Library and Archives Canada Brings Content to Flickr and YouTube

Ontario, Canada, Oct. 30, 2008. Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce that in anticipation of the 2008 Irish Studies Symposium, that will be presented on November 3 and 4, 2008, a selection of digital images related to Irish-Canadian documentary heritage are now available on Flickr.com, a popular photo-sharing community.

As well, a selection of video presentations from the upcoming Symposium will be added to YouTube.com in November 2008.

"The objective of the project is to explore new ways to improve access to Canada's documentary heritage," said Ian E. Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada. "Library and Archives Canada is excited about the opportunities that social media sharing communities provide for Canadians to discuss and contextualize an important selection of our collective history."

Visitors to the Library and Archives Canada's album at Flickr.com are encouraged to explore the interactive image collection which allows for commenting and tagging of content. All images on Flickr.com are tagged with geographic information to allow visitors to explore history in the context of their surroundings by navigating the album on a virtual map of the world. The selection of video presentations from the upcoming 2008 Irish Studies Symposium that will be added to YouTube.com will also allow for commenting and tagging of content.

The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, thereby contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. Library and Archives Canada also facilitates co-operation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge, and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.

 

To learn more about this project please visit the "Flickr/YouTube Albums" section of the Shamrock and the Maple Leaf website:

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ireland/033001-3001-e.html.

For more information on the collection at Library and Archives Canada, please visit: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.