OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 22, 2020 /CNW/ - The Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada Joint Facility's project team is offering a new way for Indigenous peoples in the Ottawa-Gatineau area and across Canada to provide ideas, suggestions and input into the joint facility.

On behalf of the project team, an online Indigenous engagement survey is being conducted by NVision Insight Group, an Indigenous consulting company in Ottawa.

Survey topics include the design of the indoor and outdoor spaces as well as the types of activities, programs, collections and services. Questions such as:

• What might persuade you to visit the new facility?
• While being respectful of the fact that the joint facility sits on the territory of the Algonquin Nation and Algonquin cultural elements will be incorporated into the design, how can we weave other First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation cultural elements into the design of the joint facility to make it welcoming, respectful and inclusive?
• There will be an auditorium located in the facility. This large multipurpose space will be a focus of community, social, educational, and cultural activity. It will include performance, program, event and meeting space. What activities would you like to see hosted in this space?
• There will be public art throughout the Joint Facility including a series of works by Indigenous artists. What would you like public art to achieve or accomplish inside and outside this building?
• The facility has a large creative space for hands on learning in both digital and traditional maker programs. What types of programs or tools would you like to see in the creative space?

The survey will provide key insights to the project team on how the facility can be more reflective and inclusive of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation visitors.

The survey will remain online until November 30, 2020. 

Answers can also be provided over the phone or a print copy mailed for those interested in participating via an alternative method by sending an email to [email protected]. For contact information, details regarding previous Indigenous engagement activities or for more information about the Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada Joint Facility, visit the project website Inspire555.ca.

Background information
Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) have partnered to develop a new joint facility that will house OPL's new Central Library and LAC public programs and services. The story of this groundbreaking project is about two major public institutions coming together to build a place where—when its doors open in late 2024—Ottawa residents, Canadians and visitors from around the world will come together to connect to learn, discover, and create.

Ottawa Public Library
Ottawa Public Library is the largest bilingual (English/French) public library system in North America. The OPL extends public access to information and services through the library's 34 branches, physical and virtual (BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca), as well as two mobile libraries and a vending machine-style lending library service. Serving close to one million Ottawa residents, OPL's mission is to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people.

Library and Archives Canada
As the custodian of our distant past and recent history, Library and Archives Canada is a key resource for all Canadians who wish to gain a better understanding of who they are, individually and collectively. LAC acquires, processes, preserves and provides access to our documentary heritage and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.

SOURCE Library and Archives Canada

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