News

  • Career Opportunity

    Tuesday, November 26, 2024 | By

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    Brock University Library seeks applicants for the new position of Resource Sharing Coordinator in the User Services & Engagement department.

    The Resource Sharing Coordinator is responsible for coordinating interlibrary loan (ILL) workflows for the borrowing and lending of physical and electronic document delivery and oversees the work of Library Assistants in carrying out their ILL responsibilities. In addition, the Resource Sharing Coordinator, provides circulation, basic copying and printing services, and reference assistance to users at the Ask Us Desk and is also a member of the library’s group of Reference Assistants who provide in-depth research help to students.

    Learn more about the role, the key skills & experience required, and apply by December 15, 2024.

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    Categories: Main

  • Message from the University Librarian: Library Collections Update

    Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | By

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    November 19, 2024

    As Brock community members are aware, the university underwent an intensive budget mitigation exercise in order to reduce the operating deficit for the fiscal year 2024-2025. As a result, the library acquisitions budget was frozen at the 2023-2024 level ($5.75 million). This translates to a projected $250,000 shortfall due to the perpetual rise in the costs of library subscription prices.  

    Background 

    During the summer of 2024, the library conducted a comprehensive review of our collection expenditures. To have a balanced budget, we determined that we need to reduce spending on both journal subscriptions and books/e-books.  

    As shared in our June update, a significant structural challenge is the ‘Big Deal’ model: Major publishers bundle their catalogue of journal subscriptions into large, expensive packages.  At Brock, the Big Deals with Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and Sage exert outsized pressure on our constrained budget, even when the data demonstrates that researchers are not using a majority of these bundled journal titles.  

    Decision and Impact 

    The outcome of this evidence-based evaluation is that we are cancelling the Springer Big Deal subscription, effective January 1, 2025. Our analysis indicated that cancelling the Springer package (~2,100 journal titles) would help us achieve the necessary savings while having a lesser impact on Brock’s research and teaching when compared to other packages. Relative to our other Big Deals, Springer has the poorest value proposition, with relatively lower usage but at a high cost.  

    As a result, the Brock community will lose subscription access to Springer publications from 2025 onwards. Researchers will continue to be able to request new Springer articles using the expanded interlibrary loan service. Open Access versions of articles can often be located using a number of alternative approaches. 

    Please note: 

    • Permanent access to all Springer journal content from 2024 and earlier will remain available through Omni and Springer Journals Online. 
    • Springer Nature journals are not impacted; these subscriptions are managed separately.   
    • The Library is currently exploring individually subscribing to a small number of high-use Springer journals. Once determined, this information will be shared on the Subscriptions and Budget FAQ page. 

    Cancelling the Springer package will achieve about half of our budget reduction target. The remaining savings will be found by reducing our spending on new books and e-books, and cancelling a number of smaller, low-use subscriptions.  

    Communication and Next Steps 

    At Senate meetings this fall, I shared the state of the collections budget and the challenging context of the profit-driven scholarly publishing industry.  We had productive discussions about the unsustainable ecosystem and the frustrations of academics worldwide. The Library continues to advocate for and support Open Access publishing as the main path to effect change.  

    We appreciate your support for the Library and your patience with this process. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at  [email protected] 

    Regards, 

    Nicole Nolan
    University Librarian
    Brock University Library 

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  • International Education Week, 2024

    Monday, November 18, 2024 | By

    A lush green forest floor, with a sprout of a tree, and a clear globe next to it.

    Explore this curated collection of books and eBooks focusing on international education and studying abroad. International Education Week (IEW) is celebrated globally on the third week of November each year. IEW highlights the importance of a globally oriented learning experience and showcases the impact that international education has on learning, research, and community.

    Brock International Education Week events, held November 18-22, are great opportunities to get involved, expand your knowledge, and connect with the world.

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    Categories: Featured Collections

  • Notice: potential service disruption

    Friday, November 15, 2024 | By

    Canada Post logo

    As of November 15th, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (Canada Post) are on a national strike. Some of our Interlibrary loan services, particularly physical items from our national partners, will be affected by this strike. Please expect delays for the duration of the labour action. 

    Interlibrary loans continue through many Ontario university library (OMNI) partners and international lenders. Digital lending (articles and book chapters) is unaffected.  

    Questions about our interlibrary loan service can be directed to [email protected].

     

     

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  • Career opportunity

    Tuesday, November 12, 2024 | By

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

    Circulation Clerks in Access Services 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 November 24, 2024.

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  • Exhibits: Voices of Remembrance, and Some Were Neighbors

    Monday, November 04, 2024 | By

    Exhibit in the Learning Commons for Holocaust Education Week

    “To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time” (Elie Wiesel, Night, 1960). Wiesel’s words remind us that memory is a moral act, essential in preserving the past and preventing future hatred.

