Canada.

MARC 21 Standards
www.collectionscanada.ca/marc/index-e.html
This site provides information related to MARC 21 formats, which are prepared by the Network Development and MARC Standards Office, Library of Congress, in cooperation with Standards and Support, Acquisitions and Bibliographic Services, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the National Bibliographic Service, British Library. LAC is responsible for translating the formats into French and also for publishing and distribution of English and French formats to Canadian clients.

Publisher's Window on the Government of Canada
www.collectionscanada.ca/window/index-e.html
This site provides a variety of information on copyright, best practices for elecronic publishing as well as guidance in the area of book, music, periodicals, multimedia publishing.

Thesauri and Controlled Vocabularies
www.collectionscanada.ca/8/4/r4-280-e.html
The Library and Archives Canada are the official registrars for Government of Canada (GoC) controlled vocabularies. Information on terminologies used in the GoC and in the private sector is available as well as a glossary and definitions area and instructions for registering a controlled vocabular within the GoC.

Libraries

Council of Federal Libraries Web Site
www.collectionscanada.ca/cfl-cbgf/index-e.html
The Council of Federal Libraries (CFL) is an organization of federal government libraries established in 1976 by the National Librarian of Canada as a means of coordinating library services in departments, branches and agencies of the Government of Canada.

CFL Consortium
www.collectionscanada.ca/consortium/index-e.html
The Council of Federal Libraries (CFL) Consortium was established in July 1995 to facilitate the purchase of library and information products and services by Federal Government Libraries.

CFL Listserv (CFL-CBGF-L)
www.collectionscanada.ca/cfl-cbgf/s37-129-e.html
CFL-CBGF-L is an electronic mailing list for the discussion of issues related to federal government libraries.

Preservation

Canadian Initiative on Digital Libraries
www.collectionscanada.ca/cidl/index-e.html
The Canadian Initiative on Digital Libraries (CIDL) is an alliance of Canadian libraries and organizations that recognizes the growing importance of digital information, and wishes to collaborate to ensure better use of digital information and better service to its users.

Library and Archives Canada - Information on Preservation
www.collectionscanada.ca/preservation/13_e.html
The Library and Archives Canada ensures the long-term preservation of its holdings and makes them available to the public through circulation, loans and copying. This site contains links to information relation to preservation, including workshops, etc. of interest to the IM community.

Library and Archives Preservation Policy
www.collectionscanada.ca/preservation/1304_e.html
The purpose of this policy is to state the principles that guide the preservation activities of the Library and Archives Canada of Canada (LAC) in fulfilling all aspects of its mandate. It gives direction to staff for carrying out their responsibilities regarding the preservation function and communicates to those outside the institution the principles which guide preservation in LAC.

Persistent Locators for Canadian Government Information
www.collectionscanada.ca/8/4/r4-502-e.html
Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are unique identifiers used to access electronic resources on the World Wide Web. Because URLs are location-based, when electronic resources are moved or deleted, all links to the resource are severed and resources become inaccessible. Persistence, therefore, is a government-wide issue requiring solutions to be developed and implemented collaboratively across departments.

Publishing

Cataloguing in Publications (CIP)
www.collectionscanada.ca/cip/index-e.html
Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) is a voluntary program of cooperation between publishers and libraries. It enables the cataloguing of books BEFORE they are published, and the prompt distribution of this cataloging information to booksellers and libraries. The Canadian CIP program is coordinated by the Library and Archives Canada.

Electronic Publishing: Guide to Best Practices for Canadian Publishers
www.collectionscanada.ca/9/13/index-e.html
The purpose of this document is to provide publishers with an introduction to the pros and cons of various approaches to electronic publishing. It highlights examples of some of the most creative and efficient uses of new media technology for publishing, and points to sites maintained by organizations that provide resources for online publishers.

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
www.collectionscanada.ca/isbn/index-e.html
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a system of numerical identification for books, pamphlets, educational kits, microforms, CD-ROM and braille publications. By assigning a unique ten-digit number to each published title, the system provides that title with its own, unduplicated, internationally recognized "identity".

International Standard Music Number (ISMN)
www.collectionscanada.ca/ismn/index-e.html
The International Standard Music Number (ISMN) is a unique code for the identification of printed music publications.

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
www.collectionscanada.ca/issn/index-e.html
The ISSN is a unique code for identifying serial publications, such as periodicals, newspapers, annuals, journals and monographic series. Canadian publishers of serials can obtain ISSN from ISSN Canada, a service of Library and Archives Canada.

