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  • New library tutorial helps students navigate Generative AI

    The Library has launched LIB102: Me, Myself, and A.I., a self-paced online tutorial that helps students navigate Generative AI in their academic work.

    Through 8 interactive modules, students learn how Generative AI tools function, where they are strong or limited, and how they differ from traditional sources like scholarly databases and Wikipedia. The tutorial emphasizes accuracy, bias, and the human and environmental impacts of AI, asking students to consider when AI might support learning and when it risks undermining skill development or academic integrity.

    Students also work through common academic scenarios, identify where Generative AI can help or hinder learning, and develop practical strategies for safe, effective prompting and information privacy. LIB102 also addresses how to acknowledge and cite AI tools, including when to provide an AI use statement and where to find discipline-specific citation guidance (APA, MLA, Chicago, and others). The tutorial concludes with a short quiz that generates a downloadable certificate upon completion which students can submit as a small assignment or activity in their courses.

    LIB102 is suitable for adoption in any course that engages with writing, research, or digital literacy. Instructors interested in integrating the tutorial into their Brightspace site can simply create a Brightspace assignment with a file upload and the link to the tutorial (below), allot a small grade or pass/fail, and require students to upload the certificate of completion.

    Tutorial link: https://brightspace.brocku.ca/d2l/le/discovery/view/course/184265

    To learn more contact Vanja Stojanovic (Teaching & Learning Librarian) at [email protected]

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  • Learning Commons exhibit explores women in sports

    Brock Library thanks Isobel Flindall, Graduate co-op student librarian in Collections Services for this exhibit and blog post. Visit the display in the Matheson Learning Commons until February 27. 

    With teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s professional women’s sports reached a “critical mass” in 2024 (Spencer, 2024). This is exciting for those of us who enjoy spectating hockey, basketball, and soccer games – but also for youth and student athletes, for whom the goal of playing professionally is now “much more tangible” (Stober, 2024).

    The rise of women’s participation in professional team sports is associated in part with identified consumer potential (Boer, 2025; Pegoraro & Taylor, 2021; Stober, 2024). While the implication that the industry’s commitment to women’s sports is dependent on their profitability is disappointing, it also shows that we as consumers can make a difference.

    A featured collection of books, e-books, and a/v materials accompanies the exhibit and is an invitation for the reader to get thinking about women’s sports. To celebrate successes, like Canada establishing professional women’s teams in the PWHL, WNBA, and NSL, without overlooking the persistence of sexism in the sports industry (Hindman & Walker, 2020; Milner & Braddock, 2017).

    Sources:

    Boer, T. D. (2025, July 4). Women’s sports are booming. Why now? CBC Sports. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/womens-sports-growth-north-america-why-now-1.7569708

    Hindman, L. C., & Walker, N. A. (2020). Sexism in Professional Sports: How Women Managers Experience and Survive Sport Organizational Culture. Journal of Sport Management, 34(1), 64–76. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2018-0331

    Milner, A. N., & Braddock, J. H. (2017). Women in Sports: Breaking Barriers, Facing Obstacles. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/west/detail.action?docID=4923027

    Pegoraro, A., & Taylor, T. (2021). Editorial: Women’s Professional Sport: Understanding Distinctiveness. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, 806247. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.806247

    Spencer, D. (2024, December 25). Canada’s women’s pro sports landscape transformed in 2024 with arrival of PWHL, NSL, WNBA. CBC Sports. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/year-in-review-canada-womens-pro-sports-1.7418973

    Stober, E. (2024, April 6). Women’s pro sports is a ‘global phenomenon’—And Canada is finally joining in. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/10406205/womens-sports-canada-project-8/

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  • Love Data Week is back with a full slate of workshops! 

    Love Data Week (February 9–13) is an annual, worldwide initiative that promotes data literacy, builds data skills, and showcases data repositories. In alignment with this year’s theme, “Where’s the Data?”, the Library has organized a week of virtual workshops highlighting data resources and research practices. Workshops will introduce databases that provide access to full datasets, explore strategies for preserving data you produce in your own research, and develop foundational GIS and data visualization skills, no prior experience required! The program also includes a workshop in partnership with Statistics Canada on locating published historical data, as well as a session focused on developing a Data Management Plan.

    To view the full program at Brock, and register for workshops, visit: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/organization/library

    For a list of all global events and workshops, visit: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/sites/icpsr/about/news-events/international-love-data-week/events

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  • Students helping students focus of new exhibit

    Six James A. Gibson Library student assistants unveiled an engaging new display in the Learning Commons this month. From Our Perspective offers guidance on such topics as:

    • the best Omni hacks
    • finding library streaming video databases
    • librarian support for research projects
    • finding course readings
    • navigating exam season
    • developing the practice of asking questions, and
    • expanding horizons with the Brock study-abroad program

    Visit the exhibit until February 6 located in display cases at the Thistle entrance and inside the Learning Commons across from the Badger Books Collection.

