I. LIBRARY AND OTHER INFORMATION SERVICES

A. ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - INTERNATIONAL

1. International Federation of Library and Information Associations and Institutions
   IFLA's six core activities (libraries for development; copyright; free access to information and freedom of expression; bibliographic standards; preservation and conservation; UNIMARC) result in forty-eight sections, from #1 (National Libraries) to # 48 (Law Libraries), and including #44, Library History. Convenient access to information associations and institutions worldwide is available through its Membership Directory and its search function.
2. Special Libraries Association
   SLA, a global organization of corporate, academic, and government information professionals, is composed of chapters, divisions, and caucuses. The 85 state/regional/national chapters include three Canadian chapters: Eastern Canada, Western Canada, and Toronto. Numerous divisions are devoted to subject or technique specialties, such as Business and Finance or Solo Librarians. Among the caucuses (informal networks for interests not covered by other websites) is the Retired Members Caucus, which "provides a forum for exchanging retirement experiences and for resource information" but does not yet have a website. The SLA Resources section offers convenient access to Information Portals, and has a useful list of Library-Related Organizations. The Search button on the home page offers excellent subject or name access to the latter list, and to other items on the website.

B. ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - NATIONAL

1. American Library Association
   Besides its eleven divisions based on library type and library function, the ALA has Round Tables for interests cutting across division lines, including Library History. The ALA provides links to its state associations through its Chapters list, and to other special or international associations through its list of Affiliates.
2. Canadian Library Association
   In addition to Association data, the CLA website is a good source of current information on issues of interest to Canadians. The home page provides direct links to its constituent national associations: the Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL), the Canadian Association of Public Libraries (CAPL) , the Canadian Association of Special Libraries and Information Services (CASLIS), the Canadian Library Trustees Association (CLTA), and the Canadian Association for School Libraries (CASL). The CLA has many Interest Groups, including one on Library History.
   The CLA Resource Centre Reference Collection has links to Library/Information Studies Programmes in Canada and to Library Technician Programmes in Canada. The Reference Collection also contains a List of Library Associations, with links and/or e-mail addresses.
3. Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
   The Library Association [British] and the Institute of Information Scientists merged in 2002 to form CILIP. Besides the usual essential association elements, it has a Retired Members Guild that enables retirees to "keep in touch with each other, participate in activities and assist CILIP in promoting library and information services." CILIP's Library and Information History Group (LIHG) is one of the oldest and most active of the organization's groups, with a newsletter and also a scholarly journal.
4. Friends of Canadian Libraries (FOCAL)
   FOCAL is the national association of volunteers acting to "promote and strengthen library services." This attractive site has links to related interests and a Good Ideas section with suggestions for promoting/presenting a service organization.
5. Library and Archives Canada/Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
   In 2004 LAC-BAC was formed from the combination of the National Library and the National Archives of Canada in order to "provide all Canadians with easy, one-stop access to the texts, photographs and other documents that reflect their cultural, social, and political development." The overview For New Users is a good introduction to the website. LAC also provides convenient access to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography and the Canadian Genealogy Centre. The Bulletin (formerly the National Library News) has now been replaced by an e-newsletter, but there is online access to the May 2000 issue (Vol. 32, no. 5) on the early days of the Library and its precursor, the Bibliographic Centre, and also to an article on the Library's 50th anniversary, as well as the 50th anniversary website.

C. ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - PROVINCIAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE

These may usually be located through the links in the CLA's List of Library Associations or the ALA's list of Chapters.

D. ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - SUBJECT

Links to subject associations and institutions are sometimes difficult to locate because the associations cut across political jurisdictions. Using the organization's search function, the ALA Affiliates list, the IFLA Membership Directory, or the SLA list of Library-Related Organizations (please see above) can be used to find such subject associations. For example:

Art Libraries Society of North America
ARLIS (North America) is "'devoted to fostering excellence in art librarianship and visual resources curatorship for the advancement of visual arts." To that end it is actively engaged in sharing ideas, networking, conferences, scholarly and practical publications, Internet activities, and scholarship and award programs.

E. ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - TECHNICIANS

There is no national Canadian association for library technicians, but there are several Canadian provincial/regional associations, and some associations have library technician interest groups. There is also a U.S.-based association (COLT). These associations/groups seek to "promote and advance the role of library technicians and respond to issues that relate to the entire library community" (MALT). Associations are as follows:

• Alberta Association of Library Technicians (AALT)
• Atlantic Provinces Library Association Library Technician Interest Group (see the Association committees and interest groups web page)
• British Columbia Library Technicians' and Assistants' Interest Group (LTAIG)
• Canadian Library Association Library Technicians Interest Group
• Ontario Association of Library Technicians/Association des bibliotechniciens de l'Ontario (OALT/ABO)
• Manitoba Association of Library Technicians (MALT)
• Saskatchewan Association of Library Technicians (SALT)
• Council on Library/Media Technicians (COLT) , an affiliate of ALA

F. LIBRARY HISTORY ASSOCIATIONS / INSTITUTIONS

While the associations and institutions listed in sections I.A and I.B above include library history sections or resources, as has been noted, the following have book or library history as a primary focus:

1. Bibliographical Society of Canada
   The BSC is a bilingual organization dedicated to the scholarly study of the history, especially in Canada, of texts of all kinds. It provides links to related sites.
2. Libraries Today
   An independent website, maintained by ELA member Lorne Bruce, this is a valuable resource for those interested in the history of Canadian libraries and librarians, particularly in Ontario, and in current related issues. It includes a wide variety of materials, from pictures of libraries and librarians to electronic texts of library legislation. In addition, it offers links to other sources for "the theory, study and methodology of library history."
3. History of the Book in Canada/Histoire du livre et de l'imprimé au Canada
   HBiC is nearing the completion of the last of its six-volume scholarly work on book and printing history in Canada, three volumes each in English and in French. Research databases supporting the scholarly study of book history are planned for the website.

G. LIBRARY EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS / INSTITUTIONS

The CLA Resource Centre Reference Collection has two education links:

• Library/Information Studies Programmes in Canada
• Library Technician Programmes in Canada

H. LIBRARY ISSUES - ASSOCIATION/INSTITUTION SOURCES

IFLA, ALA, CLA, SLA, and CILIP all usually feature current issues in library/information services on their home or splash pages.

II. GOVERNMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

1. Government of Canada Websites:
• Government of Canada
• Seniors Canada On-line
2. These convenient Government of Canada sites include similar information on a variety of subjects such as Community Services, Computers and Learning, Health and Wellness, Legal Matters, and Travel and Leisure. Both offer quick links to information on passports, Social Insurance Numbers, OAS cards, etc. Both present federal and provincial materials, government and non-government. The Seniors site is organized specifically for the older age group, and offers immediately an opportunity to change the text size.
3. Elderhostel
   This non-profit organization makes travelling and learning affordable and enjoyable for the age 55-plus group. Elderhostel has an exceptionally wide variety of programs in over 90 countries. The program for 2006 included visiting Bayfield on the shores of Lake Huron and studying Alice Munro's work, exploring crime scene forensics, birding on Grand Manan Island, building a library in Ghana. Registrants pay transportation costs to the program site or program departure site; otherwise the program costs are inclusive of costs for accommodation, meals, side trips, lectures, etc.
4. Public and University Websites
   Local libraries, public and university, have very useful websites. Take a look, for example, at the Vancouver Public Library or the Toronto Public Library, which has a Virtual Reference Library with a rich collection of resources. Public libraries in smaller centres may also provide convenient access or links to a wide variety of materials — for example, the Milton Public Library (Milton, Ontario), with its Seniors Space, which provides a wealth of up-to-date links.
5. Canada's Association for the Fifty Plus (CARP)
   CARP (formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons) is a non-profit organization, supported by paid memberships and paid advertising. Community, health, financial, household, and family issues are featured. Discussion boards/forums allow for an exchange of opinions, advice, and reminiscences. The site, which is free, does have some special sections for CARP members only.

III. INTERNET RESOURCES AND HELP

1. Internet Tutorials
   This excellent set of materials compiled for the beginning Internet user by SUNY Albany web support librarian Laura Cohen is also useful for the initiated who want to keep up-to-date. The discussions are clear, crisp, and informative.
2. Librarians' Internet Index
   This free subject-directory of websites selected by public librarians also offers a weekly newsletter. The site is jointly funded by California and Washington states. It provides annotated links to useful resources, including lists of links such as the ALA's Best Free Reference Web Sites Combined Index, 1999-2006.
3. Search Engine Showdown
   This website by Greg R. Notess alerts users to new developments, offers insightful evaluations, and presents comparisons in convenient chart form.
4. Web Search Guide
   Gwen Harris's Web Search Guide deals with "web searching, web strategies and tools from a Canadian perspective." The site includes newsletters on search-related topics, tutorials on web searching, and a weblog of Internet news. Gwen's encyclopedic knowledge of the web world and her human touch are as evident here, as in her professional development courses for universities or her special seminars at library association programs.

Technical assistance of Cheryl Lemmens (www.lemmens.ca) gratefully acknowledged