Library of Parliament Committee on May 2nd, 2019

[The Joint Chair, Liberal, Gagan Sikand]

Sorry, Mr. Sorenson.

Ms. Quach.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I also thank the library officials.

I have a few questions for them.

Ms. Lank, you are saying that people's feedback has not always been documented. Do you plan to improve the comment and feedback documentation and follow-up process? If so, what will be implemented and when will it be done?

[Heather Lank]

Thank you very much for your question.

Right now, the way feedback is captured does not enable us to analyze it easily. There isn't really a more comprehensive follow-up. For instance, if you provide feedback, be it to tell us that you are very satisfied or to point out a problem, we communicate with you to determine what the nature of the problem is and to find solutions.

However, we do not necessarily carry out an analysis to check whether there are, across the feedback received, more difficulties concerning a specific publication or less satisfaction with regard to a particular element. The connections are not being made.

When I was talking about developing an institutional strategy in the coming year, it had to do with the implementation of ways to capture the information that would enable us to work in a more strategic manner, instead of limiting ourselves to our relationship with a single parliamentarian or a single member of staff. The approach will become more global.

We plan to create a library working group that would bring together employees from each service to consider what we currently have in place and to find ways to better capture and use feedback, while respecting confidentiality when circumstances require it. However, we still want to apply the principles.

That is one of my goals this year, and we will certainly come back to you in the coming months—I hope—to tell you about what we have implemented. We will have really spent some time on assessing where we are at now, and we will then be ready to move forward.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Will you implement some sort of a system or will there be an individual in charge of feedback tracking?

[Heather Lank]

That is exactly what we are looking into. We are analyzing the options available to us and will decide on the best way or ways to proceed.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Okay.

Perhaps you have not yet decided on this, but will an additional person be hired? Will you rather entrust that work to people from each team?

[Heather Lank]

We still don't know. That could be done within the limitations of our current resources, but we will also potentially seek out other resources. It is still to be determined.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

As for the ambassador program, I was part of the 2011 cohort, and I don't remember the program. That is an interesting aspect, but I don't remember having been contacted by an ambassador. Perhaps my memory is failing me.

How many members used those ambassadors' services in 2011? When did that program start declining? Was it after 2012?

[Heather Lank]

I don't know the exact number, but I could come back to you with the information.

In fact, I am being told that 180 members met with ambassadors in 2015. I don't know about 2011, but we could send you the data.

Your point is extremely important. You may have forgotten, but we may also not have made the necessary contacts. What worries me is that, at the beginning of a new Parliament, parliamentarians often have so much to do and there are so many requests for information that we need to carefully choose the moment to establish contact with them. Otherwise, it may simply be to no avail. So that is something we want to look at closely.

That is also why we want to make a follow-up visit because, in the beginning, parliamentarians don't always know what questions to ask. It is difficult for new parliamentarians to know what the needs are. However, meeting with them after three or four months of activities, once they have gained a bit more experience, may be more beneficial. We could then ask them how we can help them. We are looking into that possibility, and we would be grateful for any guidance you can give us.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

You talked about hiring staff to ensure ambassador duties. Would that be full-time staff? Have you assessed the costs associated with that?

[Heather Lank]

Thank you for the question.

No, we are not hiring anyone for that.

[The Joint Chair, Liberal, Gagan Sikand]

A short answer, please.

[Heather Lank]

Current employees volunteer to do that work in addition to their regular duties. So there are no new resources set aside for ambassador activities.

[The Joint Chair, Liberal, Gagan Sikand]

Mr. Van Kesteren.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you for being here again. It's nice to see you. I must commend you. You certainly do facilitate members of Parliament. I think you have gone above and beyond. You have thought of things that certainly I wouldn't have thought of. You have made a big move, and we've visited you at the new library. Have you seen a decrease in—I'm seeing a nod there—visitation? Second, is there perhaps an uptick at the facilities in the Wellington Building?

[Heather Lank]

Anecdotally, I would say that there is likely to have been a decrease, especially in terms of the West Block branch, which is a bit hard to find. It's not a space that you would necessarily walk by. We have an obligation to reach out to you and communicate where we are, what we can offer and how you can find us. I do know from speaking to the librarians assigned to that branch that it can be quite quiet there.

I don't know how many of you have had a chance to see the branch in the Senate of Canada building. It is right outside the cafeteria. It is a through space. Because one side is where people are eating their lunch, and the other side is the library branch, assessing traffic—how many people have come to the branch, and how many have gone for coffee—can be difficult. I think it lends itself physically to higher traffic, but we still need to build the knowledge of our branches, and why it's worth coming. Why does it matter?

