Governance and Recordkeeping, September 2025

LAC is finalizing preparations to open Ādisōke, its new joint facility with Ottawa Public Library, which is expected to welcome 1.7 million visitors annually starting in summer 2026. LAC will continue advancing user autonomy by accelerating collection digitization, improving metadata quality, and upgrading systems to make collections more discoverable and accessible online. LAC will implement sustainable strategies for managing Access to Information and Privacy, including reducing backlogs, streamlining processes, and proactively releasing public-domain records to increase transparency. In addition, LAC will deepen community engagement - particularly with Indigenous peoples - by co-curating content and embedding cultural relevance and reconciliation into its programming.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat announced the publication of the new enterprise Metadata Reference Standard for Digital Archival Records (MDRS), which is based on LAC’s Operational Standard for Digital Archival Record Metadata (2023). The MDRS helps to standardize metadata practices across government institutions, improve discoverability and interoperability of digital records, while also supporting digital preservation, access and transparency efforts.

The updated Financial Management Generic Valuation Tool (GVT) is now available on Canada.ca. This enhanced tool supports Government of Canada institutions in meeting their recordkeeping responsibilities by offering guidance on identifying business processes, managing related financial records, and applying retention advice. These tools have served many departments for over a decade. However, as legislation, policies and technologies evolve, so too must these tools. As such, LAC is undertaking a multi-year effort to update the GVTs.

This past July, the Block Review team marked two years of proactively reviewing and opening records under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. In that time, the team has reviewed over 18 million pages and made more than 16 million pages available to the public! Project highlights include the release of the National Registration Cards, Orders-in-Council (1971 - 1993), Treaty Annuity and Interest Annuity Paylists (1884 - 1933), and Second World War sailing lists. Beyond traditional textual records, the team has also taken on projects involving a wide range of media types, including born-digital records. In addition, Block Review has supported other teams across LAC and advanced the accessibility and discoverability of the collections through initiatives such as finding aid transcription and access code updates.

The initiative supports projects that preserve, provide access to, and promote Canadian documentary heritage. Beneficiaries include archives, genealogical societies, and Indigenous organizations. Funding helps these groups improve preservation methods, digitize collections, and enhance access to historical records.

Canada’s Access to Information Act (ATIA) plays a key role in supporting public trust. Regular reviews are important to keep the ATIA relevant in an evolving digital environment. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) has identified key focus areas for the 2025 review based on prior feedback. TBS plans to begin formal engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous partners later in 2025, with further updates to come.

Innovation-driven initiatives include exploring new formats such as vertical storytelling for younger audiences, experimenting with AI tools in animation under transparency protocols, and embracing collaborative filmmaking models to amplify diverse voices.

AI-supported initiatives are being used to document and revitalize endangered Indigenous languages through tools like speech recognition, translation apps, and interactive learning systems. These are often co-developed with communities to ensure cultural authenticity and data sovereignty.

The Canadian Archival Information Network (ARCHIVESCANADA.ca) was created to promote access to Canadian archives by sharing descriptive records through AtoM. However, the platform has become stagnant, with finding aids, authority records, and institutional profiles no longer being added or updated. As a result, researchers currently lack a reliable way to search for archival materials across Canadian repositories, limiting the use of these collections. In response, the Canadian Council of Archives has formed a working group to redefine and revitalize ARCHIVESCANADA.ca.

The international symposium “Les archives manuscrites dans le monde arabe et islamique” (Manuscript Archives in the Arab and Islamic World), concluded with a set of recommendations to strengthen the scientific, material, and technological stewardship of manuscript archives. It emphasized the importance of both scientific and material stewardship of these archives. It also recommended the integration of artificial intelligence into the digitization process, as well as the involvement of specialists and experts in this field.

On July 10, 2025, Bamako hosted a regional consultation on Digital Technology and Social Cohesion, organized by Search for Common Ground, in partnership with the High Authority for Communication and UNESCO. This meeting served as a preparatory event for the Conference on Information Integrity, to be held in Praia, Cape Verde, in September 2025, where participants will discuss guiding principles for the governance of digital platforms.

The Supreme Court of India has issued new guidelines for document management to enhance accountability and efficiency. Aimed at addressing existing gaps in handling administrative records, the guidelines emphasize the importance of clear and systematic record keeping. Chief Justice B. R. Gavai underscored the need for greater clarity, noting that the guidelines will support better documentation of policy decisions and audits.

Several professional journalism and civic organizations have urged Dutch parliamentarians to reject proposals that would limit access to government information under the Open Government Act. Instead, the groups called for a focus on effective and transparent implementation of the law, emphasizing that public access to government documents is essential for informed debate and government accountability.

