Directions for Change

Introduction

On October 2, 2002, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada would be drawn together to create a new knowledge institution for Canadians. The announcement of the new Library and Archives Canada (LAC) marked the beginning of a change process that was quickly recognized to be not merely a merger to take place overnight, nor a transition process to happen over months, but a deep transformationthat would take several years to accomplish.

The first stage of the transformation process aimed to develop the vision for the new institution. All staff were asked to step out of their day-to-day work and think about what the new institution should be and the steps to be addressed to get there. Through the process, National Library and National Archives staff became acquainted, built a mutual understanding of the extraordinary potential of the new institution, and generated a wealth of creative ideas on how to achieve that rich potential. Subsequently, over the course of 2004, LAC conducted a range of consultations with users and stakeholders. Their input helped us refine our Directions for Change.

This document has three parts, describing three sets of change concepts. First, we describe five key directions that will shape and define the new institution. These directions set out our vision; they are what we want to achieve.

Second, we describe how we want to achieve our vision. These are the drivers that will guide our pursuit of opportunities and challenges within our business functions.

Last, we outline internal supporting strategies that will help us realize our vision for the future. These strategies will enable LAC to become a stronger and more effective organization, well equipped to deliver on its mandate for Canadians.

LAC believes that, taken together, these broad change concepts provide a compelling vision and an organizational philosophy for a vibrant, confident and highly relevant institution that contributes to the quality of life of Canadians and the effectiveness of the government of Canada. They are intended to guide LAC for years to come.

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