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News Release98-01 National Library of Canada Purchases Files from A-G Canada Ltd.Ottawa, January 22, 1998 -- The National Library of Canada has purchased from A-G Canada Ltd. copies of more than eight million bibliographic records representing the holdings of 46 Canadian libraries. The records are part of the CATSS database that was acquired by A-G Canada Ltd. from ISM Information Systems Management Manitoba Corporation when A-G bought ISM's Library Information Services Division in June 1997. Under the terms of the purchase agreement between the National Library and A-G Canada, the National Library now has the right to load the records into its AMICUS database as part of the national union catalogue and to provide access to the records for resource-sharing purposes through its Access AMICUS service. Also covered by the agreement between A-G Canada and the National Library is the reciprocal exchange of new records and record updates to these selected files, and the designation of A-G Canada's database as a node in the virtual Canadian union catalogue (vCuc). The files purchased from A-G Canada were selected by the National Library to complement the approximately 500 library files currently represented in the AMICUS database. The file selection was based on established criteria for inclusion in the national union catalogue. The new acquisitions cover academic, public, government, and special libraries from all regions of Canada, and vary in size from files of a few thousand records to one file of almost three million records. National Librarian Marianne Scott said that the CATSS database has been for many years an important part of the infrastructure that supports resource sharing among Canadian libraries. "For some time there has been concern about the possibility of the database being sold to interests outside Canada and what that might mean for the continued viability of the national resource-sharing infrastructure. With the National Library's acquisition of a copy of key files from the CATSS database, and agreement with A-G Canada on reciprocal exchange of file updates, I believe we have the kind of ‘insurance policy’ we need to ensure effective ongoing support for resource sharing within Canada." "Retaining this valuable collection of data as a Canadian resource was of paramount importance to us," said William Kliss, chief operating officer of A-G Canada and Auto-Graphics, the parent company. "That's the reason we established A-G Canada, and we are very pleased to be recognized by the National Library as a node in the virtual Canadian union catalogue, vCuc. A-G Canada now offers access to those millions of records and holdings via the Internet by using the Web, which offers improved flexibility, simplified communication management, and economies of scale. Additionally, we are now providing our Impact/ONLINE resource-sharing product in Canada, furthering our objective of improving all services to Canadian libraries." The National Library of Canada is responsible for collecting, preserving and promoting access to Canada's published heritage. A major resource for research in Canadian studies and for the promotion of Canadian literature and music, the National Library also plays a key role in fostering library development and facilitating resource sharing among Canadian libraries. A-G Canada Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Auto-Graphics Inc., a company which has capitalized on new technology as it becomes available, providing information publishing and database resource-sharing systems to the publishing and library communities. -30- For information, contact: Tom Delsey William Kliss |