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For Release
May 19, 2006
Funding announced to expand French resource centre
Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan — An investment of $648,750 was announced today from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Service fransaskois de formation aux adultes (SEFFA) that will benefit Francophone post-secondary students, their instructors and post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories, with improved access to an expanded French-language resource library, Le Lien, at Collège Mathieu.
WD’s $572,000 contribution under the Action Plan for Official Languages will help expand Le Lien’s lending library content and staff numbers, allow for updates to its website, software and server, and improve its connection to interlibrary loan services at other libraries. SEFFA and its provincial partners will provide the remaining $76,750. Le Lien’s improved website was also launched today.
“The new Government of Canada encourages Canadians to gain the knowledge they need to lead productive lives,” said Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “As they celebrate 20 years of enriching the education of post-secondary students in Western and Northern Canada, SEFFA and Le Lien can now provide students with greater access to French language and cultural materials.”
Our objective is to double the number of resources and significantly increase the number of subscribers to ‘Le Lien,’” stated Mr. Kaba, Executive Director, Service Fransaskois de formation aux adultes.
For additional information, contact:
Fiona MacLeod Joanne Mysak |
Maria Lepage, |
WD Toll-Free Number:
1 888 338-WEST (9378) |
Backgrounder
Funding for Le Lien francophone resource library
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Industry Canada were given the job, in 2003, of helping advance economic development in official language minority communities under the Federal Government’s Action Plan for Official Languages. In agreement with Industry Canada, WD is delivering Tele-education and Tele-learning pilot projects in the West.
‘Le Lien’ is a French-Canadian resource centre established in 1986 by Collège Mathieu in Gravelbourg. It currently houses more than 35,000 resource items for Fransaskois schools and communities as well as anyone interested in French culture. It employs two full-time and one part-time staff member.
Le Lien also serves as a resource centre for Service fransaskois de formation aux adultes (SEFFA), a post-secondary institution at College Mathieu that also delivers distance education courses.
In British Columbia, Yukon, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories, an informal group of French-language colleges are setting up virtual campuses. Their students need an online francophone resource library from which they can borrow books and materials and have them sent through the mail.
To boost Le Lien’s offerings and lending capability and to meet the requirements of the new virtual campuses, WD is contributing $572,000 of the $648,750 project cost, through the Tele-education and Tele-learning pilot projects. SEFFA is providing the remaining $76,750.
The funding will help purchase computer equipment, including a dedicated server for the resource library and update the Biblionet lending software. Library space will be renovated and expanded making room for new French hardcover resources, and two new part-time librarians and two part-time technicians. New resource items will include books for all ages, newspapers, magazines, documentaries, films (VHS & DVD), games and teaching aids. The library’s improved website was also launched today.
Le Lien and SEFFA are celebrating their 20th anniversary this month
by unveiling a new logo and creating a bursary program for students
in Entrepreneurship, Early Childhood and Social Economy.