05 December 2017

#AskTheLAC Twitter chat transcript

If you missed the LAC Twitter chat at #AskTheLAC here is the stream, in reverse chronological order (with the most recent just below).

  1. That’s all, folks! Thanks, !
  2. Replying to  
    GB: Check out this blog post: If you have more questions, our genealogy experts can help:
  3. GB: 81% of CEF files have been digitized. We will be done by November 11, 2018, exactly 100 years after the . Updates posted monthly on our
  4. how do I research my Quebecois ancestry when they use "dit" names, please? Even genealogists have not been able to trace my family back to France - au secours s.v.p.!
  5. GB: We have over 5 petabytes of digital material.
  6. Replying to   and 
    GB: Yes, for a number of years we have proactively opened millions of pages of government documents. We also welcome requests under ATIP
  7. GB: We digitize as much as we can & share our collection via social media. We support local institutions to give access. And, of course, we also have service centres in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Halifax.
  8. Thank you for your responses. .
  9. GB: In last 10 years, records are increasingly born digital. In next 10 years, we expect an explosion in social media and new ways to share archival material. is an example.
  10. Replying to 
    GB: Great idea! No planned service changes. We try to notify users of short-term service interruptions ASAP. We also have informal consultations w onsite clients twice a year, + hold quarterly meetings w our Services Consultation Committee.
  11. Replying to 
    GB: Gatineau 2 will house textual records primarily. We are still acquiring records from 20-30 years ago, so there is still a need for analogue storage
  12. How will the Gatineau 2 Preservation Facility differ from the original now that acquisitions are moving to digital? .
  13. GB: The Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982 required an extremely specialized container to prevent the ink from fading when exposed to light:
  14. What was the hardest thing you had to physically archive?
  15. Will LAC schedule sessions to inform on-site researchers about planned service changes and receive community feedback? .
  16. GB: If you’re getting papercuts, you’re using Twitter all wrong ;)
  17. GB: I answered too fast. One of the oldest items is the “bulle de Nicolas V” from 1453!
  18. GB: Hi! We don’t have cats at LAC, but we know cats who love books!

  19. GB: There’s no typical day safeguarding Canada’s history. My time is spent meeting colleagues, stakeholders, and government officials.
  20. GB: The Parliament of Canada website is an excellent resource to learn more about how our system works:
  21. Replying to 
    GB: it's a serigraph by Warhol of Wayne Gretzky! Coming from , I did not expect to find such a rich collection of portraits at
  22. Replying to   and 
    GB: Rules on the disclosure of sensitive records are based on why those records are restricted. We’re bound by the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. Both contain exemptions and exceptions. You can find details here:
  23. Replying to 
    All relevant federal government departments are working together to ensure that a decision is made in the coming few months.
  24. GB: The Guide lists records relating to many units of the Signal Service, Canadian Engineers, including divisional companies, cable section and wireless section. You can browse this guide to find records related to signals. 2of3
  25. GB: The Guide to Sources Relating to Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force is available online here: 1of3
  26. Thank you
  27. What is the state of deliberations on federal funding for the proposed joint Ottawa Public Library / LAC facility? .
  28. Replying to  
    GB: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will look into it, and will get back to you in a few days.
  29. Replying to 
    GB: We are embarking on the digitization of an unprecedented amount of material relevant to the initiative Hear our Voices
  30. Replying to 
    - what is the most surprising thing you've found in the archives?
  31. My Q is: Will you look at my Finding Aid for those 10 incorrect films & speak to me about correcting the online content descriptions? The URL for my Finding Aid is at Thank you for your time. 4/4
  32. I wrote to Canadiana offering to provide them with my correct content descriptions for the films. After many non-responses I was told all descriptions came from LAC & I would have to write LAC. I wrote to LAC with no response over a year ago. 3/4
  33. I wrote to Canadiana with no response so I went through every digitized image on every film to create a Finding Aid. I provide the correct Volume numbers found on each film as well as note what image number starts each volume. 2/4
  34. In 2013 I found that of 21 microfilms for the Heir & Devisee Commission provided by LAC & on 10 are incorrectly identified as to volume numbers & content contained. Example H 1150 which they says holds V 87-89 contains V 90-98 ¼
  35. I have a 4 part question for your Tried to condense it as much as possible. Here goes!
  36. Librarian and Archivist of Canada Guy Berthiaume (GB) is here to answer your questions until 1 pm EST.
  37. When the CEF service files project ends what major digitization project, or projects, will LAC pursue?
  38. Got a question for the Librarian and Archivist of Canada? He will answer it today (Dec. 4), 11:30AM-1PM (EST)!

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