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OTTAWA - Normally bookish librarians are fighting mad over the Harper government's plans to cut 200 staff at Library and Archives Canada.

More than 400 employees at Library and Archives received notices this week which indicated their jobs may be affected by cuts and 20% of its workforce is expected to be slashed over the next three years.

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) is among a group of critics who are concerned about cuts to libraries both in federal departments and at Library and Archives.

Librarians at government departments, including transport and immigration, are also slated to be hit.

Federal librarians and archivists say budget cuts could make it harder for Canadians to access historical treasures.

Library and Archives, located west of Parliament Hill, houses publicly available government records pre-dating Confederation and other non-governmental documents including journals, photographs, and newspapers.

"Even before the cuts, Library and Archives Canada was challenged to fulfill its mandate," says CLA president Karen Adams. "With this reduction in their financial and staff resources, the job becomes even more difficult."

But Heritage Minister James Moore says there is "no need for concern" regarding cuts at Library and Archives.

"I think half of the job losses that are happening, they were actually going to happen regardless of the federal budget. This has to do more with the modernization initiative that was launched some time ago," he said.

The library says about 2,000 people visit the Ottawa building each month but this number has been dropping "slowly but steadily." Its website, on the other hand, receives close to half a million hits per month.

Kristy.Kirkup@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @kkirkup