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• Big changes coming to the Map, Data & GIS Library this spring

  Friday, April 11, 2025 | By sjanzen

  

  Starting April 28, 2025, the Map, Data & GIS Library will be shifting to a by-appointment-only service model. This means that if you need access to our collections or staff expertise, you’ll need to book an appointment in advance by emailing [email protected].

  This new model will be in place throughout the next academic year and will be reassessed for the Fall 2026. Our goal is to provide more personalized support while ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of our users effectively.

  If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re here to help!

  Contact us: [email protected]

  Tags: MDGL
  Categories: Main, MDGL

• Exhibit: The Body is Home: In Motion

  Friday, April 04, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library thanks Asha Edwin, Research Assistant at the IDEAS Research Lab, and PhD student in Applied Health Sciences for this exhibit and blog post. Visit Asha’s display in the Matheson Learning Commons until May 9.
  

  The Body is Home Initiative explores the feeling of being at home in our bodies through movement and community. Through this project, we reflect on how we perceive ourselves through movement, how various sports and spaces impact our identity and how we cultivate and strengthen our communities through movement and sport.

  The exhibition includes photography by two Black women photographers, Chrris Lowe and Britney Holung. The photography captures visual representations of Black women runners in Toronto as counter-narratives to Black women’s representations and experiences. The research and photography took place over the summer and fall of 2024, documenting the women’s running journeys.

  The exhibit also has an interactive component where observers can participate in individual and collective imaginings of healing, health and wellness. We are currently only accepting online submissions at this time. To participate, please can scan the QR code at the end of the exhibition or use this form to submit a response online.

  Ryan Antooa, Creative Director at Form, designed the initiative’s branding.

  Project I – Run to You
  The Body is Home’s first project with Hill Run Club followed the experiences of 15 Black women runners in Toronto. Two creatives worked on the project to visually capture and represent the women’s unique stories.

  IDEAS Research Lab Project
  The Body is Home Initiative is a project facilitated by Dr. Janelle Joseph’s IDEAS Research Lab.

  Exhibition Curator
  As creator of the Body is Home, Asha Edwin started it as a passion project based on her experience with movement and community. Wellness has always been a prioritized practice for Asha, and her experiences as a yoga teacher and runner allowed her to develop a deeper and more intimate connection with herself and, through her work, others. Yearning to learn more about what it means to be at home in our bodies and how movement and community impact herself and others, she birthed the Body is Home. Since its inception, the Body is Home has evolved into a research initiative focusing on the experiences of Black, racialized and marginalized groups and their experiences in reimagining healing, health and wellness.

  Asha Edwin is an interdisciplinary Black Feminist researcher. She is currently a student and research assistant at the IDEAS Research Lab, where her work primarily focuses on Black women’s wellness. Asha is passionate about community engagement and individual and collective well-being. She is a twice-certified yoga teacher with additional somatics training and enjoys music, culture, travel and art.

   

  Tags: display, Student Collaboration
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main

• Exhibit: Community Organizing 101

  Friday, April 04, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library thanks Dorothy Sierra-Gutierrez, Social Issues Researcher at Future Black Female, and fourth-year Sociology student for this display and blog post. Visit Dorothy’s exhibit at the Thistle entrance to the Matheson Learning Commons until May 9.

  Discovering the Heart of Organizing

  When I first heard the phrase “community organizing,” I wasn’t quite sure what it meant. I was completely unaware of the key foundations of labour studies and organizing. That changed when I took LABR 4P21: Social Justice Organizing instructed by Dr. Simon Black, that introduced me to the history and important work that is organizing.

  My introduction to organizing was both academic and personal. Through course readings, discussions, and reflections, I came to understand that community organizing is about building collective power to address systemic injustices. It’s about shifting from isolated frustration to strategic, people-powered change. Referencing the work of Marshall Ganz, organizing isn’t just about leading others—it’s about helping communities recognize the power they already have.

  Ganz’s concept of the “public narrative” resonated with me deeply. He encourages organizers to share their “story of self, story of us, and story of now.” This structure helped me articulate why I care about justice, connect with others over shared values, and envision how change can happen in the present. It’s a tool that turns personal experience into collective action—and it became a core inspiration for my project.

