Contextualizing a Scandal: A Brief History of Library and Archives Canada

Abstract

In his recent callout “LAC: The scandal of the Archives”, Allan Greer shared his experience conducting research over the course of several decades at what is today Library and Archives Canada (LAC). There, he outlines how a shift from user-centered public services and spaces, driven by the expertise of trained archivists, has impacted LAC’s ability to support the meaningful use of its research collections. In doing so, the disjointed state of LAC’s online records is singled out as a point of divide between then (a golden era of people focused spaces and services) and now (a good-luck-out-there era of “digitize it” consequences). Greer calls the state of LAC and its services scandalous. To fully understand the extent to which his claim rings true, however, the context in which this situation arose must be made clear.