Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan - An investment
of $648,750 was announced today from Western Economic Diversification
Canada (WD) and Service fransaskois de formation aux adultes (SEFFA)
that will benefit Francophone post-secondary students, their instructors
and post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan, British Columbia,
Yukon and Northwest Territories, with improved access to an expanded
French-language resource library, Le Lien, at Collège Mathieu.
WD's $572,000 contribution under the Action Plan for Official
Languages will help expand Le Lien's lending library content
and staff numbers, allow for updates to its website, software and
server, and improve its connection to interlibrary loan services
at other libraries. SEFFA and its provincial partners will provide
the remaining $76,750. Le Lien's improved website was also
launched today.
"The new Government of Canada encourages Canadians to gain
the knowledge they need to lead productive lives," said Carol
Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic
Diversification. "As they celebrate 20 years of enriching the education of post-secondary students in
Western and Northern Canada, SEFFA and Le Lien can now provide students
with greater access to French language and cultural materials."
Our objective is to double the number of resources and significantly
increase the number of subscribers to 'Le Lien,'"
stated Mr. Kaba, Executive Director, Service Fransaskois de formation
aux adultes.
For additional information, contact:
Fiona MacLeod
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National
Revenue and Minister of Western
Economic Diversification Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Tel: (613) 995-2960
Joanne Mysak
Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Saskatoon, SK
Tel: (306) 975-5942
Maria Lepage,
Community Relations
Collège Mathieu
Tel: (306) 648-2240
WD Toll-Free Number: 1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
Funding for Le Lien francophone resource library
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Industry Canada
were given the job, in 2003, of helping advance economic development
in official language minority communities under the Federal Government's
Action Plan for Official Languages. In agreement with Industry Canada,
WD is delivering Tele-education and Tele-learning pilot projects
in the West.
'Le Lien' is a French-Canadian resource centre established
in 1986 by Collège Mathieu in Gravelbourg. It currently houses
more than 35,000 resource items for Fransaskois schools and communities
as well as anyone interested in French culture. It employs two full-time
and one part-time staff member.
Le Lien also serves as a resource centre for Service fransaskois
de formation aux adultes (SEFFA), a post-secondary institution at
College Mathieu that also delivers distance education courses.
In British Columbia, Yukon, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories,
an informal group of French-language colleges are setting up virtual
campuses. Their students need an online francophone resource library
from which they can borrow books and materials and have them sent
through the mail.
To boost Le Lien's offerings and lending capability and to
meet the requirements of the new virtual campuses, WD is contributing
$572,000 of the $648,750 project cost, through the Tele-education
and Tele-learning pilot projects. SEFFA is providing the remaining
$76,750.
The funding will help purchase computer equipment, including a
dedicated server for the resource library and update the Biblionet
lending software. Library space will be renovated and expanded making
room for new French hardcover resources, and two new part-time librarians
and two part-time technicians. New resource items will include books
for all ages, newspapers, magazines, documentaries, films (VHS &
DVD), games and teaching aids. The library's improved website
was also launched today.
Le Lien and SEFFA are celebrating their 20th anniversary this month
by unveiling a new logo and creating a bursary program for students
in Entrepreneurship, Early Childhood and Social Economy.
