The Engineering Library isn’t the only one with AMAZING artists on staff. It took a few weeks to create our masterpiece but it has finally attained perfection. A drum roll please for our artistic tour de force!
Introducing the Murray Library Sticks Staff!
The bios of each person present will be included when this magnum opus is added to the University Archives & Special Collections. Future generations will then be able to appreciate the magnitude of this piece of artistic splendour.
Last Thursday (March 6) I was lucky enough to participate in a COPPUL session focused on librarians as researchers. This session was attached to the regular COPPUL directors’ meeting, but included an additional librarian from each COPPUL institution. The day began with a panel presentation on librarian research that included our Dean as well as the University Librarians from the UofA and UC Berkeley. This was followed by short presentations from eleven librarians — the highlight of the day for me! The librarians spoke about their research, either as part of larger university research activity or as an individual researcher. I took lots of notes and need to follow up with at least a couple of librarians, one from the UofR and one from MRU, who are working in some very interesting areas in information literacy. The day ended with discussion about the role COPPUL could play in supporting and promoting librarian scholarship and research.
In all, a great day of learning, of networking with colleagues across western Canada, and sharing research interests and experiences — with an added benefit of a few days in Victoria where there are flowers and no snow!
February was a busy month in the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections. The biggest thing we had on our plate was finishing up the processing of some of our most recent acquisitions in time for appraisals, which we accomplished successfully.
Also this month, UASC has been involved in:
* The Heritage Festival of Saskatoon : On February 2, 2014, UASC staff were happy to set up a small table at the annual Heritage Festival held at the Western Development Museum , where we offered glimpses into the University’s past via a selection of Greystone Yearbooks and quite old copies of the Sheaf.
* SCAA Archives Week 2014: February 2nd through 8th saw the annual celebration of archives in Saskatchewan. On February 5th, University of Saskatchewan archival and special collections materials–along with materials from other Saskatchewan archives– were used in a series of celebrity readings held at a new venue, The Bassment.
We also recently put together a display honouring the late Saskatchewan writer Gertrude Story, whose books and papers are held at the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections. We were especially pleased to have the opportunity to share this small exhibit with her family, who took the time to visit towards the end of the month.
What would you like to see for our next display? We are always open to feedback, and are keen to bring to light any articles of interest that might be found within our holdings. To get an idea of the range of things we have available, check out our Manuscripts and Archival Collections page.
For those who are interested, these recently acquired and recently processed private collections include:
*MG 386: Beach Family fonds – This fonds relates to the lives of an atypically academic and well-travelled Canadian family, for two generations, from 1916 on.
*MG 262: William Deverell fonds- The papers of author, journalist, lawyer, and NDP politician David Smith offer an array of research materials in all of these areas.
*MG 445: Terry Fenton fonds – Fans of abstract art, Canadian art, and landscape paintings should take the time to visit the Terry Fenton collection, which contains exhibition catalogues, photographs, and examples of art by a variety of artists from the fifties all the way to present. This is also a good resource for those wanting to know more about the Emma Lake workshop.
*MG 443: Allan Gonor fonds – Any true fan of aboriginal artist Allen Sapp will appreciate this collection of the papers of his long-time friend and fan, as well as former RCAF pilot, Allan Gonor.
*MG 440: Gerhard Herzberg fonds and MG 441 Luise Herzberg fonds – Come visit these collections to get an inside view of the lives of a family of engineers uprooted by the outbreak of the Second World War.
*MG 444: Doris Hillis fonds- For anyone with an interest in Saskatchewan writers, Doris Hillis’ collection proves a treasure trove of information–biographical materials, photographs, and writing samples from many of the province’s best. Also, puppets.
*MG 251: Glenis Joyce fonds – Those interested in studying equity issues–with a particular focus on pay and employment equity, affirmative action, women`s rights and academic freedom will find Joyce’s papers of use.
*MG 442: John Peter “Jack” Zepp fonds – One of Saskatchewan’s most beloved folk artists, this collection does not fail to showcase both the man himself and his art.