One of the key things to remember is that we have two librarians on staff in those branches at all times. You can ask questions and consult with them. There are iPads you can take out. There are documents.

We're developing and implementing quite an active communication strategy. Some of you might know that we have an open house next week, where there will be special exhibits in each branch, to bring people in, because we're not getting the traffic that we need.

I'll now go to our reporting and tracking issue. Right now, we don't have reliable statistics on how many people are using our branches, and that's something I think we need to look at. Your point about 180 Wellington, Mr. Van Kesteren, is a really good one. It is a spectacular space that deserves to be used enormously. Again, because people don't necessarily know it's there, it doesn't get the use we want it to have.

I'm committed to increasing traffic, increasing use and making it a place you and your staff want to be. The Hill is a busy place. Sometimes, you just need a place you can go to have some quiet time for reflection. I know that's a hard thing to find time for in your lives. I would encourage you to use all of our branches for that. We are working to market those spaces for you.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

I can testify to how spectacular your branch is on Wellington. It's right around the corner from my office.

I think you alluded to this, but if we were to look historically at how members used the facilities and services that you render, is it on an incline or decline?

[Heather Lank]

Catherine, do you want to comment on that?

[Catherine MacLeod]

It's been on a significant incline since the election. This Parliament has attracted a much higher level of demand for our products and services. We were fortunate to make the business case for an increase to meet that demand, with focus on your priorities, which included a number of different areas, such as comparative analysis and visual elements. The service we provide in the branches' reference function is equally important.

We've taken advantage of the new branches to update and modernize our approach, in order to be more in keeping with the libraries of the future. You'll have more personal, custom contact at the branches. You'll have very modern, relaxed seating. You'll have collaboration rooms and media walls so you can still track what's going on in the chambers and elsewhere, and in the media. It's been a wonderful opportunity for us to modernize our service offering to Parliament.

To the Parliamentary Librarian's point, now we're out promoting. We're generating excitement around the new branches that are closer to you, generally speaking. We are looking forward this year to hearing how we can tweak and fine-tune what we're doing, to be even better.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Finally, is there something we could do as a committee that would help you reach those goals, so that more people can realize just what an excellent service you have for us?

[The Joint Chair, Liberal, Gagan Sikand]

Give a short answer, please.

[Heather Lank]

First, I would strongly encourage you to visit all five branches next week, so you know exactly what we're about, when it comes to space. If you don't have time, ask your staff to check them out. If you or they see anything that you think the library should know, something we can do better, something you really liked or something we need to follow up on, please share that with us. We want you; you're our users. We're here for you, and we need to hear from you about whether we're meeting your needs, and your staff's needs. Please take advantage of that.

[The Joint Chair, Liberal, Gagan Sikand]

Thank you.

Ms. Dzerowicz.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Thank you.

Thank you so much for your presentation, and for being here today and all the great work you do.

I have some comments and then a couple of questions because you asked for some feedback so I would like to provide it.

I'm probably one of those people who has completely forgotten that the Library of Parliament actually exists. I say that lamentably because my first job in the whole entire world was working at a library for four years, so I have very fond memories of libraries.

You mentioned the ambassador linked to an MP. I do think that's important. To be honest, I think that should be on our speed-dial. That should be on our phone—Library of Parliament, your ambassador's name is Yvonne—and there's a phone number there, and that carries with us through our term. I think my having that one person would really be helpful so that even if there's a changeover in the office, I constantly know that this resource is there.

I agree with you in terms of regular contacts with MP offices because there are always changeovers in staffing. I think whether it's a twice-a-year check, at the beginning of the year, back in September, or whatever, I think it's a good idea.

I also agree that there needs to be automatic feedback every time there's a research report—something that pops up. I would say it would be sent directly to the MP as well as to the staff member who actually asks for it. I think you might get some different aspects in terms of feedback.

I think you mentioned that you do seminars. Do you do courses in any way? For some reason I thought that some of my staff had been involved in something at the Library of Parliament. Are there only seminars about what the library offers, or do you offer anything else on other topics?

[Catherine MacLeod]

We have a seminar program. We have some information sessions on the use of the library and some of the services, but we have often issues that are of interest from a public policy perspective, everything from copyright to mental health. We bring experts in, and it's really usually a lively discussion for about two hours.

By all means, we're very open to any topics along those lines that would interest you or your staff.