Canada's Library of Parliament: Serving Through the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• Author: Lank, Heather P.

When the pandemic was declared, the Library of Parliament reacted quickly to identify ways to serve clients and contribute to parliamentary democracy, while respecting public health guidelines and safeguarding employees' health. With the strategic priorities of relevance, agility and a healthy workplace, and a strong foundation when the pandemic started, the Library launched new and enhanced products while continuing to deliver most existing services. In this article, the authors note the institution's success mainly reflects three factors: committed, adaptable and resilient employees; collaboration with Parliament Hill partners; and a workforce largely equipped to telework. They explain that the Library continues to evaluate what has worked well and what has not, and where additional investments would help ensure and enhance its ability to serve clients, regardless of their--or the Library staff's work location or of public health or other conditions. They conclude that the Library is confident that the innovation, creativity and flexibility engendered by this crisis will be a lasting legacy.

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When the novel coronavirus--or COVID-19 --pandemic was declared in Canada in mid-March 2020, the Library of Parliament was one of many employers that reacted quickly to determine ways to achieve twin goals concurrently: continue to provide clients with excellent products and services in a way that would meet emerging and changing public health guidelines, and safeguard employees' health.

Within the context of its three strategic priorities of relevance, agility and a healthy workplace, the Library's immediate focus was to identify the elements of its mandate that could be fulfilled with or without modification and those that had to be suspended temporarily. It was clear that service delivery would have to occur in a way that would help to protect employees and other members of the parliamentary community from the virus.

The Library's Mission

The Library's mission is to contribute to Canadian parliamentary democracy by creating, managing and delivering authoritative, reliable and relevant information and knowledge for Parliament. In achieving our goals, we are guided by three foundational values: impartiality, trust and excellence.

Through the Library, parliamentarians and their staff can access customized research, curated information, a specialized collection of electronic and print resources, five branch libraries and a range of learning opportunities. As well, our public information services and public outreach efforts provide Canadians and others around the world with relevant information about Parliament. In making these products and services available to parliamentary clients and the public, necessary--but less visible support is provided in such areas as information technology, finance and human resources, among others. Every Library employee is part of the team that helps us to meet our objectives.

The Library takes pride in having successfully delivered products and services, despite the challenges of the pandemic. This success mainly reflects three factors: the efforts of committed, adaptable and resilient employees; collaboration with our Senate and House of Commons partners to meet the needs of parliamentarians; and a workforce that largely already had, or was quickly provided with, the equipment and other tools needed to work remotely.

Within days of the Library deciding to adopt teleworking for all employees able to do so, we identified the products and services that could continue to be provided seamlessly, and those that could be modified to meet the needs of parliamentarians and their staff, as well as the public. Fortunately, only a few of our services had to be temporarily suspended.

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