Links Changing - Library and Archives Canada

Question

For those that include source links on profiles from Library and Archives Canada, Archives Search, please note that these links will be changing and will no longer work when accessed from WikiTree profiles.  The Notice reads...

"Closing of Archives Search

Archives Search will be closing soon. If you have saved links to search results, note that they will no longer be available. Use Collection Search for an improved search experience."

I've been unable to determine when they will be closing the Archive links. The same information, using different links, can found using the "Collection Search" at L.A.C.

Comments

Oh no, bummer - see a lot of fixing in my future

Answer 1

doing a random search now for a census picture (which I use regularly sourcing Canadian profiles) I wasn't able to see if these links also change. I won't be able to change all links if they do, because I simply don't know which profiles I sourced with them.

Comments

Hi Jelena,

I don't get the "Notice" that Morgan mentioned when I choose the Censuses option from the "Search the Collection" drop-down menu, but I do get it when I choose the Archives Search option from that menu. So links to census records/images may not be changing with this particular update.

Answer 2

As long as the change is in a consistent pattern, we should be able to use Editbot to update all the links on WikiTree automatically, instead of having to update them one by one.

Comments

Oh I sure hope so because I have a boat load of them. I don't see myself editing all the profiles that have 6 links in them.. It would be a pain! LOL

Answer 3

I am not sure that this will have much impact on links used by us at WikiTree. LAC has something called "Archives Search", but I don't think this is the same as all the census, military & land records which are listed under "Ancestor Search".

I think these are separate collections. I believe that "Archives Search" is for searching the fonds and other such records, not census etc.

At least I hope that is the case!

Comments

You're correct, I don't think they impact Ancestors, Library or Genealogy searches, at least not yet.  The "Archive" search documents will be changing, of which I have about 400 profiles that need a revision.  Among other documents, these include numerous photographs and Metis Scrip land claims which I source often.

Answer 4

I asked Library and Archives Canada about the links. They said it should not affect links to things like Census and Military records. It is only the links from the very general search of the collections. The census, military and a few others are separate searches and those links are expected to stay stable.

Answer 5

just tried to click thru one of my links for WW1 service records and got message that This content remains active until it is transferred to the new LAC website

but i could not figure out how to find WW1 service record for a different soldier.

Comments

found the search page but it has a warning on it as well 

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/personnel-records.aspx

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It took me a while to understand that on the new website you just have to search directly *for the person* in the collection search (https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng), and then select the "genealogy" tab: it searches directly in the First World War Personel records database (I was searching for the database, with no results...).

Then on the record page, there is a "link to this page" field in the record information, it is this link that should be used (and not the search result link, which is temporary)

for example : Church, Henry