Articles tagged with: Staff

  • Omni: the power of collaboration

    Thanks to the Library’s partnership in Omni, Brock students, faculty, and staff have access to over 25.3 million books from 18 universities in Ontario.

    Fanny Dolansky, Brock professor in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, shared “I really couldn’t do my research or teaching without the support of the library and having more access to print (as well as digital) resources and efficient, reliable access, makes a huge difference! Omni and other changes at the library have revolutionized student and faculty research.”

    Over the past twelve months, Brock researchers used Omni to borrow approximately 2,000 books! In the same period, Brock Library loaned out over 1,700 books to researchers at other Omni institutions.

    To request an item in Omni, login to your library account and perform a search. Omni searches across all 18 partners for that item and when it finds an available copy, you’ll be able to place a request. You can request to pick up the book at Brock or your choice of partner library. You will be notified when your book is ready for pickup and you will enjoy the same 120-day loan period.

    Search Omni to find resources that support your coursework, as well as featured collections on a variety of themes.

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    Categories: Main

  • Local nautical history highlighted in new exhibit

    Note: this post originally published by Jocelyn Titone in Seen & Heard.

    In anticipation of the 90th anniversary of the opening of the Fourth Welland Canal this August, Brock University Library Assistant Sue Sykes has created several exhibits in Library spaces that highlight some facts and history of the canals, their bridges and the ships that have passed through them.  Items were curated from Brock’s Archives and Special Collections, Archives Canada and Sykes’ own personal nautical collection. The Brock Makerspace helped create lithophanes of the Welland Canal flight locks. Items on display from her personal collection include a brass door stop and running lights from the Venitia steam yacht that was once owned by local shipping company Scott Misener Steamships; examples of shipping flags from marine carriers Algoma, Patterson and Great Lakes Towing; a model laker ship that travelled through the Welland Canal; a 1920s photo of the Port of Goderich filled with ships carrying grain; and an artifact from John A. Roebling, the Chief Engineer of the Niagara Falls railway bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge.

    The displays are located on the main floor of the Library in the Matheson Learning Commons near the Ask Us desk and in Thistle Hall next to the Library’s south entrance. Additional historical information on the Welland Canal can be found in several digital exhibits curated by Brock Archives and Special Collections: Building the Welland Ship Canal, The History of the Welland Canal — All four of Them, and The Welland Canal’s Bridges and Tunnels — The Solution to Traffic Jams for over 100 years. Ship schedules are tweeted daily by the St. Catharines Museum Twitter account, and can be found on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System Bridge Status webpage.

     

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    Categories: Archives, Learning Commons, Main

  • Discover your library this spring

    A new term and a fresh start on one of the prettiest campuses around! Welcome to the spring term at Brock and the Library.

    Whether you are a new or returning student or instructor, learn something new on the Discover Your Library page. Complete our popular Scholar Style quiz and receive customized services based on your answers.

    If you are on campus or live in the Niagara area, we are open from 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday and 1pm-5pm on Saturdays. Stop by the Ask Us desk to kick start your research.

    For those studying at a distance, we offer hundreds of thousands of e-books and journal articles, and help is just a few clicks away with email and chat services as well as online research consultations with our librarians.

    We look forward to working with you and wish you all the best for a successful term.

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    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • Pandemic Pastimes

    In March 2020 none of us could predict what the COVID-19 pandemic had in store, including months of extra time on our hands. Many of us in the library took to crafting, baking, gardening, dancing, doing yoga, hiking and more.

    New creations and hobbies became themes of discussion among our team, boosting morale and keeping us positive. Whether it was bread, cakes, clay or cacti, we all had something that kept us going.

    Our Pandemic Pastimes are now exhibited for you to enjoy.  Stop by to view in the James A. Gibson Library and at the entrance to the Matheson Learning Commons.

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    Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

  • Welcome Back to Campus

    As some Brock students return to on-campus classes this week, the James A. Gibson Library has resumed regular hours.

    For everyone’s safety:

    • Masks are required at all times. 
    • No food permitted. Lidded drinks okay.
    • Seating has been reduced to encourage physical distancing. 
    • Capacity in group study rooms has also been reduced.

    Access to upper floors / bookable rooms / graduate spaces:

    • Individual study spots in the Learning Commons / Library main floor no longer require advanced-booking. 
    • All upper library floors have re-opened and the book stacks are fully accessible.
    • Group study rooms and the Graduate Meeting room are available for booking. The graduate study space has also re-opened.
    • Attending hybrid classes? We recommend the individual study carrels on floors 5, 6, and 7. Please use headphones. A number of individual closed study rooms are available on floors 8, 9, and 10 are available for advanced booking
    • Classrooms A & B are not available for drop-in use.

    Questions?
    Visit the Ask Us desk or email us at libhelp@brocku.ca

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    Categories: Main

  • Welcome Back to Campus

    Wednesday, September 8 update for the James A. Gibson Library:

    For your safety:

    • Masks required at all times.
    • Seat booking is not required.
    • Attending online lectures? We recommend the individual study carrels on floors 5, 6 & 7. Please use headphones.
    • No food permitted. Lidded drinks okay.
    • Classrooms A & B are not available for drop-in use.
    • Seating has been reduced to encourage physical distancing.

    Questions?
    Visit the Ask Us desk or libhelp@brocku.ca

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    Categories: Main

  • Omni partnership pays dividends

    Brock University students, staff, and faculty can now use Omni to request shared physical resources quickly and easily from across all 16 Omni partner institutions, a collection of nearly 23.5 million resources.

    Read more about this innovative collaboration in the Brock News and learn how to make your request in just a few clicks.

    Questions? libhelp@brocku.ca

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    Categories: Main

  • Library expertise at one click

    Ask a Librarian is a collaborative virtual reference service that connects students, faculty members, and researchers from participating university libraries across Ontario with real-time library and research assistance through chat.

    Since the pandemic began, Brock and partner libraries have seen a sharp increase in questions from our respective communities. In our post-chat exit survey, we recently heard from a Brock student who noted “I love the library chat. I use it all the time and it is always so helpful. It has been a lifesaver during the pandemic!

    With online support at the forefront right now, we’ve added a new Ask a Librarian tab across our website. Assistance is now just one click away.

    Learn more about Ask a Librarian, or chat with us now.

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    Categories: Main

  • Discover your library this spring

    Brock University Library welcomes you to the spring term. If you are new to Brock, take a look at the Discover Your Library page for a quick introduction to library people, services, & resources.  Supporting you in your academic life is core to our mission.

    We have developed a number of online and in-person services and supports in response to COVID-19. Our focus is on access to electronic resources and virtual help. You can learn more about these services on our COVID-19 page.

    For new students, the shift to academic research can be a challenge, but getting assistance is easy. We offer email and chat services as well as online research consultations with our Liaison Librarians.

    We look forward to working with you and wish you all the best for a successful term.

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    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • Submit your Omni feedback today!

    Since December 2019, students, faculty and staff have been using Omni, Brock University’s new Academic Search Tool, to support their research needs.  How has your experience been?

    The Library is seeking feedback from all members of the Brock community.  We want to hear from YOU: the good, the bad, the ugly.  You can tell all in this short survey.  We’ll be sharing your anonymous feedback with Omni partners to inform future modifications that seek to improve the user experience for all our Omni schools.

    BONUS: All survey respondents have the option to enter a draw for a $50 Amazon gift card. Enter by noon on April 30th.

    Share your Omni feedback now.

     

     

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    Categories: Main