2. Background 1967 Creation of the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec (BNQ). Its mission: to assemble and conserve each and every document ever published in, or relating to, Québec

3. 1968 The legal-deposit requirement came into effect, obliging Québec publishers to deposit two copies of every title they publish: –books –brochures –newspapers –periodicals –artist books –musical scores

4. 1992 The legal-deposit requirement was extended to include: –original prints –posters –artwork reproductions –postcards –sound recordings –software –electronic documents and microform publications

5. 1994 Launch of the Iris catalogue, providing free online access to the BNQ’ holdings

6. 1998 Creation of the Grande bibliothèque du Québec (GBQ) to provide full and free access to its vast Québec-related and universal collections

7. 2002 Merging of the BNQ and the GBQ. The new institution, called Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, assumes two distinct mandates: –Acquire, conserve and circulate Québec’s heritage collection –Acquire and circulate the Library’s lending collections

8. 2003 The legal-deposit requirement was extended to include performance programmes End of 2004 Launch of the BNQ’s new Internet portal

9. The conservation centre

10. The Grande Bibliothèque

11. 2005 The new face of the BNQ: Two buildings: –the conservation centre –the Grande Bibliothèque 500 employees, including 119 librarians Scheduled merging with the Archives nationales du Québec

12. Collections Heritage Collection 340,000 books 8,000 old and rare books 2,600 artist books 2 million newspapers and periodicals 100,000 titles of printed music 50,000 plans, maps and atlases 25,000 original prints 15,000 posters 469 private archive holdings in literature and fine arts 70,000 microform publications 34,000 photographs dating back to 1860 58,000 postcards 20,000 sound recordings 2,300 electronic documents (CD-ROMs, DVDs)

13. Le Catéchisme du diocèse de Sens, first book published in Québec, in 1764 La Summa Angelica de casibus conscientiae, 1486 Old and rare books

14. Artist books L'éternité est un entretemps Text: José Acquelin Cubes: Lynda Baril, Aline Beaudoin, Christiane Brière, Denis Charland, Alain Fleurent, Élisabeth Mathieu Trois-Rivières: Atelier Presse Papier, 1996 Les artistes contre la guerre joutes internationales Text: Léo Gillessen Dry points: Michel Barzin and Francine Turcotte Text: Chiquet Mawet Février aux bombes Linocut: Kikie Crèvecœur Dry point on China paper: Joan Lanneville Plastic gourd Trois-Rivières: Atelier Presse Papier, 1991

15. Parachute Montréal: Artdata,1975- No. 111 (2003) Le soleil Québec, 1896- 24 October 2003 À la claire fontaine [Printed music]: comme on la chante en France / arrangement by M. Dessane Montréal: Typographie d'Eusèbe Senécal, 1861 1 score ([3] p.) Periodicals, newspapers, printed music

16. The Attack of Québec / [Lahontan] [S.l.], [1706?] Lahontan, Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, baron de, 1666-1715 Plans, maps and atlases Carte de la Nouvelle France augmentée depuis la dernière, servant à la navigation / faicte... par le Sr. de Champlain [Paris], 1632 Champlain, Samuel de, ca 1567-1635 1 map: 53 x 86 cm In: Les voyages de la Nouvelle France occidentale, dicte Canada / faits par le Sr de Champlain... - A Paris : chez Sevestre, 1632 (RES AD 202a)

17. Original prints and posters Intestine by Simon Bossé Bossé, Simon Montréal: L'Oie de Cravan, [2002] 1 poster: b & w; 66 x 38 cm La nuit de la poésie, a film by Jean-Claude Labrecque and Jean-Pierre Masse [Montréal]: National Film Board of Canada, [1970] 1 poster: b & w; 61 x 44 cm Stéphane Mourand, Guy Ste-Thérèse: Clicart inc., 2002 1 art reproduction; 99 x 54 cm

18. Pages from a notebook and sketch – Ozias Leduc 1882. Holograph Private archives

19. Microform publications

20. Montreal, St. Catherine St. Looking East of the main St. [Montréal. La rue Ste-Catherine à l’est du boulevard St-Laurent] Illustrated Post Card Co.; Montreal Postcards Rue Principale, Hull, Québec, Canada Publisher: Photogelatine Engraving Co., Ltd.; Toronto

21. In April 2005, the BNQ will provide access to the following: 1,140,000 books 1,200,000 other documents 1,660,000 microfiches 2 % INSTITUT NAZARETH ET LOUIS-BRAILLE AND MAGNÉTOTHÈQUE 50,000 other documents 20 % NEW ACQUISITIONS 350,000 books 125,000 documents 45 % BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DU QUÉBEC 340,000 books (including the Saint-Sulpice collection) 725,000 documents 33 % BIBLIOTHÈQUE CENTRALE DE MONTRÉAL 450,000 books 300,000 other documents

22. containing several hundred thousand documents and growing dictionaries and directories documentary CD-ROMs electronic magazines and newspapers newspaper pages old-book illustrations maps and plans postcards artwork reproductions, etc. A digital collection

23. Services: Heritage mission To assemble and process documents –legal deposit –cataloguing –safekeeping of documents document restoration reproduction

24. To encourage research and scientific cooperation –a first-class venue for researchers –research-grant programmes –publishing programme –symposia and conferences

25. Public Library Services full and free access to millions of documents reference services specialized services: –young readers (0-13 years) –newcomers to Québec –special-needs users exhibitions and other activities a conference centre In her new Grande Bibliothèque, the BNQ will offer:

26. service portal reference inter-library loans (ILL) digital collection Québec union catalogue virtual reference library (BREF) on-line training and other activities To welcome as many as wish to use its resources, the BNQ will also make the following services available off-site:

27. BREF: A directory of online reference resources Online resources available free of charge Reference resources: dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, etc. Possibility of integrating Internet links into local library catalogues www.bnquebec.ca/bref

28. BREF

29. BREF

30. A powerful computer architecture that helps the BNQ provide wide-ranging services to local libraries Mega data warehouse Extranet support system for libraries ILL support Virtual reference library Free downloading of Québec libraries’ catalogues Purchasing consortium for electronic resources Users’ personal profiles Internet portal with direct services for the general public

31. Perspectives In the coming years, the BNQ endeavours to play the following roles: as a prominent dispenser of culture –by safeguarding Québec’s heritage –by championing reading and continued education –by contributing to the strengthening of social cohesion

32. as an active supporter of other documentary institutions –by supporting the development of a genuine network of public libraries –by creating favourable conditions for effective cooperation –by sharing its documentary resources and expertise

33. as a catalyst for new information technologies –by supporting research –by participating in the testing of new technologies –by developing the virtual library

34. Thank You www.bnquebec.ca