If you would like to view any of these, shoot us an e-mail at ua.sc@usask.ca
February 23rd to March 1st is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. Education & Music Library staff welcome the opportunity to raise awareness each year. We have a variety of materials from the past to the present on our display next to the reading lounge.
What do you do when you have no space for a display? And your library is so open concept that there are no appropriate wall space for noticeable posters? Use the windows! The Engineering Library has covered up their glassed in office windows for a Freedom to Read display. These windows are also a perfect space as the table below the windows is where all the Engineers come to cut, tape, staple, and hole punch so the display is getting much attention.
The display consists of the past 30 years of Freedom to Read posters.
And yes, Maricris (with help from Lexi) made the Freedom to Read banner…freehand…in about 30 minutes.
February 23rd to March 1st is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. (This is the Canadian equivalent of the American “Banned Books Week” in the fall.) To raise awareness, we at the Murray Library created a display of a few of the books on the list that can be found in our collection. Come check it out, it’s on the first floor by the Ref. desk.
Late in 2013, the Engineering Library became the University of Saskatchewan’s first branch library completely operated by Generation X and Y. In no particular order, meet the ladies of the Engineering Library:
Lexi Whitter (Generation Y) Before coming to Engineering, Lexi spent some time at the Science and Law libraries, which she really enjoyed! She loves reading and her guilty pleasure is YA fiction. Currently, she is planning a trip to England in April and looking forward to the arrival of her nephew in July.
Tasha Maddison (Generation X) After a nine year hiatus in Toronto, Tasha returned to her hometown to work at her alma mater in 2010. She has always been drawn to the UofS as some of the best years of her life have been spent here as a student and as an employee. She is an avid reader and shares Lexi’s passion for YA fiction, as well as her books!
Maricris Salanga (Generation Y) Maricris has loved art since she was a very young child, and tries to infuse her creativity in all that she does. She is also an avid reader of good manga and fantasy books, and would someday like to be a novelist and children’s book author as well.
Li Zhang (Generation X) Li just came back from her Mexico vacation with a tanned face. She was fascinated by the mysterious Mayan culture in that great land. Back to winter with a warm tropical soul, she is sure that she will be energized for the rest of the year.
Jennifer Murray (Generation X) Jen has been enjoying the last five years as the busiest time of her life. She spends most of her time raising two of the coolest kids around, engaging the UofS campus community at the Library full time, and working on an MLIS degree online. She cannot wait to read for pleasure again. Maybe she’ll borrow some YA fiction from Lexi or Tasha. Or she’ll ask Maricris to introduce her to manga (?).
Artwork by Maricris Salanga.
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In January 2014, a new space for student music listening activities was unveiled in the Education & Music Library. It is designed to meet the needs of students who are required to complete individual and group assignments related to music listening, arranging, editing and composition. The space includes new equipment, which replaces the listening carrels that were in the branch for many years.
The listening area includes movable listening carts and comfortable red armchairs.
The configuration includes four media carts equipped with listening equipment such as LP turntables, tape and CD players and input ports for mobile devices and laptops. The stations can accommodate up to 6 simultaneous listeners at once and students can now also borrow noise reduction headphones from the circulation desk.
A close up look at one of the listening carts.
One computer station equipped with software for music editing and music notation is accessible to all students. The music department has generously donated a midi keyboard for use with the computer station. The station is in high demand these days as students have composition and arrangement assignments due throughout the semester. In addition, the equipment helps to facilitate self-directed student projects in music creation and exploration.
The computer workstation allows students to access music composition and notation software and input with midi keyboard.
The listening area is located in close proximity to the CD and DVD collections. The space is part of a larger project to provide more open and flexible study spaces for library users in our branch.
Thanks to a summer-long shifting project, this area has been opened up for comfortable group study.
The entrance of the Education & Music Library has a new look! Over the summer of 2013 we removed our old reference desk and created a new single service point area. Next to the circulation and reserve materials, the new area includes a red ‘feature wall’ to match the colours found in other areas of the Education Building, a curved desk with a swivelling computer monitor and a matching red ‘ASK us’ sign. The new plasma screen has been great for advertising upcoming events and activities in the branch. Construction of the area was completed in September 2013 and both staff and library patrons are enjoying the new area.