Librarians are concerned by an apparent lack of consultation before the shutting down of research libraries and archives by the Canadian government.
Photo Credit: Pawel Dwulit/CP

Canadian Library Association concerned by wave of government library closures

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In the last few weeks there has been concern over the shutting down of seven of 11 libraries, with decades of aquatic research, which are part of the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans.

Numerous government-funded libraries have been closed or services cut back.

Last year in Ottawa, Libraries and Archives Canada, Canada’s national library and public archives, was hit with budget cuts, cuts to services, and a slowing of acquisitions of Canada’s heritage.

RCI’s Wojtek Gwiazda spoke to Marie DeYoung, the president of the Canadian Library Association, about the cuts and the association’s concerns. She is also a librarian at Saint Mary’s University in the Atlantic coast city of Halifax.

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More information:
The Tyee – Nation’s Library Advocate Raises Questions about Federal ‘Culling’ – here
Globe and Mail – Purge of Canada’s fisheries libraries a ‘historic’ loss, scientists say – here
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans press release – The facts on library consolidation at Fisheries and Oceans – here
RCI – Librarians warned of loyalty duty to Canada’s government, high risk activities (audio) – here
Canadian Library Association (CLA) website – www.cla.ca

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