AI is here and LAC is ready

On this page

• Introduction
• Opportunities and challenges
• Guiding principles
• Pillar one: Making collections discoverable
• Pillar two: Building trust in information
• Pillar three: Partnering for innovation in libraries and archives
• Building capacity to realize AI’s full potential
• Looking ahead: Leading with purpose

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping how information is created, shared, and interpreted, offering powerful tools to support the mission of memory institutions around the world. At Library and Archives Canada (LAC), we see AI as a transformative opportunity to deepen how people engage with Canada’s documentary heritage by making collections more discoverable, empowering users through responsive services, and strengthening connections to history, culture, and civic life.

As the custodian of Canada’s collective memory, LAC is embracing AI with curiosity, care, and conviction. Our approach is proactive, transparent, and grounded in the values that define our profession: trust, inclusion, and commitment to the public good. We are not just adapting to a changing landscape; we are helping to shape it. In doing so, LAC is contributing to the Government of Canada’s broader digital transformation agenda, helping to ensure that federal institutions remain responsive, transparent, and citizen centered.

It would be impossible to address all the impacts of AI in one position statement. We recognize that issues such as copyright, the definition of creation, and the impact on legal deposit and on what we collect are not addressed in this paper. We continue to work through these questions in collaboration with colleagues within the Government of Canada and the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector.

This position statement outlines LAC’s strategic direction for integrating AI into our operations and services. It reflects our aspiration to lead responsibly within the GLAM sector, advancing thoughtful innovation while safeguarding the principles that underpin public trust. Guided by four core principles and three strategic pillars, we are building the ethical foundation, institutional capacity, and partnerships needed to unlock the potential of AI in alignment with our values and our mandate.

Opportunities and challenges

For libraries and archives, AI opens new frontiers in how we connect people with knowledge. It can help us accelerate time-consuming workflows, create more inclusive and user-centered services, and illuminate hidden corners of our collections. At LAC, where we steward vast physical and digital holdings, AI has the potential to generate descriptive metadata, recognize handwritten text, recommend related materials, and enhance search and discovery, fundamentally transforming how users engage with the past.

Yet, with innovation comes responsibility. The challenges we face, such as aging infrastructure, backlogs, and questions of representation and access, demand new tools and new thinking. In a landscape where information is increasingly complex and sometimes misleading, the role of trusted memory institutions is more important than ever. AI will not replace the expertise of librarians and archivists; it will augment it. By designing AI systems that reflect our values, we can better serve users, strengthen trust, and safeguard the stories that define us for generations to come.

LAC’s plan to address these opportunities and challenges is built upon four guiding principles and three strategic pillars. Together, they provide a framework for responsible, forward-looking transformation. These principles and pillars align with the Government of Canada’s Digital Ambition, the Policy on Service and Digital, the Government of Canada’s AI Strategy, and the Directive on Automated Decision-Making, ensuring coherence with federal priorities for transparency, equity, and digital leadership.

Guiding principles

LAC's approach to AI is anchored in a clear and evolving set of principles that reflect our professional values and public responsibilities. These principles guide every stage of our planning, experimentation, and implementation, helping to ensure that our use of AI advances public interests and the goals of responsible innovation within the federal public service.

Our guiding principles are:

• Transparency: We commit to transparency in the use of AI tools. We will measure, evaluate, and communicate the outcomes of our AI initiatives to ensure they remain aligned with our mandate, values, and the expectations of Canadians.
• Fairness: We recognize that historical and technological biases can reinforce systemic inequities. Our approach includes deliberate strategies to identify and mitigate bias in description and access, while ensuring that copyright and creators’ rights remain central to our practices.
• Human-in-the-loop: AI tools are designed to support, not replace, professional expertise. Human judgment, context, and review remain central to all decisions that affect access and interpretation. Staff will understand and guide how AI is applied.
• Trust: As a public institution, we recognize that trust is earned through thoughtful action. Every AI project is undertaken with a commitment to safeguarding the integrity of collections, protecting privacy, and ensuring responsible use of copyrighted works.

These principles serve as the ethical foundation for all of LAC’s AI-related work and complement broader Government of Canada frameworks guiding responsible AI use.

Pillar one: Making collections discoverable

All AI efforts rest on the foundation of data and metadata. At LAC, metadata is central to discovery, context, and access. AI opens new possibilities for enhancing metadata at scale, from automated description to semantic linking. The potential of AI is also reshaping how users interact with collections and what kinds of metadata are most valuable for research.

This brings both opportunities and an imperative to adapt. LAC is undertaking concrete actions to strengthen its metadata foundation and prepare for the future, including:

• improving legacy metadata to enhance discoverability
• exploring how AI is transforming the types of metadata that are most useful for discovery
• piloting the creation of new metadata to ensure readiness for AI applications
• exploring opportunities to link datasets and improve interoperability

Metadata stewardship is a core professional responsibility, and LAC is committed to ensuring that AI enhances, rather than obscures, the richness and complexity of our collections, while also respecting copyright and the rights of creators. This work supports broader government efforts to advance open data, interoperability, and digital inclusion.

Pillar two: Building trust in information

We have already seen some negative impact AI on society, such as the spread of misinformation, synthetic content, and manipulated records. LAC plays a vital role in strengthening public resilience to these threats by promoting critical engagement with sources. Our work emphasizes the importance of primary sources, historical context, and informed research practices.

We actively contribute to government-wide efforts to safeguard and strengthen Canada’s information ecosystem by:

• promoting access to primary sources to support evidence-based learning
• creating educational resources to assess the credibility of sources
• collaborating with educators to develop research skills using trusted sources
• offering public programming that fosters dialogue on information credibility

These initiatives align with the Government of Canada’s ongoing work to protect the integrity of information and democracy, ensuring Canadians are equipped to navigate an increasingly complex informational landscape. Through partnerships with educators and others, LAC fosters civic awareness and reinforces democratic values.

Pillar three: Partnering for innovation in libraries and archives

AI adoption flourishes through shared knowledge and collective effort. LAC is actively expanding partnerships across public, academic, and private sectors to co-create solutions and shape the ethical use of AI. Our initiatives include:

• participating in national and international forums on AI and cultural heritage
• sharing tools, datasets, and best practices with peer institutions
• co-developing pilot projects to test AI tools in archival and library contexts

Through research, events, and cross-sector dialogue, LAC supports the responsible use of AI in memory institutions. This collaborative approach supports whole-of-government efforts to ensure Canadian institutions remain global leaders in the ethical and effective use of emerging technologies.

Building capacity to realize AI’s full potential

To support these pillars, LAC continues to invest in both technology and people. We are strengthening institutional capacity by harnessing AI-enhanced technologies to modernize and optimize operations. At the same time, we are developing staff capabilities through targeted training, hands-on pilot projects, and a culture of continuous learning. These efforts ensure that innovation is practical, sustainable, and aligned with LAC’s public service mission. They also contribute to government-wide goals for digital readiness and responsible technology adoption.

Looking ahead: Leading with purpose

LAC is committed to shaping a future where AI expands access to knowledge, strengthens public trust, and deepens engagement with cultural memory and heritage. Guided by our values and mandate, we are moving forward with care, clarity, and conviction.

Through thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and continued investment in both technology and people, LAC is ready to lead with purpose, helping to ensure that AI supports a more informed, connected, and inclusive society.