Last night, Edvard Munch's painting called "The Scream" brought nearly $120 million at auction at Sotheby's. An as-yet-unknown buyer had some very deep pockets.
These days, deep pockets are hard to come by. In fact, the Canadian Council of Archives could sure use some right about now.
Even though you probably never heard of it, you should be very, very
concerned that the Canadian Council of Archives (CCA) will
be forced to close its office doors in Ottawa tomorrow afternoon.
Having lost its principal funding source, the not-for-profit CCA is now one of
the latest casualties of the Harper government’s current war on just about
everything “not-business.” Remember,
these are the same government folks that decided last year that Canada’s
“long-form” census was just a waste of money, having no practical business use.
Abstract demographics and statistics is not their best game.
This time, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will
have to reduce its own staff by 20%. Overall, LAC
will wave good-bye to $9.6 million over the next 36 months. Of course, they’re not alone. The CBC, the National Film Board, the
National Battlefields Commission and other cultural agencies will lose substantial
chunks of funding as well.
At first glance, museums seem to have escaped; still, they got hit hard last year.
Of course, for some, there’s a bright side, even in these
austere times. The budget contains $400
million to increase private sector investments and support creation of
large-scale venture capital funds. Oh, yeah, then there’s that $110 million per
year to the National Research Council to double support to companies through
the Industrial Research Assistance Program.
See, there’s still money for the basics and the essentials.
So it appears that the Harper government has determined that
archives and libraries are essentially “non-essentials”, especially when there are
deserving private-sector businesses in need of additional subsidies. You know, the
“job creators” and all that … It appears
that it has also been determined that “real” research needs to be
business-oriented and profit-directed.
While going very politely, the CCA is not going very quietly. In fact, they’ve issued a “call to action” on
their way out the door.
The “call to action” below from the CCA came across my desk yesterday evening and appears in full below.
Remember: it’s not just those retired hobbyist-genealogists
who are worrying about the devastation wrought upon the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and other institutions by the 2012 budget of the Harper government. Here’s the take by the Canadian Association of University Teachers, who, like
genealogists, find some passing value in libraries and archives.
As you read the CCA
“Call To Action” below, think hard.
This is a 100% Canadian thing and could never, ever happen here in
the good ol’ US of A, right?
Crippling budget
cuts for cultural institutions and subsidies for businesses? No way!!! Shuttering libraries and archives? Unheard of!!!
Who would ever think of such a thing??!!?? We’ll always have our own beloved National
Archives and Records Administration and its regional branches, right?
What’s that? They
shut down the NARA “reading room” in Pittsfield last year to save $$$? Oh, well
then, never mind….
As I continue to harp on about all this, I also will continue
to stress the point that elections usually have unintended consequences. Failing to understand that can cause you to look very much like that person pictured in the Edvard Munch painting referenced above once you've realised what's actually happened.
Anyway, read the CCA’s
“Call” below:
CALL TO ACTION
Who: To members of the archival community and
archives supporters
What: The following call to action is in
response to the elimination of the National Archival Development Program by
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) on April 30, 2012, and the resulting impact
on Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial archives councils, and the Canadian
Council of Archives.
Background: On April 30, 2012, LAC eliminated the
National Archival Development Program (NADP), a 1.7 million contribution
program administered by the non-for-profit Canadian Council of Archives (CCA)
for LAC and distributed to Canada’s 13 archives councils to support archival
activities locally. Through the councils, NADP funding is on the ground
in our 10 provinces and 3 territories, ensuring that Canada’s history is
preserved in local communities. Canada’s archival councils provide
user-centred services, providing support to archives and archivists so that
they may better serve all Canadians.
A
one-of-a-kind program, NADP’s goal is to assist in the preservation and
accessibility of Canada’s archival heritage through the following objectives:
-
Increase access to Canada’s archival heritage through the national catalogue of
archival descriptions ARCHIVESCANADA.ca
-
Increase awareness and broaden use of Canada’s archival heritage
-
Increase representation of Aboriginal peoples and under-represented
ethno-cultural groups in Canada’s archival heritage
-
Increase the capacity of archival networks to undertake strategic and
development activities; and;
-
Increase the capacity of archival institutions to preserve Canada’s
heritage.
NADP
funds the following activities across Canada:
-
Development of the national on-line catalogue of archival descriptions, and its
provincial and territorial counterparts, so all archives, including the very
small, can reach Canadians
-
Provision of archival and preservation advice to archives
-
Job exposure for new graduates from Canada’s archival and information studies
programs
-
Access to archival holdings information on-line
-
Outreach and educational activities in communities to help small institutions
manage their treasures
-
Cataloguing of archival materials to make them accessible to the public
-
Training opportunities for local archives run by volunteers or one-person
operations
-
Site assessments to both urban and rural archives, to safeguard Canada’s
documentary heritage
-
Preservation of at-risk documents and other archival materials, including
electronic records
Impact: NADP was a joint federal/provincial/territorial initiative; NADP, and
its predecessor financial assistance program, was a critical source of funding
to the community – CCA has operated for 26 years; elimination of NADP means
that 11 of the 13 provincial and territorial councils will collapse within 30
days to 6 months, without any financial support. A number of councils
have suspended their operations. The CCA’s physical office in Ottawa will
close its doors to the public effective May 4, as the organization moves to a
virtual office and staffing has been immediately be reduced from 8 FTE to
4 FTE, and will soon be further reduced to a maximum of 2.5 FTE. Further
adjustments may be necessary – but at this time minimum administration
services will be maintained for the small program Young Canada Works in
Heritage Institutions, ARCHIVESCANADA.ca, Arcan-l and other secretariat
services.
WHAT
CAN YOU DO: If your MP is a Cabinet
Minister, call the local office and offer a briefing as well as the letter. Write the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the
Honourable James Moore, and your MP asking them to stop the NADP cut.
Use the
following key messages:
·
Canada’s documentary heritage is preserved it its over 800 archival
institutions
·
NADP supports archives to preserve Canada’s documentary heritage for Canadians
·
NADP leverages financial and partnership opportunities for archives across the
country
· CCA serves the Canadian public.
CCA's work ensures the preservation of Canada's heritage for the benefit of all
Canadians-now and for the future. Through initiatives such as www.ARCHIVESCANADA.ca , CCA is the window through which
the world may access Canadian archival information
·
Archives support Canada’s economy. Sustaining Canada's knowledge-based economy
means sustaining and facilitating access to our knowledge resources. Archives
are fundamental to the success of countless public, private, and educational
enterprises.
·
Archives preserve Canada’s past. Millions of historical documents, photographs,
maps and audio-visual materials are held in archives across the country
·
LAC’s stakeholder forum meetings cannot and will not take the place of an
archival network of dedicated professionals and volunteers across Canada that
took 26 years to build. The damage done by elimination of NADP will take
years to re-build.
Tell your
own story about the value of the NADP and CCA’s services; use the following
examples:
• books and
other outputs that have utilized holdings made accessible by NADP
•
non-traditional users whose access has been facilitated by NADP
•
achievements realized through expertise made available to you through archives
advisors, preservation services, training opportunities.
• what
holdings have been preserved through NADP and in what ways has that had public
acknowledgement
• what
activities by other groups have been assisted through the results of NADP
funded projects
• what
federal initiatives have benefitted by records that were preserved or made
accessible through NADP
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