  What I Learned in the Classroom

  The class offered a strong foundation in both theory and practice. We explored frameworks from Progressive Community Organizing by Lori Pyles (2009), which emphasized the importance of intersectionality, long-term community commitment, and disrupting systems of oppression. Pyles explained that community can be built through shared identities or shared goals, but either way, the goal is the same: to dismantle oppressive power structures and uplift the voices of those most affected by them.

  We also examined key concepts of power through the work of scholars like Frances Fox Piven and Joan Kuyek. Piven’s theory of “disruptive power” was especially important to me—it reframes power not as something that’s held by the elite, but as something ordinary people can wield through collective action. Kuyek, meanwhile, introduced the distinctions between “power-over” and “power-with.” These terms helped me understand how organizing should always center empowerment and solidarity rather than hierarchy.

  Intersectionality at the Center

  A critical theme in my work is intersectionality—the idea that systems of oppression overlap, and that we need to address racism, sexism, colonialism, and other forces together. The Combahee River Collective Statement (1977) shaped my thinking here. Their Black feminist perspective emphasizes that liberation must be inclusive and that movements must be built by and for those most impacted by injustice. This intersectional lens isn’t just a framework—it’s a commitment to justice that informed every page of my booklet.

  Visit My Display!

  For my final project, I created a photo booklet that explores community organizing through an intersectional lens, using visuals and text to highlight key theories and practices I engaged with during the course. The photographs—shot on 35mm film—were taken during a Black Lives Matter protest, capturing moments of resistance, solidarity, and collective action. The project was a way to combine my academic learning with creative expression, and to document a powerful moment in the fight for racial justice.

  If you’re at Brock, I invite you to visit my display at the Brock University Library and engage with the materials I’ve curated. Whether you’re new to organizing or already involved in social justice work, I hope it offers you new insights and inspiration. As Jane McAlevey (2016) and Astra Taylor (2016) argue, we must move beyond performative activism and into the slow, meaningful work of building movements from the ground up!

  Community organizing is not just an academic topic—it’s a way of building the world we want to live in.

   

  Tags: display, Student Collaboration
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main

• Annual GIS scholarship returns to Brock

  Monday, March 24, 2025 | By sjanzen

  

  Attention all Brock GIS users! It’s time for the annual Esri GIS Scholarship Competition. Eligible students (current students from undergrad to grad) can submit a ~500 word ESRI GIS project proposal with their resume to [email protected] by April 21st at 11:59 PM.

  Geographic Information Systems is mapping and analysis software. Esri is the industry standard for GIS across all sectors. GIS is used at Brock in Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, History, Literature & Language, Political Science, Earth Sciences, Recreation and Leisure Studies and Geography/Tourism.

  The deliverables for the successful candidate will include a poster and report in the form of an Esri StoryMap due by June 1, 2025. Prizes include $1,500 cash, software access, books, networking opportunities and more!

  Details: https://scholars.esri.ca/profile/?uid=Brock%20University
  Student FAQ: https://scholars.esri.ca/students/faq-students/

  Submissions and questions should be directed to Sharon Janzen, [email protected] in the Map, Data & GIS Library, MC-C306

  Tags: ArcGIS
  Categories: Main, MDGL

• Know your Pride flags: celebrating Brock Pride Week

  Friday, March 21, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library is joining in campus-wide celebrations of 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride this week with an exhibit focused on the dozens of flags representing the diversity of Pride. 

  From March 21 through 28, we invite you to view Know your Pride Flags, a display documenting the history and identities which are expressed and celebrated through Pride flags. This informative exhibit reflects on Pride’s colourful past, the changing present, and the need for future progress. View it adjacent to the Badger Books collection on the main floor. 

  Wishing everyone a very happy Pride! 

  Tags: display, Events, Virtual Book Display
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main

• Employment Opportunity

  Friday, February 14, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library is recruiting a Library Assistant, Continuations.

  The Library Assistant, Continuations is primarily responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of subscription resources, manages the procurement of resources for the library collection, and serves as the primary point of contact for the publishers and vendors in Collections Services.

