Memory Institutions and the Digital Revolution

The Minister of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of Library and Archives Canada, has asked the Council of Canadian Academies to assess how memory institutions, including archives, libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions, can embrace the opportunities and challenges of the changing ways in which Canadians are communicating and working in the digital age.

Background

Over the past three decades Canadians have seen a dramatic transformation in both personal and professional forms of communication due to new technologies.  Where the early personal computer and word processing systems were largely used and understood as extensions of the typewriter, advances in technology since the 1980s have enabled people to adopt different approaches to working, and to documenting their lives, culture, and work.  Increased computing power, inexpensive electronic storage, and the widespread adoption of broadband computer networks have thrust methods of communication far ahead of our ability to grasp the implications of these advances.

With the development of new communications technologies, traditional memory institutions are working to keep track of the types of records being created and how decisions are being documented.  This valuable information must be safeguarded and maintained for the long term.  As part of this assessment, the Council’s expert panel may choose to examine the evidence as it relates to emerging trends, international best practices and Canadian gaps and strengths.  Once complete, this assessment will provide an in-depth and balanced report that will support Library and Archives Canada as they consider how best to manage and preserve the mass quantity of communication records generated as a result of new and emerging technologies.

The full assessment process is expected to take 18 to 24 months and will include a rigorous peer review exercise to ensure the report is objective, balanced and evidence-based. Following the review and approval by the Council’s Board of Governors, the complete report will be made available on the Council’s website in both official languages.  More information about the Council’s process can be found here.

Question

How might memory institutions embrace the opportunities and challenges posed by the changing ways in which Canadians are communicating and working in the digital age?

Expert Panel

The Council’s Board of Governors has approved the question for assessment. 

For further information, please contact:

Tracey McKinlay, Project Office Coordinator at 613-567-5000 ext. 260 or tracey.mckinlay@scienceadvice.ca