Articles by author: Evelyn Smith

  • Winter wellness reading group forming soon

    Registration for the Library’s Winter Wellness Book Club, beginning in February 2022, is now open.  Reading for ‘fun’ has so many positive effects on our physical and emotional health, from better sleep to increased empathy for others.  This term, we will be reading Dr. John Ratey’s 2008 book Spark: The Revolutionary new Science of Exercise and the Brain (watch his TEDx talk). 

    Ratey’s book teaches us all about the benefits of exercise for all aspects of brain health, using stories and science to promote physical activity.  In this Book Club we will be getting the positive effects of reading PLUS learning all about how exercise can reduce your stress and boost your brain fitness! 

    The Book Club will be hosted by Liaison Librarian (and Fitness Instructor!), Justine Cotton, who is passionate about sharing the life-changing benefits of exercise and reading.  You can contact her with any questions at jcotton@brocku.ca 

    SIgn up at: bit.ly/wellnessbookclubwinter2022 

     

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  • Featured Collection: Fresh Start

    Have you made resolutions to try something new in 2022. Or, perhaps leave a habit behind? Get inspired by this collection of print and online titles with topics including mindfulness, healthy eating, positive aging, friendship, living sustainably and more.

    Some titles are available in print. It’s quick and easy to place a hold for pickup.

    Find additional #VirtualBookDisplay topics in Omni.

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  • Student exhibit explores the love and care of plants

    James A. Gibson Library Student Assistants are beautifying our display cases with striking new exhibits on a variety of themes.

    This month, the interior library cases are exhibiting the work of Chyna-Rose Bennett whose display “is all about plants, and plant care, as I have a love for plants and wanted to share it with the Brock community.” She notes that “plants have been a huge part of my life this past year, and they have really helped me cope with the isolation of the pandemic.”

    The exhibit features tips on plant maintenance and care and features a selection of Brock books which will be available to borrow when the display ends at the end of the month.

    Stop in and view the exhibit which runs until the holiday break. Many thanks to Chyna-Rose.

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    Categories: Learning Commons, Main

  • End of term resources to support students

    As we approach the end of term, the Library along with colleagues in A-Z Learning Services and Student Wellness and Accessibility Services are keen to support Brock students completing final assignments and preparing for exams.

    A-Z Learning Services has excellent guides available to help you with:

    Learning Skills Specialists are also running several online drop-in study sessions that you can visit to study with others, or get help on a specific assignment or question.

    Student Wellness and Accessibility Services offer unique sessions related to exam readiness and combatting test stress.

    Student mental health and wellness go hand-in-hand with academic success and are the focus of a new Library wellness webpage ready for you to explore.

    Finally, if you could use a little motivation download one of our new phone and desktop wallpaper designs. ⬇️

    For your phone:
    don't quit phone wallpaperYou've Got This phone wallpaper

    For your desktop:

    keep going! desktop wallpaper

    You've got this desktop wallpaper

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  • Supporting Transgender Awareness Week in Canada

    November 13-19, 2021 marks Transgender Awareness Week in Canada.

    This selection of books and e-books represent a diversity of genres and topics by trans authors and features new non-fiction on timely topics from a transgender lens. Many of the authors spotlighted are Canadian, including Gwen Benaway, Vivek Shraya and Ivan Coyote. 

    You can view all our thematic collections in Omni via bit.ly/VirtualBookDisplay

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    Categories: Featured Collections

  • Instructors encouraged to submit winter term reading lists soon

    Course readings for the winter term are being processed at Brock University Library.

    To ensure your students have access to their winter course materials, we encourage you to submit reading lists as soon as possible. Ideally by November 22, 2021.  

    An instructor self-serve option is also available, providing flexibility to instructors who wish to do this work themselves. All self-submissions will get a final check for copyright compliance, and will then be active for students. 

    A note about print reserve readings:

    While we encourage instructors to continue using online alternatives, print items are accepted.

    It is important for instructors to consider the element of risk in choosing to use print reserves for your course: If strict public health measures were to resume, these materials might be inaccessible for your students. Electronic readings have the benefit of being available to students no matter the changing public health measures.

    Several alternatives to print resources are available including the creation of course-specific online packs. The Reserves team is ready to work with you to develop these for your students. More information about non-print options is available. Liaison Librarians are also available to help you identify alternate resources. 

    The E-Textbook Challenge.

    Providing digital access to some textbooks may be hindered by the textbook publishers because most textbooks are not available to libraries in any format other than print.  Most of the major textbook publishers — Pearson, Cengage, Houghton, McGraw Hill, Oxford University Press Canada Textbooks, Elsevier Imprints, Thieme — do not sell e-textbooks to libraries. This means that for courses that have adopted textbooks from these publishers, students who do not purchase the textbook have no alternative access to the textbook contents. 

    Questions? reserve@brocku.ca

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  • New Canadian Titles

    After a long hiatus, we are happy to bring new thematic print book displays back to the Library. Our newest collection (next to the Ask Us desk in the James A. Gibson Library), features recent titles by Canadian authors. Please stop in and explore new books on climate change, decolonization, neuroscience, urban planning and more. There’s even a little fiction in the mix.

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    Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

  • Cannabis and the Cannabinoids

    Delve into titles that explore cannabis from inter-disciplinary perspectives. This collection is a mix of online and print titles.

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    Categories: Featured Collections

  • The Wellness Book Club

    If you love to read, you may already know the many benefits of reading for fun.  For instance, one 2009 study from the University of Sussex found that reading for just 6 minutes can significantly reduce stress!  Reading also has the power to improve sleep, increase emotional intelligence, and enhance overall wellbeing.   

    Brock students are invited to sign up for a Wellness Book Club that will run virtually during the month of November.  Hosted by Humanities Liaison Librarian, Justine Cotton, the details are as follows:  

    • Up to 15 students may participate 
    • Participants will need to visit campus* to pick up the book (the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt) 
    • The group will have 1-2 online meetings over MS Teams during November to chat about the book 

    As part of the Club, students will also have the option of participating in a research study exploring the impact of reading on stress levels in university students.  

    Sign-up now or email jcotton@brocku.ca for more details about the Club and/or the research study (REB# 21-058-COTTON).

    *please note Brock University’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for On-Campus 

     

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  • Refreshed DIY lessons covering library research topics now available

    Over the summer, Brock librarians were hard at work refreshing our digital learning offerings. The result is https://brocktnl.github.io.

    These asynchronous, self-paced learning  objects focuse on important information literacy skills. Students looking to learn more about how to use library resources to succeed in their studies will benefit from lessons, such as how to “Create a Search Strategy”.  Alternatively, students can set off on a more in-depth learning “Path,” such as the “Research Fundamentals” Path.

    Instructors can easily import these lessons into their Sakai page for immediate use in their course pages. Contact cmurgu@brocku.ca if you require assistance.

    We will feature a different lesson every Tuesday, beginning October 26th until November 30th. Watch for #TipTuesday on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    More lessons are in development, so check back soon.

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