This document is an adaptation of Archives New Zealand’s Executive Sponsor - Roles and Responsibilities factsheet (16/F11), tailored specifically for use by the New Zealand Courts. The executive sponsor role is critical in information management, as it ensures compliance, embeds good governance practices, and facilitates sustainable information management. It also plays a key part in promoting transparency, continuity, and overall accountability.

Digital archivists are warning of a potential “digital dark age,” where data from a specific era becomes so scarce or unreliable that it effectively vanishes. This risk is heightened by the rise of generative AI, which is making authentic, human-generated content increasingly rare. Experts, including those at Cloudflare, caution that AI has begun to “pollute” the internet with synthetic content, making it harder to identify original material. As AI continues to train on AI-generated data, it may increasingly replicate itself, leading to a decline in overall content quality and authenticity.

Original Copies: Digital Tools for Preservation in Cinema and the other Arts

ARMA InfoCon

International Federation of Film Archives - Education & Outreach Autum Lab

Initiation à l’encodage XML-TEI des textes patrimoniaux (imprimés et manuscrits) (French only)

International Council on Archives, Pacific Regional Branch 21

ARMA Partner Training: Microsoft Purview Records Management Training

Archiving in Belgium

Les archives de la politique de la ville (French only)

ARMA Partner Training: Microsoft Purview Records Management Training

This new resource is designed to help Borealis participants and data repositories in Canada and globally pursue CoreTrustSeal certification and strengthen research data preservation. CoreTrustSeal certification indicates that a digital repository is trustworthy, sustainable, and meets high standards in data management and preservation.

Graphic illustrates a reshaping of archival description by modelling archival entities and their interrelationships within a flexible, non hierarchical network, allowing nuanced representation of records, agents, activities, and rule based interactions.

Access Info Europe, in collaboration with SPOON, has released a set of legal recommendations aimed at strengthening the Netherlands's Open Government Act (OGA) and aligning it with international transparency standards. While the OGA, enacted on May 1, 2022, introduced clearer obligations for public authorities and emphasized proactive disclosure, concerns persist regarding its implementation.

The Data Rescue Project (DRP) has launched the DRP Portal, a major advancement in safeguarding vulnerable public information. As of June 2025, DRP volunteers and partner organizations have successfully rescued over 1,100 public datasets from over 80 government offices. What began as a simple spreadsheet called the Data Rescue Tracker, the project soon outgrew its limits, leading to the creation of the more scalable and user-friendly DRP Portal to better support ongoing data preservation efforts.

RiC-O is an OWL ontology used to describe archival record resources. It serves as the formal, machine-readable part of the Records in Contexts (RiC) standard. It provides standardized vocabulary and rules for creating resource description framework datasets, either built from scratch or by converting existing metadata. These datasets can then be published as Linked Data, queried with SPARQL, and used for inference.

This document outlines the requirements for archival paper. It applies to unprinted paper intended for documents and publications that must be permanently preserved and frequently handled. Such materials require paper with high permanence and durability.

Archives New Zealand provides a comprehensive guide to assist public sector organizations in establishing effective information and records management practices. This guidance ensures compliance with the Public Records Act 2005 and supports transparent, accountable, and efficient government operations.

Elders in the Northern Territory have expressed deep concern over the rapid decline of Indigenous languages, fearing that many may be lost as older generations pass away. This alarming trend prompted over 50 Indigenous leaders from more than 30 language groups to convene at the Top End Languages Forum, where they developed a series of recommendations aimed at preserving and revitalizing these languages. The recommendations, which span various areas, including education and employment, are set to be finalized and presented to stakeholders in August 2025.

The Goa Directorate of Archives is set to launch a new training program for history students in manuscriptology and paleography, aimed at preserving the state’s centuries-old documentary heritage. The program supports the National Education Policy by integrating internships into academic learning through orientation and hands-on training.

The National Library of Indonesia (Perpusnas) is developing a “human library” program to maintain the relevance of libraries in the age of artificial intelligence. The initiative underscores the irreplaceable role of humans in knowledge sharing and literacy development. While the concept is still being formulated, Perpusnas plans to launch it soon. This effort aligns with the goal of enhancing Indonesia's national literacy index.

Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland (VRTI) continues to fulfill its mission of digitally restoring lost archival treasures and democratizing access to Ireland’s deep history. Launched in 2022, the project has become an invaluable resource for historians, citizen researchers, genealogists, students, and the public worldwide. Trinity College Dublin has expanded the VRTI by adding 175,000 new historical records, raising the total to over 350,000 records and 250 million words of Irish history.

