LAC Services Advisory Board

1

• LAC Services Advisory Board
• Update on service hours and improvements
• June 20, 2008

2
Objectives

• Inform SAB of increase in services hours made as
  a result of consultations
• Update SAB on progress implementing other service
  improvements, as discussed at 7 March 2008
  meeting
• Update SAB on release of AMICAN Care of
  Collections
• Follow-up on 7 March Record of Decisions

3
SAB Preferences

• Add one hour of fully-staffed services weekdays
  (preference for 900 am to 400 pm MWF and 1000
  to 1700 TT)
• Hire part-time staff to allow a greater range of
  activities in consultation rooms outside regular
  hours on weekdays and weekends
• Provide increased hours of access to Reference
  rooms and research tools using Security staff
• Increase the range of activities in the
  consultation rooms outside regular hours
  (self-serve photocopying, etc.)

4
New Hours of Service

• New hours of service will be implemented 7 July
  2008
• Registration, Reference, Canadian Genealogy
  Centre and Consultation of documents, with staff,
  will be available
• - Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 900am to
  400pm, and
• - Tuesday and Thursday from 1000am to 500pm.
  

5
New Hours of Service

• Additional staffed hours will be added
• minimal service will be offered in the main
  Consultation room on Saturdays from 1000am to
  400pm.
• Services will include access to self-serve
  digital copying and self-serve copying from
  microfilm

6
New Hours of Service

• Additional un-staffed hours will be added
• The Reference Rooms on the second floor will be
  open to clients until 800pm Monday to Friday and
  from 1000am to 200pm on Saturday and Sunday
• The main Consultation Room (textual records,
  restricted access, microfilm and audio-visual)
  and the Canadian Genealogy centre will continue
  to be open to clients from 830am to 1100pm
  Monday to Friday.

7
Service Improvements

• The microfilm room as been reconfigured to be
  more user friendly.
• Additional power bars have been added in the
  microfilm room
• Additional computer terminals have been installed
  in the Consultation room for textual records.
• All computers now provide access to the internet
  and OPAC and are configured in the same manner.
• The ability to download to a portable USB media
  will be implemented shortly.

8
Service Improvements

• 3 new self-serve copying machines (scanners) will
  be installed in the microfilm room by the end of
  June 2008 to improve copying facilities and an
  additional 3 machines are being purchased.
• A new researcher agreement is being developed
  that will eliminate the need for some of the
  paperwork required related to self-serve digital
  copying.
• a new web page for academic researchers to
  assist graduate students and academics make
  better use of LAC resources and expertise.
  www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/the-public/005-8000-e.
  html

9
Finding Aids Online

• 2008-09 Finding Aid Conversion Project
• Canadian National Railway
• Inuit Land Use Occupancy Project
• Registrar General index 1651-1841
• William Lyon Mackenzie King, J Series pre-1921
• Canadian Military Headquarters and Army
  Headquarters
• Proclamations, Quebec, Lower Canada and Canada
  East
• Dept. of Public Works
• Privy Council Office
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police Photograph
  collection
• Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys
  Photographic index
• Québec Gazette
• Sir John Thompson fonds
• London Office Index Part 1

10
AMICAN

• What is it?
• AMICAN is a system designed to integrate the
  intellectual and physical control information
  relating to the holdings of LAC. It is being
  developed in modules.
• What will it do?
• AMICAN will lead to improvements in access and
  services allow on-line ordering of material for
  consultation and on-line registration for a
  research pass.

11
AMICAN

• AMICAN is being initiated in steps
• Federated Search was implemented in spring 2006
  to facilitate searching our holdings and will
  continue to be improved.
• As of 12 May 2008 a new circulation system was
  implemented for archival material this will be
  followed within the next 8-12 months by a new
  circulation system for published material.
• Technical changes will be required before online
  ordering can be initiated.

12
2007-2008 Client Comment cards

• Highlights from over 2000 cards completed by
  clients on-line, on site, and by mail
• Percentage satisfied with services received
• - 64 of web-based clients,
• - 77 of on-site clients,
• - 84 of mail-in clients.

13
2007-2008 Client Comment cards

• Percentage satisfied by services on-site
• - Consultation of material -73
• - Reference 81
• - Photocopies and reproductions 73
• Percentage satisfied by services delivered at a
  distance (mail or e-mail)
• - Reference - 80
• - Genealogy - 84
• - Photocopies and reproductions - 90
• - ATIP/Personnel Records -85

14
Follow-up on 7 March Record of Decisions

• Identical staffed hours to be implemented for 2nd
  and 3rd floor- to be instituted 7 July 2008
• Question about staggered hours to be added to
  client surveys (in discussion)
• Preference for registration at public
  workstations over installation of filtering
  software (awaiting update)
• Specialists in acquisition to be invited to
  subsequent meetings (in discussion for 3 Oct
  meeting)
• LAC to present Services Strategy to SAB in
  architecture stage on agenda today
• SAB members to receive link to Symons lecture,
  and to see suggestions and issue posted on web
  site done.