The Francophone Experience in North America

The Francophone Experience in North America
L'Expérience de la francophonie en Amérique du nord...
An Idea is Born.

by Birdie MacLennan (bmaclenn@uvm.edu)

At the CIFNAL/ICBFN (Collaborative Initiative for French & North American Libraries / Initiative de Collaboration entre les Bibliothèques Françaises et Nord-Américaines) Steering Committee Meeting at ALA Midwinter in January 2008, there was a discussion about the idea of promoting collective library resources relative to the "Francophone Experience in North America" (L'Expérience de la francophonie en Amérique du nord) as a topic of interest, exchange and method of collaborative outreach to potential francophone partners. Following Midwinter, I launched a survey on the CIFNAL listserv in an attempt to gauge level of interest. Several colleagues from academic and research libraries in the U.S. and Canada replied with expressions of interest. Dominique Coulombe, CIFNAL project chair, subsequently invited me to present the idea at the CIFNAL/ICBFN meeting that was held on August 8 at the Premier congrès mondial de l’Association Internationale Francophone des Bibliothécaires et Documentalistes or AIFBD / IFLA satellite conference in Montréal, where the overall response was favorable, though somewhat tentative as discussion has yet to focus on concrete ways to solidify the idea and turn it into a reality.

The idea is to form a working group to explore library collections, academic centers, subject specialties, partner needs, and related topics to move scholarship and resources forward -- particularly in the subject area of the Francophone Experience in a North American context. CIFNAL would play a role in promoting information about North American collections (U.S. and Canada) of significant interest to potential partners. Colleagues from Yale, University of Michigan, University of Alberta, University of Vermont, Brown University, University of Utah, and Libraries & Archives of Canada have expressed interest in the project. We also know that the Library of Congress has undertaken some important work digitizing collections related to New France and the Louisiana Purchase (notably in the American Memory Project) and would like to make contact there. The goal of such a working group would be to put together a resource guide or directory or web site to make known such collections, by content, volume, subject area, and relevance to the scholarly community.

Potential areas of subject interest might include, but not be limited to, the French as allies in the American Revolution, the territory of la Nouvelle France (New France), the Louisiana Purchase, the Acadian Diaspora, the French contribution in opening the American west (Toussaint Charbonneau and Sacajawea in the Lewis & Clark expedition), francophone immigration and/or emigration in the US, the Champlain expeditions (Québec's 400 Year Anniversary), to name just a few.

In order to move this project beyond the "idea" stage, we need interested and energetic colleagues with collection development experience who can help us develop strategies and methods to identify collections. For example:

• Have some academic and research libraries already compiled guides or bibliographies on this topic?

• Could someone with experience using the WorldCat Collection Analysis tool help us with quantitative analyses as to existing WorldCat resources at specific institutions?

• Are there other tools that would be equally effective or more appropriate?

• Who are the subject experts in CIFNAL/WESS who can comment on the academic, pedagogic and cultural aspects of these collections and who can communicate their value and relevance in the interests of scholarly communication?

When significant findings are gathered, the next step would be to choose a platform for disseminating our findings.

If any of this sounds appealing and you are interested in embarking on these or related possibilities, please email me with ideas and areas of expertise.

-- Birdie MacLennan

Director, Resource Description and Analysis

Bailey/Howe Library, University of Vermont

Chair, WESS-ROM Discussion Group, 2008-2009

Email: bmaclenn@uvm.edu