Alberta Report

by Judy Moore

Alberta Representative 

People

Dean Heumann has been appointed to the newly created position of Communications Director for TAL (The Alberta Library). Dean was formerly employed at the United Way in Edmonton. TAL has seconded Heather Morrison from Concordia University College as part-time Knowledge Network Project Coordinator.

Anne Carr-Wiggin is Vice-President/President Elect for the Greater Edmonton Library Association.

News

TAL along with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and Edmonton and Calgary Public Libraries held training sessions for more than 30 member libraries January 26-28, 2000, to enable them to offer access for print-disabled customers to the CNIB's collections and services through CNIB's VisuNet Program. For further information on this initiative, visit the CNIB Library website at http://www.cnib.ca./library/index/htm.

Leaders in libraries, consortia and associations province-wide had the unique opportunity to meet and discuss issues with the newly appointed National Librarian, Roch Carrier, in November 1999. Many issues were raised with Mr. Carrier and some of them included: raising the profile of libraries across the country; the need for national coordination; digitization; copyright; importation of library materials; CRTC; and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Mr. Carrier concluded his meeting with a promise to try to find solutions for some issues that were discussed and noted that it had been a "very Calgary meeting" — "pragmatic, outspoken, healthy and straight".

TAL is coordinating GALE training provincially to CPIQ, the General Reference Centre, and the Expanded Academic Index. As well, TAL is spearheading National Site Licensing for Micromedia's Canadian Almanac Database. Concurrently, TAL is evaluating the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network. A study team that includes Charles R. McClure and Bruce Fraser of the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University has designed the survey. Pat Cavill has been secured to conduct focus groups to assess performance-measurement needs.

A grant from Industry Canada, Youth Employment Initiative, has enabled TAL to hire five students to assist with a variety of tasks related to APLEN. An appeal was made to Canada's Parliament by LAA and the Alberta Library Trustees Association (ALTA) regarding a decision made by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and announced in October 1999, "Telephone Service to High-Cost Serving Areas" (www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/NEWS/RELEASES/1999/R991019e.htm). The CRTC decision was silent on the issue of subsidized telephone rates in rural and remote areas, and as a consequence, does not protect rural and remote areas in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada from substantial rate increases for basic Internet and telephone services.

At the same time, libraries were identified as a key component in the federal government's connectivity agenda highlighted in the Fall 1999 Speech from the Throne — "improving Canada's information infrastructure" and providing "increased access to high-speed Internet services for classrooms and libraries".

The Alberta Library Conference 2000 Working Without Walls was held in beautiful Jasper April 27-30. Roberta Bondar — the first and only Canadian woman astronaut — and Douglas Gibson, notable publisher and writer, delivered the keynote addresses. Sharon Butala, (The Garden of Eden and The Perfection of Morning) and Alistair MacLeod (No Great Mischief) were the featured authors. Check it out at http://www.laa.ab.ca

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) will be holding its annual conference in Edmonton, June 21-25. CLA will be offering a diverse program under the theme Reading the Past — Writing the Future. For more information, consult CLA's website at http://www.cla.ca/conference/cla2000

Return to PNLA QuarterlySpring 2000 Table of Contents