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Library and Archives Canada Business Plan 2007 - 2010

Executive Summary

Parliament has given Library and Archives Canada a broad mandate to preserve Canada's documentary heritage, to be a source of knowledge accessible to all, to cooperate with related institutions, and to serve as the memory of the Government of Canada. Since our creation as a single organization, beginning in 2002, we have organized our operations around the strategic outcome now set out in our Program Activity Architecture that, "Current and future generations of Canadians have access to their documentary heritage."

To guide decision-making throughout LAC between 2007 and 2010, our organization has developed this business plan. It provides the strategic direction necessary for us to deliver on government-wide expectations of accountability and the best use of resources, as set out in the government's Management Resources and Results Structure. It is now the basis for our reporting to Parliament and our work with other organizations to achieve our ambitious goals.

This business plan recognizes that we are continuing the transformation that began with the announcement of LAC's creation. It is influenced by factors that are shaping the priorities, activities and operations of most knowledge institutions, as well as the risks that we have identified to the achievement of LAC's mandate and directions. For example, this business plan recognizes that the world of knowledge is "going digital" - whether we mean the growing body of documentary heritage that we must manage that will never appear on paper or the expectations of Canadians for internet-based access to our information, resources, programs and services, especially as we find ways to expand our presence outside the National Capital Region.

Our strategic choices reinforce and strengthen many of our ongoing responsibilities. This is particularly true in terms of recordkeeping for the Government of Canada. We intend to guide and support the kind of improved, consistent recordkeeping that is essential to accountability in government. In all areas, this business plan recognizes that we will routinely seek to achieve our goals through partnerships. No one organization can hope to amass the entire documentary heritage that exists of relevance to it or to be able to reach all possible audiences by itself.

LAC intends to listen to Canadians and partners more closely and evaluate our efforts more thoroughly. This will lead to organizational choices reflecting the preferences and interests of Canadians and choices that are based on our learning from experience. For example, our new Genealogy Strategy reflects a growing interest in ancestry, and developing family histories. The use of opinion research will help us better understand how to deliver what Canadians want.

This business plan also addresses internal needs. Action on our strategic and operational human resources plan will address the need for stable workforce and action on learning, diversity and official languages. We expect these strategies will create a climate in which our current and future staff can make their best possible professional contributions to achieving our goals. The plan indicates the steps being taken to clarify the infrastructure needs of an organization that selects and acquires kilometres of records and publications each year, in addition to an expanding digital collection.

The business plan will be a living document that LAC management will use to guide strategic and operational choices as well as the use of resources. It will be our yardstick for action.

A Comprehensive Planning Process for Achieving Relevant Results

Many elements have been drawn together to assess the drivers and risks in our environment, define our strategic choices and identify the results as well as key deliverables that we intend to achieve by 2010.

Environmental Drivers

• A world of digital information
• Canadians' changing interests and realities
• A networked world
• Becoming a window on Canadian democracy
• Accountability for resources and results

Institutional Risks

• Government agenda and new projects
• Management of government information
• Preservation of digital documentary heritage
• Long-term accommodation infrastructure
• Security and access
• Financial sustainability
• Human resources availability and skills
• Reputation and credibility

LAC Strategic Choices

• Digital documentary heritage
• Relevant and accessible LAC collections beyond NCR
• Effective recordkeeping
• Systematic collaborative arrangements
• Integrated citizen/client research and evaluation results

Long-term results

• Canadians have the ability to access and use the record of the Government of Canada to support theirs rights and privileges as citizens
• Recordkeeping and library services are part of the business culture of the Government of Canada
• LAC collection increasingly reflects the Canadian experience
• Improved organization of the documentary heritage for access
• LAC collection is better safeguarded for current and future generations
• Clients use the documentary heritage for personal enrichment, life long learning and to produce works of value to Canada
• Contributes to building social cohesion and an enhanced sense of identity within Canadian society

LAC Key Deliverables

• Acquisition & description of digital documentary heritage
• Large scale digitization program
• A trusted digital repository
• Genealogy Program
• Learning Centre
• Portrait Gallery of Canada program
• Exhibitions and cultural programs
• Regulatory regime for recordkeeping
• LAC partnership framework
• Canadian Digital Information Strategy
• Public opinion research expertise and client segmentation analysis

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