Canadian Library Association Dismayed by Federal Budget Impact
The Canadian Library Association (CLA) today released a statement criticizing the 2012 federal budget which it believes will hit federal libraries and Libraries and Archives Canada very hard.
I am not a member of the CLA (I am with CALL, the Canadian Association of Law Librarians). However, this CLA press release was sent out to quite a number of librarian lists and was on Facebook. So, I am forwarding it on to readers for informational purposes about the CLA's concerns:
"At Library and Archives Canada, 430 people have been given notices, with more than 200 jobs to be cut over the next three years, representing a reduction of 20% of their workforce. They have also had to cut their acquisitions budget, end their role in national inter-library loan activities, and cut the National Archival Development Program, which has provided funding to Canadian archival organizations to increase their capacity to preserve archival materials and make them available to Canadians (...) "
"CLA has also received reports that many libraries in federal government departments will be losing staff; some will be shuttering their libraries altogether. Not only does this result in less support for departmental staff and researchers to access relevant information; but as many of these libraries also provide direct services to the public, Canadians will be prevented from having access to that information. Affected departments identified so far include Agriculture Canada, Environment Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Industry Canada, the National Capital Commission, National Defence, Public Works and Government Services, the Public Service Commission, and Transport Canada. Earlier this year, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada had already announced their intention to close that department’s library."
Other news stories on the impact of the recent federal budget on federal libraries:
I am not a member of the CLA (I am with CALL, the Canadian Association of Law Librarians). However, this CLA press release was sent out to quite a number of librarian lists and was on Facebook. So, I am forwarding it on to readers for informational purposes about the CLA's concerns:
"At Library and Archives Canada, 430 people have been given notices, with more than 200 jobs to be cut over the next three years, representing a reduction of 20% of their workforce. They have also had to cut their acquisitions budget, end their role in national inter-library loan activities, and cut the National Archival Development Program, which has provided funding to Canadian archival organizations to increase their capacity to preserve archival materials and make them available to Canadians (...) "
"CLA has also received reports that many libraries in federal government departments will be losing staff; some will be shuttering their libraries altogether. Not only does this result in less support for departmental staff and researchers to access relevant information; but as many of these libraries also provide direct services to the public, Canadians will be prevented from having access to that information. Affected departments identified so far include Agriculture Canada, Environment Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Industry Canada, the National Capital Commission, National Defence, Public Works and Government Services, the Public Service Commission, and Transport Canada. Earlier this year, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada had already announced their intention to close that department’s library."
Other news stories on the impact of the recent federal budget on federal libraries:
- Visiting Library and Archives in Ottawa? Not without an appointment (Globe and Mail, May 1, 2012)
- Federal libraries, archives shutting down (CBC News, May 2, 2012)
Labels: government of Canada, libraries, Library and Archives Canada
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