1. Information, Governance and Democracy: Challenges for the State of Law
Sustainable Archives for a Sustainable and Effective Democracy – SAA
Information, Governance and Democracy: Challenges for the State of Law
Daniel J. Caron, Ph. D.
Librarian and Archivist of Canada
SAA 2009

2. Outline Introduction Environment
Role of archives, libraries and knowledge institutions
Some challenges
Way forward: Modernization
Conclusion

3. Introduction
Information resources: cornerstone of our democratic systems
Information technology development has transformed the landscape of information creation, sharing and management
Need for good IM in order to support our democracies remains
Recordkeeping is at the heart of the solution: a mean rather than an end

4. Environment Production: Beyond physicality
Limitless information territory
Networked multiple media
Volume: Exponential growth of digital information
Overabundance of documentation in organizations
Digital: More volatile information resources
Users generate published, consumed, merged and wide- spread digital information

5. Environment (cont’d) Social Practices: Creation and access
Networked society
Collaborative practices in organizations
Democratization of creation and access
No intermediaries or censors between creators and users
Evolution of users behaviour: Redocumentation
New ways to produce, acquire, distribute and use information

6. Role of archives, libraries and knowledge institutions
Is it possible to fulfill our mandate in the same manner?
Should the traditional functions be reproduced in the digital environment?
How can archives and libraries integrate themselves into the knowledge networks of this new realm of communications?
Must we re-evaluate our institutional roles and responsibilities?

7. Some challenges Make choices Overcome preservation issues
Information value remains to be defined
How to determine what information is to be kept?
A value that is meaningful?
A quantity that is sufficient and sustainable?
Overcome preservation issues
What is the future of paper records?
Digital new records end up destroyed by their creators

8. Some challenges (cont’d)
Competencies and abilities
Connectivity is bringing various professions together: Over 50 different occupations
Transformation of traditional information professions
Access and resource discovery
Instant expectations and new user needs
Conceptual anachronisms
Digital content is managed and make accessible

9. Way forward: Modernization
Rethinking the structures of our knowledge institutions
Revisiting our work processes
Redefining skills and competencies

10. Continuing Memory Possible Approach: Mosaic Previous Approach
Current Outcome