Legal Deposit
www.collectionscanada.ca/6/25/index-e.html
Legal Deposit is the means by which a comprehensive national collection is gathered together as a record of the nation's published heritage and development. To ensure develoment of this collection, Canadian publishers are required to send two copies of all the books, pamphlets, serial publications, microforms, spoken word sound recordings, videorecordings, electronic publications issued in physical formats (CD-ROM, CD-I, computer diskette, etc.) and one copy of musical sound recordings and multi-media kits they publish to Library and Archives Canada.

Management of Government Publications Survey 2002
www.collectionscanada.ca/8/4/r4-400-e.html
This report presents the findings of the Survey of Management of Government Publications that was conducted in March and April of 2002 for the Strategic Policy and Planning Branch, National Library of Canada (NLC) by Consulting and Audit Canada (CAC). This survey follows an earlier Survey of Management of Government Information Holdings officials conducted in 1999.

Persistence for Canadian Federal Government Information
www.collectionscanada.ca/8/4/r4-502-e.html"
Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are unique identifiers used to access electronic resources on the World Wide Web. Because URLs are location-based, when electronic resources are moved or deleted, all links to the resource are severed and resources become inaccessible. This site provides links to reports, bibliographies and the activities of the sub-group, which reports to the GoC Metadata Working Group.

Records Disposition Authorities/Agreements

Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0604_e.html
Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities (MIDA) are issued by the National Archivist to provide direction to government institutions subject to the Library and Archives Canada of Canada Act regarding the disposal of records common to all or a multiple number of government institutions. They are designed to eliminate the need for government institutions to prepare individual submissions for and negotiate agreements with the National Archivist for records which have similar administrative or operational status.

Government Records Appraisal and Disposition Program
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0611_e.html
The Library and Archives Canada is charged with various responsibilities regarding the disposition of information created by federal institutions in support of public policy, administration of government and program delivery and these responsibilities include the authorization of records destruction by government institutions and the preservation of records for their historical or archival importance. This site contains information on obligations related tot he disposition of federal government records in Canada.

The Records Disposition Authorities Control System (RDACS) - coming soon
The Records Disposition Authorities Control System (RDACS) is an information system that contains summary descriptions of Records Disposition Authorities granted by the Librarian and Archivist to federal institutions, as well as online copies of relevant documentation. RDACS includes descriptions of more than 2,200 authorities. In accordance with the provision of the Libary and Archives of Canada Act, a Records Disposition Authority is the instrument that the Librarian and Archivist issues to enable government institutions to dispose of records which no longer have operational utility, either by permitting their desctruction, by requiring their transfer to Library and Archives Canada or by agreeing to their alienation from the control of the Government of Canada.

Records Management

Information and Records Management Life Cycle
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0625_e.html
IM is an evolving science that is a key underpinning of effective information sharing within institutions, and externally to customers and suppliers, partners, or the public. As part of an ongoing, government-wide initiative, the Library and Archives of Canada has collected a number of resources to provide a foundation for building IM resources and competencies.

Email Management in the Government of Canada
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/060404_e.html
This guide discusses the life-cycle management of e-mail records, and includes relevant definitions, procedures and roles with respect to managing and protecting e-mail. Also included are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which provide overview of key points.

Function Based Records Classification
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0626_e.html
Function-based records classification is a logical arrangement of all records documenting or evidencing the activities of an institution based upon an analysis of the institution's business functions, sub-functions, and activities. To support Canadian federal government institutions intending to arrange their records by function, LAC has developed a design methodology for constructing function-based records classification systems.

Retention Guidelines

Draft Retention Guidelines for Common Administrative Records (2003)
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/060403_e.html
The draft Retention Guidelines for Common Administrative Records of the Government of Canada differ in a number of substantial ways from the interim guidelines (see link immediately below). This link highlights the key changes and includes downloadable copies of the draft guidelines.

Retention Guidelines for Common Administrative Records in the Government of Canada (2000)
www.collectionscanada.ca/information-management/0610_e.html
These interim guidelines are issued to address the retention of common administrative records of the Government of Canada until such time as new guidelines are developed in accordance with the functional arrangement of the National Archives of Canada Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities (MIDAs). They replace the General Records Disposal Schedules of the Government of Canada (GRDS), Fourth Edition 1986, PAC 86/001 in their entirety for all matters dealing with the retention of common administrative records of the Government of Canada.

Events