Open House at the Gatineau Preservation Campus: public access to the new building for the first time

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to invite the public to visit its Preservation Campus in Gatineau, Quebec, for its Open House event on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, and no registration is required.

GATINEAU, QC, May 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The new building will be open to the public for the first time since its inauguration in 2022. People of all ages are invited to visit the Preservation Storage Facility; the largest automated archival centre in the world and the first net-zero carbon archival facility in the Americas.

Cameras placed in two of the six vaults will allow visitors to observe on-screen the cranes being controlled by staff members who will provide demonstrations of document retrieval.

The public will also be able to discover the Preservation Centre, an architectural gem that has been part of the Gatineau landscape for over 25 years.

Additionally, visitors will have the rare opportunity to tour laboratories and vaults, uncover archival treasures, and to meet LAC specialists to learn about their work preserving history.

The last open house at the Preservation Centre was held in 2018. This year's event coincides with the 20^th anniversary of the creation of LAC, the result of the merger between the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada. It also marks the completion of the move of our collections to the new Preservation Storage Facility.

About Library and Archives Canada

The mandate of LAC is to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations, and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. LAC also facilitates cooperation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge, and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.

Quotes

"It's an honour for us to once again open the doors of our campus to the public. Our employees are thrilled to share their passion for the history and preservation of our country's archives. More than 100 employees will be on site each day to ensure that the Open House runs smoothly."

– Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada

"One of our top priorities is to invite Canadians to discover LAC's collections and gain a better understanding of Canada's history. An event like the Open House represents the pinnacle of our daily efforts to make the country's documentary heritage accessible to present and future generations."

– Jasmine Bouchard, Assistant Deputy Minister, User Experience and Engagement Sector

"We are proud to invite the public to visit our new Preservation Storage Facility. Its architecture and ingenuity have earned it renown on the international stage. It has already won several prestigious awards."

– Nathalie Ethier, Director, Real Property

Quick Facts

• Open House at LAC's Preservation Campus on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m
• Admission is free, and no reservation is required
• The campus is located at 625 du Carrefour Boulevard, Gatineau, Quebec
• The campus consists of the Preservation Centre and the Preservation Storage Facility
• Children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Colouring activities are planned

Related Links

• Open Houses at the Gatineau Preservation Campus
• Moving the collection
• Events at Library and Archives Canada

Images and Media    

• Preservation Storage Facility

BACKGROUNDER

About Library and Archives Canada's Preservation Campus

The Preservation Campus, located at 625 Du Carrefour Boulevard in Gatineau, Quebec, consists of two buildings: the Preservation Centre and the Preservation Storage Facility. The two buildings are connected by a walkway.

The Preservation Storage Facility:

• was inaugurated in November 2022;
• has achieved LEED® Gold Certification;
• is the first net-zero carbon archival preservation facility in the Americas;
• has already won 12 awards for its overall project, architecture and ingenuity, including two prestigious awards of excellence from the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of Canada in 2023, as well as Best Constructed Project from the P3 Awards;
• has a high, windowless design that helps limit energy use;
• has a storage capacity of more than 21,000 cubic metres, equivalent to eight and a half Olympic-size swimming pools;
• is the largest automated archival facility in the world;
• is divided into six large vaults that:
  • are 10 metres wide, 58 metres long and 28 metres high;
  • are used to store paper, microfilm and motion picture film;
  • have an automated storage and retrieval system that uses a lift and a crane operated by staff to remove and return documents;
  • are equipped with sophisticated systems that control light, temperature, humidity and airborne particles;
  • enable documents to be preserved in their original state for 500 years!

The Preservation Centre:

• was inaugurated in June 1997;
• had an open house in 2017 and 2018;
• consists of an exterior glass and steel structure that creates a buffer zone to protect the interior concrete structure, where the vaults are located;
• is equipped with a system that detects and extinguishes fires;
• is equipped with 48 vaults, each 350 square metres in size, to store and protect historical records against several hazards;
  • The majority, specifically 46 of the vaults:
    • are maintained at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius and between 35 and 50% relative humidity;
    • are used to store textual documents, maps, plans and drawings, electronic records, film, photographs, medals, oil paintings, globes, video cassettes and audio records.
  • The other two vaults:
    • are maintained below freezing (-18 degrees Celsius);
    • are used to store colour and black-and-white film.

SOURCE Library and Archives Canada

Media Relations, Library and Archives Canada, 819-994-4589, [email protected]