2026
CRKN Virtual Conference: Creative Collaborations, Collective Momentum
Virtual
May 12 - 14, 2026
Beyond Borders: A Data Embassy Thought Experiment for Canada’s Research Libraries
Tuesday May 12, 2026
From 1:30pm to 2:00pm
Research libraries have long considered themselves secure repositories for knowledge and cultural memory. However, growing hemispheric political instability—including increasing U.S. hegemonic influence and the potential for sympathetic domestic governments that may threaten materials related to minorities, LGBTQ2S+ communities, Indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable populations—demand we reconsider this assumption. This presentation introduces the concept of a data embassy: a secure facility located outside Canada that would house copies of national digital treasures from Canadian research libraries.
Drawing on models from Estonia's data embassy in Luxembourg and similar digital sovereignty initiatives, this thought piece explores both the philosophical rationale and practical considerations for such an undertaking. Why might Canadian institutions need to think beyond their own walls? What materials would warrant this extraordinary protection? How could a consortium-based approach distribute costs and governance responsibilities? What legal, technical, and ethical frameworks would be required?
This presentation aims to provoke necessary conversations about threats research libraries may not traditionally consider part of their risk landscape. While we hope such measures prove unnecessary, the rapidly changing political climate suggests that proactive planning is prudent. By examining data embassies as a possible future safeguard, we challenge research libraries to expand their preservation thinking from natural disasters and technological obsolescence to encompass existential political threats to the collections themselves and the communities they represent.