  You will:

  • Act as main contact with vendors and publishers for content licenses and contracts, including receiving, completing orders, renewal and license agreement forms, and acquiring authorized signatures;
  • Work closely with other members of the Collections Department to process renewals, cancellations, and assist with consortia reconciliations, monitoring transfer titles, and title list comparisons;
  • Request quotes and place orders for new print/electronic subscriptions, replacement issues, journal backfile, and e-books;
  • Scrutinize and advise on pricing options and conduct price negotiations;
  • Regularly audit information for problems with orders, subscriptions, claims, invoices, access, and records;
  • Utilize the Library Management System (LMS) to process invoices and credits, and the Finance system to enter invoices and verify payments;
  • Communicate with vendors and publishers to expedite access, ensure continued access, and resolve access problems;
  • Coordinate serials weeding and train and mentor library staff on procedures;
  • Support Collections Services by preparing annual donations report, compile statistics, update budget/projects file, and keep up to date with current practices and tools.

  Learn more about this full time position, qualifications, salary, etc. and apply by March 4, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

  Tags: Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Employment opportunity

  Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Join the User Services & Engagement team at the James A. Gibson Library as a Library Assistant, Engagement. In this role you will:

  • Work with members of the department to develop short- and long-term strategy for promotion and engagement/outreach activity;
  • Develop and deliver departmental engagement initiatives such as events, workshops, experiential programming, and co-curricular programming;
  • Plan, coordinate, and represent the Library at campus outreach events;
  • Manage the Library’s social media platforms;
  • Develop promotional and informational material for the library’s physical and virtual spaces;
  • Act as a content editor for the department by, writing, revising, and updating the library website;
  • Provide front desk circulation services;
  • Provide virtual and in-person reference support;
  • Instruct library users in using all library collections;
  • Provide back-up support, as needed, to departmental teams supporting other key service areas (e.g., Reserves, Interlibrary loan, Stacks Maintenance).

  If you are a highly creative and collaborative person with a strong service ethic, please apply on the Career Services website by March 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

  Note: Interested applicants are asked to provide a sample of their promotional work along with resume and cover letter.

  Tags: Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Career opportunity in the Makerspace

  Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library is recruiting a Makerspace Technician and Facilitator.

  The Library Makerspace Technician & Facilitator assists Makerspace Student Assistants by reiterating proper use of the technology as trained by the Makerspace Supervisor, as well as overseeing the use of the equipment.

  You will:

  • Provide end-user support for all Makerspace hardware and software, and work as part of a team that provides user support and instruction during Makerspace drop in hours;
  • Maintain and troubleshoot Makerspace equipment, making recommendations for equipment purchases;
  • Provide Makerspace curriculum support, by preparing and delivering workshops and demonstrations on relevant topics;
  • Work with Student employees on all relevant makerspace equipment, re-enforcing the makerspace values and training given by the Makerspace supervisor;
  • Identify opportunities for enhanced services and learning opportunities for users;
  • Conduct market research and analysis to expand services and programming;
  • Create new programming support in coordination with the Makerspace Supervisor and campus partners.

  Learn more about this full time position, qualifications, salary, etc. and apply by February 25, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

  Tags: Employment opportunity, Makerspace
  Categories: Main, Makerspace

• Join our team as Research Data Librarian

  Tuesday, February 04, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time position of Research Data Librarian.

  Reporting to the Head of the Research Lifecycle department, the successful candidate will lend their expertise to operationalizing Brock University’s Research Data Management Strategy, following the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy, providing data instruction and consultations to Brock’s community of researchers, and building Brock’s unique collection of maps, atlases, and geodata. This role also provides a conduit between the Brock community and the external data and geospatial communities.

  Learn more about this role and required qualifications, and apply by March 6, 2025 (12:01 am).

  Tags: Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Exhibit: Islamophobia Awareness Week

  Wednesday, January 29, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library thanks the Muslim Students Association for this blog post.

  In recognition of Islamophobia Awareness Week, a new display in the Matheson Learning Commons highlights the tragic events of January 29, 2017, when a gunman attacked the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, taking the lives of six worshippers and injuring many others. This senseless act of hate continues to deeply affect Muslim communities across Canada.

  January 29th is both a day of mourning and a call to action—a reminder of the urgent need to combat Islamophobia and all forms of hate. Through education and awareness, we strive for a future where every Canadian, regardless of faith or background, feels safe and valued. Join us in standing against Islamophobia and supporting the Green Square Campaign in solidarity with the victims, survivors, and their families

  What is Islamophobia?

  Islamophobia is defined as the fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against Islam or Muslims. It is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry and those who harbour such sentiments often stereotype Muslims as a geopolitical threat or a ‘source of terrorism.’

  Learn more about the Green Square Campaign and view the display running until February 1.

   

  Tags: display
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main