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Managing the Government of Canada’s Grey Information: Progress and Challenges

Managing the Government of Canada’s Grey Information: Progress and Challenges. Special Libraries Association 9 June 2004 Fay Hjartarson Library and Archives Canada. Outline. A brief history Progress Challenges Opportunities Questions?. The Status Quo?.

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Managing the Government of Canada’s Grey Information: Progress and Challenges

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  1. Managing the Government of Canada’s Grey Information: Progress and Challenges Special Libraries Association 9 June 2004 Fay Hjartarson Library and Archives Canada

  2. Outline • A brief history • Progress • Challenges • Opportunities • Questions?

  3. The Status Quo? “Everyone is in agreement…that there is a crisis in information management in the federal government, as well as in every jurisdiction we have studied.” (Access to Information Review Task Force Report, 2002)

  4. National Library Collection Management Grey Literature “documents and ephemeral material in all media issued in limited amounts outside the formal channels of publication and distribution”

  5. National Library Collection Management NL acquires materials in all formats by legal deposit, published by or for federal government institutions and may acquire “copies of unpublished documents...if they support or provide historical context to institutional policies and programs; complement other published material; or are intended for general distribution and can be made available to the public” (MGIH 1989)

  6. National Archives Act • Section 5 (1): “no record under the control of a government institution and no ministerial record…shall be destroyed or disposed of without the consent of the Archivist.” • Section 6 (1): “records that …are of historic or archival importance shall be transferred to the care and control of the Archivist…in accordance with agreements…”

  7. “Uncontested Terrain?” • What is the relationship between the National Library, the National Archives, records offices, and federal government libraries with respect to grey information? • Who is responsible for what? • Who collects what?

  8. Progress • Government Online / GOL Metadata Working Group • Access to Information Review • Communications Policy • Management of Government Information Policy • Information Management Capacity Check • Library and Archives of Canada: a new institution

  9. Government Online • Key Concepts: • Client-centered services • Business Service Transformation • Horizontal delivery of services – across branches within a given department, across departments, and across governments • Benefits to Canadians: • Better service, government, stimulating e-commerce • Commitment to: • Choice, Privacy, Accessibility

  10. Government Online Metadata Working Group • Ensure government information resources are effectively managed for access purposes • Treasury Board Information Technology Standards on Metadata • Five Dublin Core Elements • Controlled Vocabularies Registry

  11. Communications Policy, 2002 • All Government of Canada Web sites must comply with relevant policies of the Official Languages Act • Publishing information in both official languages is nothing new, the use of electronic media calls for additional consideration of the linguistic aspects associated with Web technology and software interfaces.

  12. Access to Information Review Task Force, 2002 • Mandate: To review the federal access to information regime • Controversial with respect to some aspects • Applauded with regard to non-legislative proposals: education, resources, best-practices, leadership from the top

  13. Access to Information ReviewTask Force Report, 2002 • Institutions were asked to post summaries on websites and deposit hard copies of full documents in reading rooms (virtual?) • Not centrally organized but institutionally undertaken • All institutions asked to disseminate, informally and proactively, information of interest to the public

  14. Management of Government Information Policy 2003 Recognizes that: • Information is a valuable asset that the Government of Canada must manage as a public trust on behalf of Canadians • All employees are responsible for the management of information under their control and custody • Federal government institutions use electronic systems as the preferred means of creating, using, and managing information

  15. Management of Government Information Implementation • Funds set aside to enable federal institutions to set up innovative projects and activities to ensure effective management of government information is a priority in their organizations, ’04/’06 • Criteria: leadership/accountability; communication/awareness; skills/development; life-cycle approach; e-record approach; collect once for multiple re-use horizontally; preservation of the historical record

  16. Information Management Capacity Check • Goal to improve information management (IM) within the federal government of Canada • Defines a set of best practices against which institutions can benchmark IM capacities • Establishes priorities and an action plan • Provides key information with which to build a business case • Raises awareness within the organization

  17. Library and Archives of Canada Mandate, May 2004 • To preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations • To be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada • To facilitate in Canada cooperation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge • To serve as the continuing memory of the government of Canada and its institutions

  18. Challenges • Electronic publishing has been widely adopted out of sync with our knowledge and ability to manage electronic information • All GoC websites are organized slightly differently • The Canada Site focus is “publications”

  19. Opportunities • Horizontal partnerships both across government and within departments are recognized as part of the solution • Change is the new status quo

  20. Opportunities • Library and Archives Canada is newly created and has many exciting and sometimes conflicting demands • Electronic information is creating new ways of addressing traditional issues related to grey information • Silos and stovepipes within departments and agencies have to be broken down through horizontal initiatives to ensure that all information professionals contribute

  21. Conclusion Library and Archives Canada, the new knowledge institution, as a whole has to clearly assume responsibilities for all forms of government information, published or grey

  22. Thank You! Fay Hjartarson Library and Archives Canada Fay.Hjartarson@lac-bac.gc.ca www.collectionscanada.ca

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