     

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  • How Bill C-15 could impact Brock’s interlibrary loan services

    Bill C-15, currently before Parliament, includes changes to the Canada Post Corporation Act that would give Canada Post the ability to set postage rates rather than maintaining the Library Materials, or “Library Book Rate” that keeps interlibrary loan (ILL) shipping affordable across Canada. Without this reduced rate, national ILL could become significantly more expensive for libraries outside of our Omni partners, potentially limiting access to physical materials from across the country.  

    While this change does not affect delivery service or costs for Interlibrary Loan among our Omni partners in Ontario, it would directly impact Brock’s participation in physical ILL networks outside of Omni.  

    Brock researchers have benefited from this low-cost shipping 619 times in 2025. We in turn have used the “Library Book Rate” 167 times this year to ship physical resources from our collection to researchers across Canada. 

    You can have your say by sending a letter to your MP urging them to protect interlibrary loan and access to knowledge. Learn more and access a letter template 

    Other useful links:

    Bill C-15 threatens Library Book Rate and free mailing of materials for people who are blind Librarianship.ca  

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  • Early mathematics learning

    Brock Library thanks Olga Fellus for this display and blog post. Visit this exhibit at the Learning Commons Thistle display case until December 5.

    Imagine a teacher sitting with a group of schoolchildren for their daily read-aloud. The teacher has chosen the picture book ‘Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.’ Following the read-aloud, one child turns to her neighbour and says, “Katherine Johnson was amazing! But I never see numbers floating in the air, I guess I’m just not a math person.”

    Dr. Olga Fellus from the Faculty of Education created two displays featuring quotes from her study on children’s picture books that tell stories about the experience of doing mathematics. The displayed picture books reflect stories of developing confidence in mathematics. This stance is promoted in the PJ math methods courses in the teacher education program to support and sustain the flourishing of students in mathematics.

    We invite the Brock community to visit the displays and engage with the stories behind each artifact.

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  • Exam Supports at the Library

    This month, the Learning Commons display cases feature a little bit of encouragement to all those writing exams and completing final assignments.

    The Library offers group, quiet and silent spaces for student work. Learn more about room booking here. We host de-stress events during the exam period, and have curated an array of relaxation links in a newly updated library guide. Visit the display today to learn more or check out our Exam De-stress Guide. Don’t forget to check our Badger Books Collection for popular reads, wellness titles and more!

    To all writing and marking exams this month, we wish you success.

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  • GIS Day 2025!

    Students gathered on GIS Day this year to explore resume writing, job searching, scholarship opportunities, and the power of professional networking. If you weren’t able to attend but would like to view the slide deck, please contact [email protected].

    Sharon Janzen, Maps, GIS & Geospatial Data Specialist, encouraged students to make the most of their student status by accessing the many online learning resources available through the university’s ArcGIS Site License. Emily Rollo, Career Education Specialist, shared practical strategies for strengthening resumes and navigating the job market. Sonia Dhaliwal, Research Data Librarian, added to the excitement by spotlighting Student Voices, a feature in the ACMLA Bulletin, a trade publication released twice a year.

    Attendees enjoyed cake, pizza, and a chance to make buttons to take home—always a GIS Day favourite.

    Mark your calendars for next year: we’ll celebrate GIS Day on Wednesday, November 18, 2026!

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  • International Education Week in the Library

    During International Education Week, Brock International created two displays in the Brock University Library featuring cultural, traditional, and historical artifacts from countries around the world. Each item was contributed by members of the Brock International team, reflecting their global journeys and the diverse communities they are connected to.

    Each item reflects a personal connection – whether a family story, a cultural tradition, or a meaningful experience abroad. Together, they showcase Brock International’s deep global roots, our commitment to cultural understanding, and the passion that drives the programs we offer.

    We invite the Brock community to visit the displays and engage with the stories behind each artifact.

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  • Celebrate GIS Days at Brock!

    Every November marks a special time to celebrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—and this year is no different! Brock students, faculty, and staff are invited to take part in a FREE virtual conference, “GIS Days,” running from Monday, November 17 to Thursday, November 20. Check out the schedule and register here: https://gisdays-westernu.hub.arcgis.com/

    GIS combines software, people, and data to answer spatially charged questions. It’s used in research across many faculties at Brock—and in the “real world” to identify tornado damage, track coyote sightings, map health care gaps, and more. The tools and skills that GIS provides can make all the difference in your studies and future career.

    On Wednesday, November 19, the Brock Library will host an exciting morning of festivities, including free cake (courtesy of Brock Library), free pizza (courtesy of the Tourism and Geography Society—TAGS), and a workshop on boosting your résumé with GIS training, job connections, and scholarship opportunities.

    📍 In-person activities: Rankin Family Pavilion 214/215, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
    🍰 10:00 a.m. – Cake!
    🗺️ 10:30 a.m. – Put yourself on the map!
    🍕 11:45 a.m. – Pizza!

    For more details about GIS Day at Brock, visit this StoryMap.

    Still have questions? Email [email protected].

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