It has been a trying few weeks for Library and Archives Canada following a slew of budget cuts and citizen outrage. In an effort to let the public know that officials are as committed to their mission of preserving national history as ever before, LAC revealed the fruits of a long-term digitization project to safeguard a valuable portrait collection.
According to the Verge, the institution was the unfortunate victim of some steep public-sector budget cuts that ultimately led to the termination of approximately half of its digitization staff in April. Fuel was later added to the fire when it was revealed that the LAC had not acquired a new collection of cultural artifacts since 2009.
With its reputation as a steward of Canadian history on the line, LAC has revealed a portfolio of 15,000 digitized images from its national portrait collection.
"This digitization initiative now makes available to Canadians across the country many thousands of works by renowned Canadian artists," explained Daniel Caron, Canada's deputy head librarian and archivist.
Viewers can expect the collection to include everything from avant garde photo shoots to rare hockey cards that are now more than 100 years old.
