Parliamentary Bookshelf: Reviews

This entry is part 12 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Parliamentary Bookshelf: Reviews

Government Information in Canada: Access and Stewardship. Amanda Wakaruk & Sam-chin Li, Editors. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 376pp.

Last summer when Nova Scotia hosted the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Canadian Region) annual conference I worked the information desk. There were times when we weren’t very busy, so I started to read Government Information in Canada: Access and Stewardship edited by Amanda Wakaruk and Sam-Chin Li. As an information professional, the subject area was of great interest to me and I ended up reading it avidly at the desk. Some delegates asked me what I was reading so intently, and I think I may have disappointed them when I showed them the cover. But, they shoudn’t have been.

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New and Notable Titles

This entry is part 13 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

New and Notable Titles

A selection of recent publications relating to parliamentary studies prepared with the assistance of the Library of Parliament (November 2019 – February 2020)

Bowden, James W.J. “The founders’ Senate – and ours.” The Dorchester Review 9 (2), Autumn/Winter 2019: 55-65.

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The Canadian Region

This entry is part 11 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

The Canadian Region

New Nunavut Speaker

Aggu MLA Paul Quassa, a former premier of Nunavut, was elected Speaker of the territory’s assembly on February 26 in a secret ballot over MLA Tony Akoak. Former Speaker Simeon Mikkungwak had resigned from the position one day earlier citing personal reasons.

Speaker Quassa called the election “a great moment for me and my family and for Nunavummiut because it’s an honour to be a Speaker of the House, wherever we are, in any jurisdiction.”

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Treasures of the Library of Parliament

This entry is part 10 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Treasures of the Library of Parliament

The Treasures of the Library of Parliament include items from its rare books, art and artefacts collections, as well as the architecture and fixtures of the Library building itself. This article, which highlights each of these four facets, was compiled from submissions written by the Library of Parliament’s Preservation Group for the Library’s Treasures web page.

Compiled by Lane Lamb, Janet Bennett, Josée Gagnon, and Dominique Parent
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Parliamentarians Discuss Parliamentary Libraries

This entry is part 7 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Parliamentarians Discuss Parliamentary Libraries

As one of the principal clients of Parliamentary Libraries, many parliamentarians see the inherent value in these institutions – even if their own jurisdiction doesn’t have one. In this modified roundtable discussion, the Canadian Parliamentary Review has compiled interviews with four parliamentarians discussing how and why they use their Parliamentary Library, or what they do when they don’t have access to one.

Participants: Shane Getson, MLA, Liz Hanson, MLA, Nathan Neudorf, MLA and Kevin O’Reilly, MLA
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Controlling the language used to describe the topics raised in the Parliament of Canada: A political and linguistic challenge

This entry is part 5 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Controlling the language used to describe the topics raised in the Parliament of Canada: A political and linguistic challenge

Words matter – especially in a bilingual environment where there are political sensitivities. As an impartial resource for Canadian parliamentarians (and others) that produces and collects many documents, the Library of Parliament maintains a controlled vocabulary internally to facilitate access. In this article, the author outlines the Library of Parliament Subject Taxonomy and discusses two challenges related to its development: language neutrality and the interlinguistic equivalence of concepts between English and French.

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Specialized Resources for Parliamentary Libraries

This entry is part 9 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Specialized Resources for Parliamentary Libraries

Parliamentary libraries are specialized environments, requiring dedicated and unique resources to support their client-centered reference service. Staff add value to collections and information sources using their knowledge and understanding of the local parliamentary context. Examples provided from Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador highlight the customized products and tools developed by these libraries to meet the needs of parliamentary library clients.

Heather Close and Andrea Hyde

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Legislative Libraries in a Consensus Government: Familiarity within the Distinct

This entry is part 8 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Legislative Libraries in a Consensus Government: Familiarity within the Distinct

Two of Canada’s three northern territories use a Consensus government model in their legislative assemblies. Some of the unique features of this system are visible in how their parliamentary libraries are situated and used. In this article, the authors outline how parliamentarians and other clients in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut access the libraries’ resources in a way that reflects the openness and the cooperation associated with this method of governance.

Gerry Burla and Riel Gallant
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Research Librarians at the Library of Parliament

This entry is part 6 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Research Librarians at the Library of Parliament

When you have questions, the Library of Parliament’s research librarians can help you find answers. As a part of the Library’s Parliamentary Information and Research Service (PIRS), some of these research librarians are embedded in its multidisciplinary sections while others are based in the Library’s five branches. In this article, the authors trace the emergence of research librarians back to the early days of widespread Internet use, explain how their role has evolved, and offer examples of how they collaborate with the library’s analysts to provide information products and training. They conclude by noting this organizational structure provides librarians with opportunities to develop expertise in a given subject area and provides analysts with the support they need to serve individual parliamentarians and parliamentary committees and associations.

Michael Dewing and Meghan Laidlaw
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Parliamentary Libraries, Trusted Allies in the Fight Against Fake News

This entry is part 4 of 15 in the series Vol 43 No 1 (Spring)

Parliamentary Libraries, Trusted Allies in the Fight Against Fake News

Parliamentary libraries are stewards of objectivity and truth for their clients; they were combatting fake news long before that term hit the headlines. In this article, the author explores the concept of fake news, outlines how parliamentary libraries across the country have undertaken initiatives designed to educate their clients and the public about disinformation, and lists some of the procedures researchers in these libraries have adopted to ensure they provide objective and non-partisan information for their communities.

Carolyne Ménard
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