News

• Library supports for open access publishing

  Wednesday, October 25, 2023 | By Elizabeth Yates

  

  Library supports for open access publishing 

  Global celebrations of International Open Access Week from Oct. 23-29 are a good opportunity to highlight how the Library supports Brock researchers in achieving broad reach and deep impact for their publications. 

  Open Access refers to free, immediate online access to research and brings many benefits, including increased visibility for Brock research, higher citation rates and public access to publicly-funded research. Supporting open access has always been a key priority for the Library, which: 

  • Provides free hosting support for 12 open access, peer-reviewed scholarly journals operated by Brock researchers 
  • Disseminates Brock research globally via the open access Brock Digital Repository 
  • Invests in a wide range of open access platforms which benefit researchers and readers around the globe 
  • Participates in a growing number of read-and-publish agreements which allow Brock authors to publish for free, or at a discount, in journals which charge fees for full or hybrid open access publication 
  • Supports researchers in meeting the expectations of Brock University’s Open Access Policy  

  To learn more, please consider participating in Brock’s Open Access Week activities or email Elizabeth Yates, Research and Scholarly Communication Librarian ~ eyates@brocku.ca

  Tags: OA Week, Open Access, Scholarly Communication
  Categories: Main

• Resources to learn more about Open Access

  Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  As part of 2023 Open Access Week activities at Brock, a virtual collection of books and ebooks focused on open access and information sharing activities is available to browse. Discover how free, unrestricted online access to research outputs can benefit society, researchers included!

  Tags: OA Week, Open Access, Our Collections
  Categories: Featured Collections

• Open Access Week 2023: Celebrating community over commercialization

  Sunday, October 22, 2023 | By Elizabeth Yates

  

  Community over Commercialization is this year’s theme for International Open Access Week, Oct. 23-29. This is more than a slogan. It is a timely statement for a movement that has seen much growth in open access infrastructure and alternative providers in research years. These alternative publishing options for researchers emphasize and facilitate the building of an open access community of researchers and scholars, a deliberate alternative to commercial publishers, which are for-profit companies that extract profits from the work of scholars.

  The Brock Library continues to invest in several such open access platforms. The overall goal of these platforms is to make research freely available to readers around the world. These open infrastructure initiatives are examples of part of this growing movement that takes the products of publicly funded scholarly research out of the commercial sphere- a space largely controlled by a small number of actors, and moves this into a community-operated system of research sharing. The impact of such developments for open access research is far reaching. In this system, both the writers and readers of scholarship have access to the most current findings without having to navigate a paywall.

  To learn more, join Elizabeth Yates, Research and Scholarly Communication Librarian, and Laurie Morrison, Collections Librarian, on Oct. 24, 12-1 pm, for a discussion of the perils of prioritizing profit over the public good and the promise offered by community-controlled publishing platforms. Registration via ExperienceBU.

  This workshop is part of the Library’s Open Access Week activities, which also include an Oct. 26 workshop focusing on planning for open access publishing at little or no cost, a virtual collection of books and ebooks focused on open access and information sharing activities.

  Tags: OA Week, Open Access, Scholarly Communication
  Categories: Main

• Now hiring: Digital Scholarship/ Special Projects Librarian

  Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time, 12-month limited-term position of Digital Scholarship/ Special Projects Librarian from qualified candidates who have demonstrated interest in and understanding of open publishing, digital scholarship, and/or the research lifecycle.

  The successful candidate will:

  • Contribute to the open publishing infrastructure on campus using Brock’s instance of Open Journal Systems;
  • Contribute to the administration of Brock University’s Institutional Repository;
  • In collaboration with the Scholarly Communications Librarian, promote a culture of open scholarship on campus;
  • Provides services to support digital scholarship including consultations, project support, instruction, workshop development and delivery;
  • Collaborate with campus partners and continuously learn about digital scholarship trends, tools and methods currently available on campus and beyond;
  • Provide recommendations about existing digital scholarship initiatives and services, in consultation with the Head, Research Lifecycle;
  • Develops and promotes educational content (tutorials, guides, etc.) that supports digital scholarship on campus;
  • Collaboratively support departmental goals and activities;
  • Engage in ongoing professional development and apply useful developments into practice.

  Learn more about this opportunity, and apply by Thursday, October 26th (12:01 AM).

  Tags: Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Honouring Indigenous Women and Girls

  Tuesday, September 19, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  This month’s featured Omni Collection is intended to honour and remember the lives of Indigenous Women and Girls in recognition of the Native Women’s Association of Canada’s Sisters In Spirit Day. Browse and borrow from the print collection displayed next to the Ask Us desk and head online to view the Indigenous Women on Film sub-collection of documentaries.

  The collection also acts as a complement to The Canadian Library, a grassroots art installation project that acts as a memorial to all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people. The goal of the CLP is to wrap 8,000 books across Canada in fabric prints that reflect First Nations, Métis and Inuit as a testament to the lives lost. Before each book is placed on the gallery bookshelf in the library, the name of one of the MMIWG2S+ is written in gold along its spine.

