Is the Francophone content produced by Quebec, whether cultural or scientific, clearly visible? Do the creations from here find their audiences and the audiences, the creations? How to support the resilience of a French-speaking society in North America?
In our digital lives, and on this International Francophonie Day, the theme of the discoverability of French-speaking content is essential. According to an unpublished survey by Léger1 produced at the request of the Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ), the youngest Quebecers are much less likely than the oldest to search exclusively in French on search engines (23% compared to 37%). Conversely, the youngest are much more numerous to search as much in French as in English (29% against 17%). However, these behaviors affect the content that is then offered and explored.
In the era of algorithms, discoverability becomes the condition of all the happy coincidences that allow a culture to be built. BAnQ is keenly interested in this issue, because it touches the essence of its action. Making Québec’s ideas and words accessible, encouraging their exploration and promoting these fortuitous discoveries that change a day or a life is at the heart of our missions.
Even if new French content is added every day on the platforms, is it visible when you search in English? Understanding how search algorithms work and how people use them is a necessity to ensure that all Quebecers have access to diversified content as well as to our cultural treasures.
PHOTO DON RYAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
BAnQ questions the reflexes of users during an online search, in particular the language used, which affects the content offered by the algorithms.
Many polls2 show that young people want more Quebec and French content. They want to understand, be moved, laugh and reflect upon contact with our works. This is also what we see at the Grande Bibliothèque, the National Library and in our archives.3
Adapt our practices
How can we reconcile this appetite for a culture in French with our behavior online? How do we make algorithms work better for us?
BAnQ has specialists who see to it. They work together with other experts from Quebec and elsewhere to promote the discoverability of French-language content. With our French-speaking partners, we also act in promotion and digital marketing, as well as by facilitating the distribution of content by various means, including unique identifiers (ISBN, ISNI, etc.). These actions are necessary, but are they sufficient to effectively promote our heritage, our literature, our scientific advances, our cinema?
We are delighted with the interest in Quebec cultural content. But as a government corporation that preserves and enhances our culture, we must adapt our practices to the changing preferences and behaviors of the public, as well as to the new digital requirements.
This is how we will play our part in the ecosystem of culture. To cultivate and feed the curiosity of our audiences, we must be curious ourselves.
Libraries and archives have always embodied these spaces of discovery and curiosity, they have always been the beating heart of a learning society.
Ensure visibility
In Quebec, being discovered is the condition for existing. In this month of La Francophonie, let us renew our commitment to the development of our culture in the face of content that overwhelms our networks and mobilizes our attention. What are we doing to plug into our culture? What do we do so that algorithms help us rather than lead us astray? What are we doing so that digital facilitates the sharing of the best ideas from here and elsewhere rather than narrowing our horizons?
Our cultural habits change in contact with the constant flow of automated recommendations. Producing more content is a necessity, but promoting its discoverability is just as urgent.
Let’s create these new digital navigation plans that will allow us to grow. Let these technological advances shine a light on our creations rather than blind us to our own potential. Let’s work together so that our culture shines rather than slipping into obscurity.
BAnQ and its partners are there to help you meet this challenge. Do you want to build a new learning society with us?
1 Léger Omnibus survey on the language used by Quebecers on search engines, from February 3 to 5, 2023, 1004 respondents.
2 CEFRIO / C. Thoër, C. Agbobli and GERACII-UQAM survey on connected viewing by young people aged 18-24 in Quebec, from March 17 to 23, 2020, 1000 respondents. Léger / ADISQ survey on the consumption of French-speaking Quebec music, from March 14 to 27, 2022, 4003 respondents.
3 Watch the BAnQ capsule with young people and specialists.