Main

• Reconciliation and libraries: cleaning up descriptions of library materials

  Monday, September 29, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  As part of the 2025 Truth and Reconciliation events, the Brock Library hosted a discussion of reconciliation work as it applies in the context of library metadata.

  Since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Report in 2015, libraries in Canada have been hard at work implementing the Calls to Action related to memory institutions (C.T.A. 79). One particular area of concern is metadata: the descriptions which represent material in a library’s collections and allow it to be searched for and discovered. Metadata can, and often does contain outdated and harmful terminology.

  What are libraries doing to address these problems and move to language which is inclusive and respectful of the communities, people, and knowledge represented in them? What are some of the challenges of this work? In this presentation, Brock Metadata Librarian, John Dingle shared the Library’s harmful metadata remediation strategy for the general collection, while David Sharron, University Archivist spoke about this work in the context of the Archives and Special Collections.

  View the presentation on YouTube.
  Duration: 1 hour

  Tags: Archives and Special Collections, Collections, Reconciliation
  Categories: Main

• Notice: Potential service disruption

  Monday, September 29, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  As of September 25th, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (Canada Post) are on a national strike. Some of our interlibrary loan and resource sharing services, specifically physical items to and from our Canadian partners, will be affected by this strike. Please expect delays for the duration of the labour action.

  Interlibrary loans will continue as usual with our Ontario university library (Omni) partners and international lenders. Digital resource sharing in the form of articles and book chapters is unaffected, and can be used as a great alternative during this time.

  Questions about interlibrary loans services and delays can be directed to [email protected]. The Brock University Library resource sharing team is here to help with your research.

  Tags: Interlibrary loan, Services
  Categories: Main

• Burlington Campus Library opportunity

  Monday, September 22, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library is hiring a Library Coordinator for our new Burlington Campus location.

  The Coordinator oversees the daily operations of the Library. In addition to providing front-line desk services alongside Burlington Public Library staff, the position collaborates with Brock and Burlington colleagues, staff, faculty and librarians to develop and deliver instruction and training, and to enhance collections and services for Brock University programs located at the Burlington campus. The Library Coordinator provides library research help and proactively promotes user engagement through events and outreach.

  Learn more about the role and apply by October 5, 2025.

  Tags: Burlington Campus, Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Career Opportunity

  Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library is recruiting a Circulation Clerk for our User Services & Engagement department.

  Circulation Clerks are responsible for assisting users with locating, using and borrowing material and providing basic copying and printing services to all users at the Ask Us desk. Depending on departmental needs, Circulation Clerks may work a variety of days/shifts including day, evening, weekend and/or holiday on an “on-call” temporary basis.

  Learn more about this position and apply by September 22, 2025.

  Tags: Employment opportunity, Services
  Categories: Main

• Sign up for the Fall 2025 Wellness Book Club

  Tuesday, September 02, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Registration is now open for the fall 2025 Wellness Book Club.  This term, we will be reading the second book from Jenny Han’s bestselling “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Trilogy: “It’s Not Summer Without You.”  Described as “a convincing and poignant read,” this book series has inspired the streaming series, merchandise and is beloved by fans.

  The Book Club is hosted by librarian, Justine Cotton, who is passionate about the positive impact of reading and community.  You can contact her with any questions about the Club at [email protected].

  There are 8 copies of the book to give away, as well as 2 copies available for loan in our Badger Books Collection.  Meetings will be held online and in-person in October, and participants may choose to participate in a research study on the benefits of reading “for fun” on stress levels in university students.

  Register here: https://bit.ly/wellnessbookclubfall25

  Tags: Students, Wellness
  Categories: Main

• Meet the Teaching & Learning department

  Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | By jcotton

  

  With the fall term approaching, we invite faculty and instructors to reach out to our department to learn more about how we can help your students develop the skills and confidence to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape. Our approach is informed by our Information Literacy Curriculum, and is focused on developing critical thinking skills and a passion for lifelong learning.

  We work as a team to offer:

  Information Literacy Workshops (course-specific and standalone)
  LIB101: Library & Research Foundations (our popular tutorial, available within Brightspace)
  Research Consultations for upper-year and graduate students
  Discipline and Course-specific Research Guides

  Find out more by reaching out to our team members – we look forward to connecting this year!

