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B. Addressing the Issues  
The Federal Task Force on Digitization was proposed by the ministers of Canadian Heritage and Industry in their May 1996 response to the Information Highway Advisory Council (IHAC) Phase 1 Final Report, Connection, Community, Content (1995). In its report, IHAC stressed the importance of Canada maintaining a strong presence on the Information Highway in both official languages and highlighted the opportunity for government to provide Canadian content by transforming its vast holdings of information, art, artifacts and scientific collections into digital form. IHAC emphasized that digitization not only affords Canadians greater access to government holdings and enables government to disseminate information in more cost-effective and innovative ways, but it also leads to economic development opportunities such as job creation. The Task Force was established in April l997 to propose mechanisms to ensure that federal institutions are able to distribute, electronically, sufficient Canadian content to promote federally held collections and information holdings. In addition, the Task Force was mandated to consider appropriate initiatives to stimulate economic development and explore measures needed to ensure the proper balance between tax-supported access and charging for access. Digitization refers to the process of translating a piece of information, such as a book, sound recording, picture or video into bits. The availability of many types of federal information in digital form is increasing, particularly information about the ongoing operations of all federal institutions. Users of information, for example, can visit a federal department’s Web site to get up-to-date information on its programs or to access its publications. Digitization also comprises the activity of converting retrospective collections held by the government, such as digital copies of paintings in the National Gallery of Canada, to be made accessible on the Internet or CD-ROM. While digitization often refers to the conversion of analogue materials, the project may include or be limited to the creation of a search tool or finding aid for users to easily access a collection of digitized or conventional materials. As a communications vehicle, the Information Highway presents an opportunity for the Government of Canada to fulfill its responsibilities in the generation and dissemination of information in a more effective, efficient and timely manner. In addition, government production of off-line products, such as CD-ROMs, also supports government’s role as a provider of information. Digitization does not change the government’s responsibilities to provide information; it presents opportunities to fulfill those responsibilities in new and innovative ways. For example, members of a remote community can visit the National Museum of Science and Technology on-line without having to travel to Ottawa. At the same time, however, the digital environment presents new challenges that need to be addressed, such as the difficulty of keeping up with the accelerating pace of change of information technology. To understand better the unique opportunities and challenges of digitization activities in the federal arena, the Task Force identified five research issues for further exploration. Five Advisory Groups were established to investigate the following key issues and make recommendations to the Task Force:
In addition, the Task Force conducted a survey (Annex 2) of digitization activities, plans and priorities within federal institutions to determine more comprehensively the extent of their digitization activities. One hundred and ninety-four copies of the survey were mailed to chief information officers and senior-level information management persons representing 93 federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations. A total of 68 responses were received, representing a 73 percent response rate. The survey results provide an important foundation for the recommendations contained in this report, and form a preliminary baseline for future study.1 The Task Force realized early in its exploration of the five research areas that the authorities and responsibilities for providing information by government departments, agencies or Crown corporations are the same in both the digital and non-digital worlds (see Figure 1). For example, government-published information, whether in digital or non-digital form, should be deposited with the National Library and made available to the Depository Services Program. Yet procedures for effective tracking and depositing of digital publications are not well developed and need to be strengthened. For example, digital and non-digital government records are transferred to the National Archives when the federal institution no longer uses them; however, the preservation of digital information is quite different from conventional practices. To ensure long-term access, research into preservation practices is needed. Providing a framework for the digitization issues under study, Figure 1 illustrates that, in both the digital and non-digital worlds, what is crucial is an enabling environment that facilitates accessibility of information by users—whether they are citizens or consumers2 or government itself. Such an environment will be made possible through strengthening and building upon the existing federal legislative, policy and operational framework. In addition, the creative potential of information technology can be harnessed to further enhance access to federal information, and at the same time fulfill the various government policy objectives. Figure 1
Overall, the intent of this report is to:
To focus the work for each of the five research areas, the Task Force set out to answer the following questions:
The recommendations in this report support the Task Force’s vision that advancements in information technology are a means to enhance access to the federally held cultural, economic and scientific collections and information holdings. Grouped under the five issues, the proposed recommendations provide a strategic framework to facilitate effective and efficient creation, development and distribution of, and access to, electronic federal information holdings and collections. The recommendations promote the concept that the federal government should act as a model user and catalyst for the creation of, and the provision of access to, Canadian content on-line and off-line. In addition, the recommendations underscore the need for further review, research and communication to ensure maximum benefits from government-wide digitization projects. As the Information Highway continues to evolve at an increasing pace, the federal government will need to position itself strategically to take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges of the digital world. Never has there been a greater need to pursue a coordinated and integrated horizontal approach to federal communication and information dissemination responsibilities. Recognizing that Crown corporations, agencies and federal departments have differing mandates and legislative requirements, a cooperative, yet flexible approach to implementing the recommendations will accelerate and support the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society. The response of federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations to the first draft of this report made it clear that the report has met its objectives of defining and clarifying issues and encouraging reflection, debate and action on their implications. While many comments have been reflected in this report, others will need to be addressed in Phase I of the implementation process. Repeatedly, federal institutions expressed their concern about the urgency of addressing the identified issues surrounding digitization, the need for immediate action, and the importance of maintaining the momentum created by the work of the Task Force. This report represents an important starting point on the subject of digitization. With high-level Task Force representation from 21 federal institutions, it reflects the first collective discussions on this topic. These discussions have benefited from the experience and expertise of those federal institutions that have been and are actively making digital information available. But until recently they did not, to the same degree, have the benefit of a collective sharing of ideas and strategies for adapting to the digital world. The challenges of digitization are complex and have far-reaching consequences. These challenges will require more work than was possible to undertake during the short mandate of the Task Force. For a successful transition to a digital world, the Task Force recommends continued collective participation. The Task Force believes that the rewards of digitization are enormous and will benefit Canadians coast to coast to coast, as well as provide new opportunities for government. This report contains a section for each of the five issue areas; each section provides an overview of the issue and the applicable recommendations. To further assist the government, the Task Force developed a framework for action that consolidates and prioritizes the recommendations from the five research areas into a three-phased approach, entitled "Steps to Success", which is presented in the Conclusion.
1 See Annex 2 for the Digitization Survey results. 2 For the purposes of this report, a "citizen" is an individual who has a right to government information in order to participate in the democratic process, as well as for private study and research. "Consumers" are individuals or collectives who are users of federal information for a commercial interest or benefit. |