    Chabad at Brock presents “Voices of Remembrance,” an exhibit featured in the Thistle Corridor and the Learning Commons at Brock University Library. Organized under the lead of Chabad at Brock’s Holocaust Education Chair, Brooke Braverman, this display brings together the stories of Brock students who are descendants of Holocaust survivors. Through their narratives, we reflect on the antisemitism that led to the Holocaust and honour the resilience needed to carry these memories forward.

    In the Learning Commons, Some Were Neighbors, a traveling exhibit from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, further examines the actions and moral choices of ordinary people during the Holocaust, inviting us to consider our own responsibilities in confronting hate.

    Additionally, the library has curated a collection of books to support Holocaust Education Week, offering historical insights, survivor testimonies, and scholarly perspectives on antisemitism and resilience.

    We invite you to explore these stories and reflect deeply on their message. In bearing witness to this living history, we commit to fighting against antisemitism, hatred, ignorance, and indifference wherever they appear.

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    Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

  • Political Landscapes

    Thursday, October 31, 2024 | By

    A stormy sky with the Capitol Building in front coloured half red and half blue.

    Our November Featured Collection explores works on the intricate and evolving landscapes of current politics in the United States and Canada. With the US election a trending topic, this collection of books and eBooks highlights a variety of related subjects including democracy, campaigns, polling, and parties.

    Read the relevant Electable: Why American Hasn’t Put a Woman in the White House…Yet with a focused chapter on Kamala Harris and the 2020 US election.

    Explore the growing discussion around Illiberal Democracies as it pertains to the history of political ideals in the United States. The newly published Illiberal America: A History looks to the past to understand this recent resurgence.

    If you are interested in a Canadian perspective you can read up on current movements in What’s Trending in Canadian Politics? which explores political communication and democratic governance in a digital age.

    You can browse the collection by visiting the book display next to the Ask Us desk in Matheson Learning Commons, or view the eBooks online.

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    Categories: Featured Collections

  • Spotlight your research, teaching, or BUSU club interests in the Learning Commons display cases

    Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | By

    Thistle hallway display cases at the entrance to the Matheson Learning Commons

    The Library welcomes members and groups of the University community to showcase their work within the Matheson Learning Commons.  We offer display space to bring attention to the unique research, services, and teaching & learning projects that are happening around campus.

    See exhibit guidelines and make your booking request.

    Questions? Please email [email protected] or [email protected]

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    Categories: Learning Commons, Main

  • GIS Day coming November 20th

    Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | By

    Aerial photo of grasslands

    Wednesday, November 20th marks a special day in the geography world as we gear up to celebrate GIS! Geographic Information Systems (GIS) combines software, hardware, data and people to create, analyze and disseminate geospatial data and ideas around where and why things happen as they do.

    Join us this year to learn more about GIS including ArcGIS Online Analysis tools and the Esri Site License. The Map, Data & GIS Library is hosting a few online and in-person events including:

    Wednesday, November 20, 2024

    9:00-9:30 a.m.: ArcGIS Site License Q&A: This brief Question & Answer session will offer an informative conversation about the Esri educational site license. Esri is the producer of the ArcGIS suite of products including ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, Esri CityEngine and more! Come with your questions, leave with some answers and guidance. Registration suggested but not required. https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/269153 (This is an online event).

    10:00-11:30 a.m. Vector Analysis in ArcGIS Online: This hands-on workshop introduces attendees to this popular modern GIS while answering questions about the distribution of childcare centres, infant capacity, drive-time analysis, polygon enrichment (demographic data from Environics) and more! Registration is strongly recommended but experience with the software is not required. https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/269156 (This is an online event).

    12:00-1:00 p.m. Pizza and Cake in the MDGL: Join the Tourism and Geography Society for lunch in the MDGL where anyone can buy a slice of pizza and partake of the infamous GIS Day cake (free)!

    Visit the ArcGIS Storymap https://arcg.is/0uPbPK for more details.

    GIS Day is an annual event that celebrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and its impact on society. It typically takes place on the third Wednesday of November during Geography Awareness Week. The day provides an opportunity for GIS professionals, educators, students, and enthusiasts to showcase how GIS is used in various fields like environmental management, urban planning, disaster response, and more. GIS Day was first observed in 1999, initiated by Esri, a prominent GIS software company, as a way to promote GIS technology and its potential to solve real-world problems. Events held on GIS Day often include workshops, presentations, map demonstrations, and educational activities aimed at raising awareness about the benefits of GIS and inspiring new users to explore its possibilities.

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    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • The Digital Repository is getting an upgrade and associated downtime

    Wednesday, October 09, 2024 | By

    Starting October 28, 2024, the Brock University Digital Repository will begin an upgrade process that will last 5 weeks. During that time adding new submissions to the system will not be possible. However, it will still be possible to search and use content. Submissions will return on December 2, 2024 when the upgrade is complete.

    In the meantime, please consider using our staff-assisted deposit program. We can take your submission details and submit on your behalf once the system is back online.

    The new version of the site should bring better stability, and some other behind the scenes enhancements. Any questions or concerns? Please contact us.

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