  Justine Cotton, Acting Department Head
  Nadia Al Hashemi, Math and Science, Applied Health Sciences
  Kymberly Ash, Business & Education
  Vanja Stojanovic, Learning Strategies
  TBD, Humanities & Social Sciences (please contact Justine Cotton)

  Tags: Faculty, Services, Students, Workshops
  Categories: Main

• New Course Readings Platform is LIVE!

  Wednesday, August 06, 2025 | By Colleen MacKinnon

  

  Calling all Instructors! The new Library Course Readings Management platform, Leganto, is now live across Brightspace!

  Leganto is fully integrated with Omni (the library catalogue). This allows easy discovery and access to library materials and functions as a one-stop tool to bring together any and all course texts into one place.

  Find Leganto under the ‘Course Tools’ menu in Brightspace.

  

   

  Is your Fall reading list ready? You can send us your reading list directly through Brightspace! And our team will let you know when it’s ready!  We also have this handy how-to guide to help get you started!
  Or explore new options for developing your list yourself! You can reuse an existing course reading list from a course previously supported through the Ares platform, or create a brand new list from scratch!

  Want to learn more? Watch this video for an overview of Leganto and how it can support course planning.

  If you have any questions about Leganto or the Library Course Readings Service, please reach out to [email protected].

  Tags: Course Readings Service, Faculty, Leganto, Students
  Categories: Main, Uncategorised

• Library Course Readings service is getting an upgrade!   

  Wednesday, July 02, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Starting this Fall, we’re moving to a new platform: Leganto.

  What’s new?

  While library staff will still be able to upload and link to course materials in Brightspace, Leganto also allows instructors to build and manage reading lists, engage students, and easily update and reuse content.

  With Leganto, instructors can:

  • Build course resource lists independently or collaborate with others
  • Add any kind of content, including print or electronic Library resources, streaming video, websites, textbooks, journals, OER, and more
  • Allow students to easily access course resource lists in Brightspace
  • Structure lists with weekly, monthly or topic-based sections
  • Easily roll over course resource lists from term to term, adjusting as needed

  Want a sneak peek?

  We’re still configuring things behind the scenes, but you can watch this video for an overview of Leganto and how it can support course planning.

  Is your Fall reading list ready?

  Early submissions will give us the time we need to get everything set up smoothly while we navigate this new system together.

  If you have any questions about Leganto, please reach out to [email protected].

  Tags: Course Reading Services, Faculty, Leganto, Services, Students
  Categories: Main

• Breaking down barriers through learning: accessibility in higher education

  Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library thanks Mark Castrodale, Student Accessibility Case Manager in the Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre for this exhibit and blog post. Visit the display in the Matheson Learning Commons until June 27. A featured collection of supporting literature is available through Omni.

  Access to education is a fundamental right for all persons. “Access is not just a word that indicates a lack of inclusion; it is also a way of perceiving, talking, and acting…As a perception, as talk and conduct, as a form of consciousness, access leads us to ask how access can be an interpretive move that puts people into different kinds of relations with their surroundings. Anything said about access can be read for how it reflects a host of questions: Who has access? Access to where? Access to what? When?” (Titchkosky, 2011, p.13). As such, access to higher education represents a collective responsibility, and ethical imperative. Considering issues of access can enhance the quality of education, deepen curriculum and pedagogy, and open paths for often marginalized persons to meaningfully participate and engage in teaching and learning opportunities. While there are advisable practices to improving access, accessibility in higher education represents an ongoing process, and a shared journey.

  Reference:
  Titchkosky, T. (2011). The Question of Access: Disability, Space, Meaning. U of Toronto Press.

  Tags: Accessibility, display, Our Collections, Virtual Book Display
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main

• Join our team as a Library Assistant, Acquisitions

  Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock Library is currently recruiting a Library Assistant for the Acquisitions department.

  In this role you will:

  • support the acquisitions process for all digital media, as well as print and electronic monograph resources,
  • complete financial processes,
  • coordinate and process all donations, and
  • provide operational support for the department.

  You have:

  • a Bachelor’s degree, and
  • a minimum of two (2) years working in procurement for an academic, special, or public library.

  Learn more about this role and apply by May 21, 2025.

  Tags: Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main