Blog post featuring an interview with Tomas Padilla, librarian, community builder, and technologist with experience across academic, national, and nonprofit library environments. On April 1, he launched IMSL Matters as a storytelling initiative to gather and share personal narratives about the impact of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The goal wasn't direct advocacy but rather building solidarity through shared stories.

In this cycle, 11 organizations participated, answering 17 information management and 23 data management questions across categories such as people, organization, lifecycle and quality, business systems and processes, and optional data integrity. Results for information and data management were analyzed separately to allow for meaningful comparison and to support strategic planning.

The 2024 report formalizes the Ministry of Defence’s efforts under the new 20 year rule. It confirms steady forward momentum in transferring millions of service records, especially Army material, with completion scheduled by 2027. This paves the way for greater access to historical military service records over time.

Emulation involves using modern computer systems to run historical or obsolete software, effectively preserving the “look and feel” and creator intent of digital artifacts. This approach helps users interact with the content as authentically as possible, maintaining not just the data but its original context and behaviour.

The program employed a cohort-based, peer-led learning model and the final white paper introduced a new evaluation framework: “Navigating Uncertainty: A Human-Centered Assessment Compass.” Shaped by insights from participants and mentors, the program enabled professionals to develop actionable digital preservation strategies in under-resourced cultural heritage organizations.

The study systematically reviews 43 primary sources published between 2002 and 2023, focusing on machine learning approaches for classifying software repositories hosted on platforms such as GitHub or preserved by archives like Software Heritage. It investigates key facets of each study, including research objectives, input data, application outputs, model training processes, and evaluation strategies.

In this episode, the author partners with the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association to explore the significance of political party privacy and the effects of Bill C-4. The discussion examines how political parties handle data, relevant British Columbia court cases that may have influenced federal reforms, and the specific provisions of Bill C-4 affecting privacy.

Sarah Lake presented the key findings from the @Risk North 3: Safeguarding the Canadian Digital Record summit held November 21 - 22, 2024, in Gatineau, Quebec. This event was co organized by CARL and several partners, including the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and Library and Archives Canada.

In an era dominated by misinformation—fuelled by manipulated media, social platforms, and AI-generated content—traditional media outlets often prove unreliable. This blog highlights how the National Library of Israel offers a compelling model for countering falsehoods. Through a combination of rigorous documentation, openness, and digital preservation, the library demonstrates methods and values that other institutions worldwide can adopt to safeguard collective memory.

The video demonstrates how visitors can safely handle archival materials at The National Archives, helping to prevent damage—one of the most common risks to record preservation.

This open-access book explores how researchers and innovators access and use public sector data in the United Kingdom. It highlights the legal, ethical, technical, and practical barriers that often hinder data sharing, while analyzing the frameworks that govern access and their application in real-world settings. The book also identifies governance solutions that could help policymakers unlock the full potential of this data for public benefit.

This book presents a diverse collection of new research on audience studies in the performing arts, offering insights from scholarship, cultural policy, arts management, and practice. It emphasizes the value of using diverse methodologies and of engaging with different audience types to enrich our understanding of how audiences experience and interpret the arts.

This book offers a thorough analysis of data sharing in the European Union (EU), focusing on the regulatory challenges and opportunities shaped by recent EU legislation and policy frameworks. Key themes include the growing importance of data, a holistic legal perspective, covering EU law, intellectual property, data protection and governance, and in-depth discussion of major regulations. Every chapter provides policy recommendations and contributes to a comprehensive framework for responsible and effective data sharing in the EU.

Published by: Association des Archivistes du Québec

This guide is designed to support associations and similar organizations in managing both paper and digital records. Aimed primarily at non-specialists who handle information management as part of their responsibilities, it offers a clear and practical approach. The publication includes a straightforward classification plan, recommended retention periods, and final disposition guidelines to help organizations manage their information effectively.

The publication of a new guide on genealogy is always exciting—there is always more to learn, even for seasoned researchers who think they know it all. This book welcomes curious beginners eager to trace their roots, while also offering fresh insights and newly available archival collections for experienced genealogists.

On April 13, 2025, the British Library released Knowledge Without Borders, its first report exploring the impact of its international collaborations with partners around the world. The year 2023 - 2024 marked significant milestones in the British Library’s global partnerships including:

• Connecting with partners across 70 countries through 404 international engagements.
• Supporting Ukrainian libraries with several key initiatives.
• Hosting 21 library leaders from 16 countries in the International Library Leaders Programme.
• Expanding the Endangered Archives Programme to protect at-risk collections worldwide through workshops in Lesotho and South Africa.