  Brock Library is hosting three drop-in wrapping events in Learning Commons Classroom B (ST230). While no RSVP is required, registering on ExperienceBU and checking in at the events, will provide participants with credit toward their co-curricular record.  Sessions will be held on Monday, September 25 (2:30-5pm), Friday, September 29 (1:30-4pm), and Monday, October 2 (1:30-4pm).

  Tags: Indigenous Collection, Our Collections, Workshops
  Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

• Public library memberships available

  Wednesday, September 06, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  We love libraries! All kinds. So we are delighted to announce on-campus visits by staff from the St. Catharines and Thorold Public Libraries.

  Getting a card is easy, and free. Fill in a form, present some ID, and then you’ll be all set to borrow video games, join book clubs, experience adult craft nights, and more. Online resources such as popular magazines, audio books, streaming videos and music are also available, and offer the perfect complement to our more scholarly collections.

  Who: Thorold Public Library
  Where: Matheson Learning Commons (Library main floor)
  When: Wednesday, September 13, 2-4 pm.

  Who: St. Catharines Public Library
  Where: Matheson Learning Commons (Library main floor)
  When: Thursday, September 14, 1-5 pm.

   

  Tags: Community, Events, Services, Students
  Categories: Main

• Treasures from the Shickluna Shipyard Dig.

  Tuesday, September 05, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Back in 2018, a research team led by Brock University archaeologist and maritime historian Kimberly Monk received federal funding to excavate the Shickluna Shipyard site in downtown St. Catharines.  The team’s discoveries and insights form the basis of a stunning new display hosted in the Library and Learning Commons this fall.

  The exhibit is comprised of two parts which, when combined explore the evolving cultural landscape which we refer to as the Shickluna Shipyard site. The Changing Human Landscape on Twelve Mile Creek (displayed at the south entrance to the Learning Commons), sets the scene of the dig and characterizes the sites’ earliest occupants. Uncovering Historic Landscapes at the Shickluna Shipyard: A Multi-Component Archaeological Site is displayed inside the library, and explores the history of the site after 1891.

  Although the on-going project is focused on Shickluna, and the over 60 years of shipbuilding that took place at the site, the exhibit recognizes the breadth of human history that has shaped this landscape over time. The next phase of fieldwork will explore deeper and adjacent contexts. Follow the project, and new developments on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

  Stop by and view the exhibit which runs until October 16.

   

   

   

  Tags: Community Collaboration, display
  Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

• Fall wellness book club registration now open

  Friday, August 18, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Registration is now open for the fall 2023 Wellness Book Club.  This term, we will be reading a book all about the promises and the darker side of wellness culture.  Described as “a clear-eyed exploration of what wellness can actually offer us,” The Gospel of Wellness is written by a journalist who has tried nearly every wellness trend: the ‘clean’ eating, the detoxes, the boutique fitness classes, and more.  Rina Raphael argues that, rather than alleviating stress, the wellness industry creates unrealistic and costly burdens on consumers.

  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 jcotton@brocku.ca.

  Members will receive a copy of the book and a wellness care package.  Meetings will be held virtually during the month of 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/fall23wellnessbookclub

  *maximum 10 participants

  Tags: Book Club, Events, Wellness
  Categories: Learning Commons, Main

• Join in the hunt on International Geocaching Day

  Wednesday, August 09, 2023 | By sjanzen

  

  Have you ever wanted to go on a real-life treasure hunt, but never did because you thought it was only real in children’s stories and the movies? Well, get ready for adventure and exploring because geocaching is 21st century treasure hunting! Geocaching is a free outdoor activity that uses GPS technology to find the containers unsurprisingly called a geocache that have small treasures to trade, and a log book to sign.  

  To start, borrow a GPS device from the Map, Data & GIS Library, or download a geocaching app on your smartphone like Geocaching (Android, iPhone, and iPad), Cachly (iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch), or c:geo (Android), and input the coordinates for the geocache you want to find. There are two geocaches on Brock Campus – Welcome to Brock, a micro-cache, and Fin de Siècle, a multi-step cache. 

  Next, find the cache! Stay on the trail if there is one, and once you’re close, use your hands and eyes to finish the hunt. They can be well hidden so be creative while searching and while they are never buried, they are not always on the ground. When you find it, sign the logbook, take a treasure, and always leave another treasure of equal or greater value for the next geocachers. Take your trash out with you and leave the site better than you found it.  

  Join geocachers around the world on August 19, 2023 for the 12th annual celebration of International Geocaching Day! Go to www.geocaching.com for more information on geocaching and events. 

  Tags: MDGL
  Categories: Main, MDGL

• Architecture

  Tuesday, August 01, 2023 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  This month and next, the Library presents you with a collection related to something we all experience everyday and, probably take for granted: our built environment.  

  Among the curated titles, this newest featured collection lets you:

  • consider how animals produce spaces for themselves with Animal Architecture
  • look at architecture from the other parts of the world in The Tampitaviharas of Sri Lanka,  Paris and her cathedrals and China’s Architecture in a Globalizing World
  • explore the architectural period that inspired the design of Brock University’s own tower with The Brutalists.

  Explore the Architecture collection online, and in print on the display shelves next to the Ask Us desk.  

  For resources related to Brock’s built environment including scale models of the campus, check out Architecture in the Brock University Digital Repository.

  Tags: Our Collections
  Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons