Since we had redesigned the Library and Academic Services website last summer, it was decided that user testing would tell us whether our new site design was effective.

Last fall, we arranged for a small sample of students to review and critique the site. This spring, we decided to do the same using a group of Faculty.

In our site redesign we used principles of user centric design, attempting to create a site for our users, who were defined as two personas: “Average Student User” and “Average Instructor User.”

This particular test targeted instructors, and would evaluate our “Average Instructor User” persona.

Our Academic Support Coordinator, Melissa Coyle, asked for volunteers via Staff News. Not sure how much interest she would generate, she was pleasantly surprised to receive a number of volunteers, all Instructors and EAs, and from different programs and areas of the college. Choosing five candidates that represented an even cross-section of our college, Melissa went ahead and administered a test, one-on-one with each volunteer.

We would like to take a moment to thank the staff who volunteered to take our test. Without you, this entire process would not have been possible. Bravo!

Using a list of twenty-one tasks, consisting of scenarios and questions that could be discovered on the Library and Academic Services website, Melissa monitored the candidates progress in browsing the web pages, taking notes as to the success or failure of the candidate in resolving each task.

It is true that you do not know how easy or hard a designed task might be until you observe an average person attempt to complete it. Melissa did this through a WebEx session with each candidate. It is an ingenious way to conduct a usability test, and Melissa was able to adeptly conduct the testing, all the while taking note of the challenges met by the users.

In case you were not aware, the Library and Academic Services website is quite deep, and contains information on services offered by the Library, Academic Success Centre, and Assessment Services. Some of the tasks were easily resolved by the users, such as:

• Where would you go to find the hours for NDC and EDC campus?  
• You are browsing the LAS website and want to ask a Library staff a question. How would you ask a question or request help? 
• You are an instructor who would like to schedule an in-class Academic Skills workshop for your students. Where would you go to request this workshop?
• You have a student in your class who you would like to refer for tutoring. What instruction would you provide the student to request or connect with a tutor on their own? 
• You are looking for information about Copyright, where would you go to find this?

Other questions posed to be more difficult for the users, indicating adjustments may be necessary on the web site:

• You are an instructor who has assigned a research paper to your students for a specific topic and would like to reserve a selection of books for your class at the Library – how would you do this?
• You have a student who is unfamiliar with LEARN and struggling to access course materials, submit assignments, and participate in online discussions . You would like to connect them with a tutor for help – how would you do this?
• You’d like to share some self-directed resources with your students with a focus on study skills. Where would you find these?

Clearly we have more work to do to improve the Library and Academic Services website. In fact, we recognize that a website must be continuously managed, meaning changes are always necessary, and future testing will always be a smart step.

In addition to areas of improvement, the testing has shown us that our process of user-centric design is working. For the most part, we discovered that our Instructor persona was able to use the website to complete the tasks built into the user-interface.

When we build a web site, we think we can do plenty by considering how users will interact with the site. However, until we have some real users try the site, and we watch how they do it, we cannot know the whole story.

So, take our advice. Arrange for a few users to test your web site!

Mark Nelson
Library Systems Specialist
Red River College Polytechnic

A time to honour and learn

June is National Indigenous History Month, a time dedicated to honouring the vibrant history, culture, strength and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada. What better time to take advantage of the latest new arrivals in the Library’s Indigenous section?

These timely resources offer the opportunity to broaden your understanding of the experiences and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples. Many thanks to Sarah Lee for maintaining the Library’s Indigenous Collection.

New arrivals to our Indigenous collection

#NotYourPrincess: voices of Native American women / Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale.

Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. #Not Your Princess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. 

Surviving the city / Tasha Spillett; Natasha Donovan.

Tasha Spillet’s graphic-novel debut, Surviving the City, is a story about womanhood, friendship, resilience, and the anguish of a missing loved one. Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan’s Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape – they’re so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together.

Returning to ceremony: spirituality in Manitoba Métis communities / Chantal Fiola.

Returning to Ceremony is the follow-up to Chantal Fiola’s award-winning Rekindling the Sacred Fire and continues her ground-breaking examination of Métis spirituality, debunking stereotypes such as “all Métis people are Catholic,” and “Métis people do not go to ceremonies.”

Me tomorrow: Indigenous views on the future / compiled and edited by Drew Hayden Taylor.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists, activists, educators and writers, youth and elders come together to envision Indigenous futures in Canada and around the world. Discussing everything from language renewal to sci-fi, this collection is a powerful and important expression of imagination rooted in social critique, cultural experience, traditional knowledge, activism and the multifaceted experiences of Indigenous people on Turtle Island. 

The Prairie Chicken dance tour / Dawn Dumont.

The hilarious story of an unlikely group of Indigenous dancers who find themselves thrown together on a performance tour of Europe in 1972. The Tour is all prepared. The Prairie Chicken dance troupe is all set for a fifteen-day trek through Europe, performing at festivals and cultural events. But then the performers all come down with the flu. And John Greyeyes, a retired cowboy who hasn’t danced in fifteen years, finds himself abruptly thrust into the position of leading a hastily-assembled group of replacement dancers.

Borders / story by Thomas King; illustration by Natasha Donovan.

A graphic-novel adaptation based on the work of one of Canada’s most revered and bestselling authors. “What side do you come from?” On a trip to visit his older sister, who moved away from the family home to Salt Lake City, a young boy and his mother are posed a simple question with a not so simple answer. And when border guards will not accept their citizenship, mother and son wind up trapped in an all-too-real limbo between nations that do not recognize who they are.

We remember the coming of the white man / editors: Sarah Stewart and Raymond Yakeleya; authors: Walter Blondin [and others].

A work in progress since the 1970s, We Remember the Coming of the White Man chronicles the history of the Dene People in the extraordinary time of the early 20th century. Chapters are transcripts of oral histories of ten Elders.

My privilege, my responsibility: a memoir / Sheila North.

In September 2015, Sheila North was declared the Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), the first woman elected to the position. Known as a “bridge builder”, North is a member of Bunibonibee Cree Nation. North’s work in advocacy journalism, communications, and economic development harnessed her passion for drawing focus to systemic racism faced by Indigenous women and girls. 

We all go back to the land: the who, why, and how of land acknowledgements / Suzanne Keeptwo.

Land Acknowledgements often begin academic conferences, cultural events, government press gatherings, and even hockey games. They are supposed to be an act of Reconciliation between Indigenous people in Canada and non-Indigenous Canadians, but they have become so routine and formulaic that they have sometimes lost meaning. Métis artist and educator Suzanne Keeptwo sees the Land Acknowledgement as an opportunity for Indigenous people in Canada to communicate their worldview to non-Indigenous Canadians–a message founded upon Age Old Wisdom about how to sustain the Land we all want to call home.

Did you see us?: reunion, remembrance, and reclamation at an urban Indian residential school / Survivors of the Assiniboia Residential School ; [edited by Andrew Woolford, Morgan Fontaine, and Theodore Fontaine].

The Assiniboia school is unique within Canada’s Indian Residential School system. It was the first residential high school in Manitoba and one of the only residential schools in Canada to be located in a large urban setting. Stitching together memories of arrival at, day-to-day life within, and departure from the school with a socio-historical reconstruction of the school and its position in both Winnipeg and the larger residential school system, Did You See Us? offers a glimpse of Assiniboia that is not available in the archival records. 

Nothing will be different: a memoir / Tara McGowan-Ross.

A neurotic party girl’s coming-of-age memoir about learning to live before getting ready to die. Tara has it pretty good: a nice job, a writing career, a forgiving boyfriend. She should be happy. Yet Tara can’t stay sober. She’s terrible at monogamy. Even her psychiatrist grows sick of her and stops returning her calls. She spends most of her time putting out social fires, barely pulling things off, and feeling sick and tired. Then, in the autumn following her twenty-seventh birthday, an abnormal lump discovered in her left breast serves as the catalyst for a journey of rigorous self-questioning. 

Dadibaajim: returning home through narrative / Helen Olsen Agger.

Dadibaajim narratives are of and from the land, born from experience and observation. Invoking this critical Anishinaabe methodology for teaching and learning, Helen Agger documents and reclaims the history, identity, and inherent entitlement of the Namegosibii Anishinaabeg to the care, use, and occupation of their Trout Lake homelands. 

Indian in the cabinet: speaking truth to power / Jody Wilson-Raybould.

A compelling political memoir of leadership and speaking truth to power by one of the most inspiring women of her generation. This is the story of why Wilson-Raybould got into federal politics, her experience as an Indigenous leader sitting around the Cabinet table, her proudest achievements, the very public SNC-Lavalin affair, and how she got out and moved forward.

Intimate integration: a history of the Sixties Scoop and the colonization of Indigenous kinship / Allyson D. Stevenson.

Privileging Indigenous voices and experiences, Intimate Integration documents the rise and fall of North American transracial adoption projects, including the Adopt Indian and Métis Project and the Indian Adoption Project. Making profound contributions to the history of settler-colonialism in Canada, it sheds light on the complex reasons behind persistent social inequalities in child welfare.

Di-bayn-di-zi-win: to own ourselves: embodying Ojibway-Anishinabe ways / Jerry Fontaine & Don McCaskill.

An indigenized, de-colonized world view for Indigenous leaders and academics seeking a path to reconciliation. Authors makwa ogimaa (Jerry Fontaine) and ka-pi-ta-aht (Don McCaskill) tell their di-bah-ji-mo-wi-nan (personal stories) to understand the cultural, political, social, and academic events in the past fifty years of Ojibway-Anishinabe resistance in Canada.

These are the stories: memories of a 60s Scoop survivor / Christine Miskonoodinkwe-Smith.

A collection of essays from a 60’s Scoop Survivor.

Home waltz / G.A. Grisenthwaite.

A story of love, heartbreak, and tragedy, Home Waltz delves into suicide, alcohol abuse, body image, and systemic racism. A coming of age story like no other, Home Waltz speaks to one Indigenous teenager’s experience of growing up in a world that doesn’t want or trust him.

Life in the city of dirty water: a memoir of healing / Clayton Thomas-Müller.

An electrifying memoir that braids together the urgent issues of Indigenous rights and environmental policy, from a nationally and internationally recognized activist and survivor. Tying together personal stories of survival that bring the realities of Canada’s First Nations into sharp focus, and lessons learned from a career as a frontline activist committed to addressing environmental injustice at a global scale, Thomas-Müller offers a narrative and vision of healing and responsibility.

Tainna = The unseen ones: short stories / Norma Dunning.

Drawing on both lived experience and cultural memory, Norma Dunning brings together six powerful new short stories centred on modern-day Inuk characters in Tainna. Ranging from homeless to extravagantly wealthy, from spiritual to jaded, young to elderly, and even from alive to deceased, Dunning’s characters are united by shared feelings of alienation, displacement and loneliness resulting from their experiences in southern Canada.

Daughters of the deer / Danielle Daniel.

In this haunting, groundbreaking, historical novel, Danielle Daniel imagines the lives of her ancestors in the Algonquin territories of the 1600s, a story inspired by her family link to a girl murdered near Trois-Rivières in the early days of French settlement.

Sugar Falls : a residential school story / David Robertson; illustratration by Scott Henderson.

From Governor-General’s Award-winning writer David A. Robertson comes this special edition of the timeless graphic novel that introduced the world to the awe-inspiring resilience of Betty Ross, and shared her story of strength, family, and culture.

The trail of Nenaboozhoo and other creation stories / Bomgiizhik; illustrated and edited by Christi Belcourt.

This collection presents legends of Nenaboozhoo, the Ojibway creator spirit, along with other creation stories; sacred stories which were transcribed from the oral storytelling of Isaac Murdoch. The Trail of Nenaboozhoo and Other Creation Stories is a book of art and storytelling that preserve the legends of the Anishinaabe people.

Old Stories, New Ways / Vivian Manasc & Frits Pannekoek.

Through the profound lessons of the seven Grandfather Teachings, architect Vivian Manasc came to understand that the process of planning and designing a building should be a circle, with the beginning and end of the story linked together. The stories Vivian tells in Old Stories, New Ways are also framed by these teachings of Courage, Love, Wisdom, Respect, Truth, Humility and Honesty, with each teaching illuminating an aspect of how working with Dene, Cree, Saulteaux, Métis, Inuit and Inuvialuit communities has influenced her design practice.

Have a comment or question? Connect with the Library!

You may reach us through our Ask Us chat, our Ask a Question form, or visit one of our service desks during regular Library hours. We would love to hear from you!

Written by Linda Fox and Sarah Lee – Library and Academic Services

Pride will officially kick off in Winnipeg on May 27^th with the Human Rights Conference. Pride is a celebration of confidence, self-respect, and solidarity as expressed by 2SLGBTQIA+ people, associated with openness about one’s own sexual and/or gender identity, and the celebration of Queer culture and history. It is also a protest in support of human rights and equality for all those who express sexual and gender diversity. This protest demands political, industry, health care, and community leaders address the human rights concerns of the Queer community and move toward positive and informed change.

Encouraging allyship is important for everyone and helps to make the world a more inclusive and affirming place.  We encourage you to activate your allyship by exploring queer resources, data, and history. Our Guides are subject and database specific curated collections of library and external resources, that provide instruction, and “jumping off points” for unlocking your full capacity to find well sourced and high quality resources and information.

Below we have highlighted our Guides that contain resources to support learning about gender and sexual diversity. Learning is an important part of allyship.  The impact of 2SLGBTQIA+ -specific allyship also extends beyond benefiting Queer identities by decreasing the likelihood of implicit and explicit bias, and removing barriers to true inclusion.

Why Diversity Matters:

When talking about the complexities of cultural identities, we sometimes focus on ethnicity, language, or religion. However, gender and sexual diversity also play a key role in our identities and day-to-day lives. As part of our efforts to foster respect and inclusion, we need to recognize our cultural biases or assumptions, regarding expectations of gender roles/expressions. Rather than either/or, gender and sexual identities are unique, fluid and complex.

Use our Guides – Find Information on Gender and Sexual Diversity:

Guide: Intercultural Competence & Diversity – Gender and Sexual Diversity

Why Health and Well Being Matters:

Sexual health can be a challenging issue to discuss in the clinical context. Studies have reported that some health care providers may face barriers to discussing sexual health with their 2SLGBTQIA+ patients, including lack of knowledge of same-sex sexual practices.

“Although 2SLGBTQIA+  people are as diverse as the general Canadian population in their experiences of mental health and well-being, they face higher risks for some mental health issues due to the effects of discrimination and the social determinants of health.”[i]

Use our Guides – Find Gender and Sexually Diverse Health and Well Being Information:

Guide: Gender Studies for Health Professionals 

Guide: Indigenous Health & Well-Being, Two-Spirit Resources

Guide: Sexual Violence Awareness – Education, Prevention and Supports – 2SLGBTQIA+ Perspectives

Why Statistics Matter:

Statistics around gender and sexual diversity help us gain a better understanding of the Queer experience and help researches, advocates and the Queer community use data to illustrate the concerns of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Statistics can also be used to track the impact of policy changes that effect 2SLGBTQIA+ people as a whole, or within more specific identity groups. This helps ensure data informed decisions are made when advocating for positive change or advocating against changes that will negatively impact the needs of gender and sexually diverse people. Statistics are a powerful lens through which we can view the Queer experience and community.

Queer statistics are often in short supply.  “Earlier this month, Canada made history by becoming the first country in the world to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people! This type of data is so important not only because it allows all Canadians to see themselves in national statistics, but also because it helps to fill a long-standing information gap on gender diversity.”[iii]

Use our Guides: Find Statistics and Search Instruction:

Guide: Health Indicators & Health-based Statistics See “Looking for Specific Populations”

Guide: Statistics Canada See “Looking for Specific Populations”

On behalf of the RRC Polytech Library we wish everyone a safe and happy Pride. We remain dedicated to providing a respectful atmosphere that is diverse, inclusive and equitable to our students, staff and external partners. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths and our goal is to provide a barrier free environment for individuals to succeed in their academic, employment and research goals.

Written by Ebony Novakowski, Copyright Officer

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[i] “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Queer identified People and Mental Health”, Canadian Mental Health Association, https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/lesbian-gay-bisexual-trans-queer-identified-people-and-mental-health/

[ii] “Representation is an essential part of treating everyone with dignity and equality (SDG 10)”, Colleges and Institutes Canada, last modified May 16th 2022, Perspectives, May 16 (collegesinstitutes.ca)

Increase Adoption of OER and Electronic Resources: A Key Action for High-Quality Learning

As indicated as a key action of high-quality learning at Red Forum 2022, the Library Team is here to help support instructors in finding high-quality electronic educational resources. The pandemic has blurred the lines between” in-person” learning and “remote” digital classrooms. The RRC Polytech Library is here to support instructors in locating resources that can withstand the need to shift learning environments nimbly.

We invite instructors who may have struggled with format shifts using their current teaching materials, or those who are seeking alternatives to current textbooks, to consider the shift to Open Educational Resources (OER). These are educational materials such as textbooks, problem sets, slide decks, lesson plans, handouts, infographics, and other educational content that can be used for free and without permission.

Advantages of OER

OERs are published under an open license, such as Creative Commons. This allows several key advantages:

1. Instructors can switch the format of materials with ease and without concern for the violation of copyright, these resources can be printed or remain in digital versions for students.
2. Instructors can Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix and Redistribute the materials freely without violating copyright.
3. OER use allows for cost savings for students when suitable OER can be located to replace course materials students pay for out of pocket.

More Information

Learn more about OER as well as past faculty education sessions held over the past two years: visit the Faculty Support OER Page.

See the impact of our current OER use at RRC Polytech in this 2-minute video: OER Impact Video.

Find support at the RRC Polytech Library to get started with OER: contact the Copyright Officer.

Written by Ebony Novakowski – Copyright Officer

Planning for Fall? It’s a Great Time to Incorporate Our Supports

Spring is often the time to update course content and plan for fall, and it’s also a great time to incorporate supports offered by Library and Academic Services. In this article, we highlight popular ways we can help you and your students succeed at RRC Polytech. For future reference, we encourage you to bookmark our Faculty Support page which contains links to the complete range of services and supports we offer. 

In-Class Workshops

The Academic Success Centre and Library offer online in-class workshops for student cohorts at the request of faculty. Our suite of workshops includes Academic Skills, Writing Skills, Technology Literacy Skills, Library Instruction, and Copyright.

To request an in-class workshop, please click the links below:

• Academic Skills Workshops
• Writing Workshops
• Technology Literacy Workshops
• Library Instruction Workshops
• Copyright Workshops
• Hybrid LEARNing Modules – Facilitated Sessions

Hybrid LEARNing Modules

The Academic Success Centre and Library have developed a suite of Hybrid LEARNing Modules. The purpose of these modules is to offer learning strategies and resources that faculty can share with their students to further develop foundational skills for success in their studies. The modules feature self-directed tutorials in LEARN and facilitated live sessions via Webex (or MS Teams).

To request a Hybrid LEARNing Module or book a facilitated live session, please fill out this Request Form.

Academic Success Centre

While the ASC is primarily a student service unit, our staff have found that partnerships with faculty are the best way to support students. Partnerships can take many forms, including customized and embedded academic supports in programs, in-class workshops, diagnostic assessments, and the sharing of our learning resources.

To learn more, visit the Academic Success Centre’s Supports for Faculty and Staff page.

Library Collections and Related Services

Suggest a Purchase

The primary purpose of the Library’s collections is to support learning, instruction and research at RRC Polytech. If you have suggestions for a new title or resource to add to our collection, you may fill out the Suggest a Purchase form. Our subject specialists are available to discuss subject area gaps in the collection as well as Open Educational Resources (OER) options with you.  

Guides

The Library’s Guides are curated lists of resources on specialized topics. We can help you find which guides are most relevant for your students or work with you to develop a new Guide to meet your needs. The benefits of Guides are far-reaching for both students and instructors. Below are a few success stories resulting from instructors utilizing Guides.

Guide Success Stories

• Library staff member works with instructors to create a “robust resource” for Engineering Technology students
• Oncology Nursing Guide: A Collaboration
• Nursing Instructors Discuss Benefits of Library Guides

Research and Reference Services

Also, you may be looking for information, either for your own research needs, course development, or course readings. Library staff are skilled at locating and referencing information, and it would be a pleasure to assist with that. To connect with a Library staff member, visit us in person or through our Ask Us chat during regular Library hours.

Copyright

Copyright plays an important role when instructors are building content and creating course materials. Our P7 Policy provides guidance around copying but there is also a suite of library-directed copyright services to support and assist faculty in navigating copyright.

The Library’s Copyright Officer supports faculty with the following services:

You can:

• Check your copying decisions against our policy using our self-serve Fair Dealing Tool.
• Learn more about Copyright by Visiting our Copyright Resource Page.
• Find Images that you can use for teaching and instruction in our Open Image Collections & Image Use Guide.
• Book Copyright instruction for your department or students
• Contact the Copyright Officer with questions, or to request services and support.

Connect with Us!

More information about our services and supports is available on our website. You may also connect with us through Ask Us chat, our Ask a Question form, or visit one of our service desks during regular Library hours.

Written by Ebony Novakowski, Linda Fox, and Melissa Coyle – Library and Academic Services

Acoustic noise-reducing pod provides quiet haven in open offices and common spaces. Demo available for a limited time in the NDC Library!

An adaptable, modular pod

As we prepare to come back to campus and are looking to navigate blended learning and the continuation of connecting virtually, both instructors and support staff are looking to complement their spaces with areas for private meetings and concentrated, independent work.  

An adaptable modular “pod” provides a quiet, private, and comfortable meeting space in the office. Spaces like these can offer options for private meetings or video conferencing, webinars, heads down work, private phone calls or a place to meet with students. The “pods” can come in many sizes with different options to suit the function you are looking for. Campus Renewal is exploring the Hush Hybrid and the Hush Meet options. The demo we have on site is a smaller version of this the Hush Phone.  

We want your opinion!

For a limited time only, a demo pod will be available in the Notre Dame Campus Library. Campus Renewal is exploring this new Space Type and wants to hear from you! Come visit and tell us what you think.

If you have questions, or, you and your team would like to arrange a meeting to see and discuss the booth, feel free to reach out to Lisa Kirton. The demo can also be viewed at your own convenience during Library hours.

More News! Newly Sprung this Spring at the Notre Dame Campus: “In-Between Spaces”

Campus Renewal recently installed two “In-Between Spaces,” which provide a welcoming space for students to hang out, do some work, and charge their devices (power coming to the spaces soon!).

These modern spaces add aesthetic appeal yet is also functional in providing students with a comfortable space to relax and “recharge.” These new spaces are located in the Mall Level at the bottom of the bus loop and in the J Building at the Notre Dame Campus.

Written by Linda Fox (Library and Academic Services) and Lisa Kirton (Campus Renewal)

“World book and copyright day is a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books – a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures.”[i]

“By championing books and copyright, UNESCO stands up for creativity, diversity and equal access to knowledge,… literacy and mobile learning and advancing Open Access to scientific knowledge and educational resources.”[ii]

World book and copyright day takes place 23 April which is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. The day highlights the importance of creator and creator rights in the creation of literature. Without authors, editors, researchers, and scientists, and creators, brilliant works that inspire us across the generations would not come to exist.

Being aware of your responsibility when engaging with copyright protected works is a key part of respecting the work of authors and creators. This is why at RRC Poly Tech we have a Fair Dealing Tool to assist staff, faculty and students in making sound copyright decisions to ensure the rights of creators are respected when using copyright protected works to teach and learn, while ensuring compliance with our Copyright Policy.

The RRC Polytech Library supports the rights of content creators under the Copyright Act of Canada. Our acquisitions budget directly purchases materials and subscriptions to resources for use by our faculty and students.

UNESCO in championing world book and copyright day indicate a strong importance between the balance of creator and user rights under copyright. They highlight their desire for “equal access to knowledge” and “Open Access to scientific knowledge and educational resources.” At the RRC Poly tech library we do our part by supporting our staff and faculty in locating and adopting Open Educational Resources. Visit our “OER” support page to see how Open Education can work for you.

In the quest to provide equal access to knowledge we recognize that successful copyright means effectively balancing the rights of users and content creators. Libraries in Canada have stood united in opposition to the CUSMA term extension which will delay access to a large body of copyright-protected works that have no commercial value and are therefore unlikely to be made available to the Canadian public by rightsholders.

This 20 year term extension extends the rights of creators beyond the current term of which a work remains in copyright. Currently materials once created are protected under copyright for the life of the creator, plus 50 years after death of the creator. The extension will extend this to 70 years past the death of the creator.

“The two biggest issues for libraries concerning the 20-year copyright term extension are:

• the diminishment of the public domain resulting from a two-decade freeze on many works entering it, and;
• the related problems regarding use of (or access to) orphan and out-of-commerce works, which create additional burdens on libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs)”[iii]

To learn more about how Copyright Term extension will impact teachers and students check out:
Episode 78: Jennifer Jenkins on What Copyright Term Extension Could Mean for Canada

If you have questions about copyright reach out to our copyright officer for support.

Written by Ebony Novakowski, Copyright Officer

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[i] “World Book and Copyright Day”, Unesco, last modified April 23, 2021, https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldbookday

[ii] “World Book and Copyright Day”, Unesco, last modified April 23, 2021, https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldbookday

[iii] “CFLA/CARL Joint Response to Consultation on Copyright Term Extension”, CFLA FCAB Guidelines and Position Papers, last modified March 29, 2021, http://cfla-fcab.ca/en/guidelines-and-position-papers/

Do you ever get overwhelmed when looking for materials in the Library’s collection? Do you feel clumsy about research, wish it was easier, or just need some guidance? If you answered yes, then our lunchtime mini-sessions are for you!

At Library Lunch and Learn, you’ll get an overview of subject-specific databases and learn ways to improve your research and citing skills. Each 30-minute online session is free for RRC Polytech staff and students!

Spring sessions run from March 29 to April 26. See below to learn about individual sessions and to register.

PART 1 – For Students Who Research and Cite

OneSearch: The Library’s Search Engine – March 29 at 12:15pm

The Library’s main search tool is similar to Google, however it is tailored to find materials in our Library. In this session, you will receive an overview of OneSearch, the tool that allows you to search, access, and enjoy the Library’s various collections.

Getting Started with Research* – March 31 at 12:15pm

This session provides the guidance you need for a solid start on your research. We provide an overview of various information sources, as well as the benefits and pitfalls of each. We also provide tips for staying organized and planning your project. At the end of this session, you will have a clearer idea of how to start your research.

*Related session: Enhancing Your Research Skills

Getting Started with APA Style 7^th Edition – April 4 at 12:15pm

A post-secondary student’s first time following any academic writing style can, at first, feel scary and overwhelming. But don’t worry, the RRC Polytech Library is here to help you get ready to use APA confidently and competently.

This session will introduce you to the purpose and basic conventions of citing sources in-text and in a reference list using the APA Style 7th Edition. It will also include a demonstration of the many student-friendly APA resources available through RRC Polytech Library.

Enhancing Your Research Skills* – April 7 at 12:15pm

When it comes to research, many of us struggle with creating keywords and building them into useful search strategies. After this session, you will be familiar with how to break down your search question, find keywords, and use operators to create useful search strategies. These are essential skills which enable you to succeed in your research.

*Related session: Getting Started with Research

RefWorks: Reference Management – April 12 at 12:15pm

RefWorks simplifies the process of research, collaboration, data organization, and writing by providing an easy-to-use tool for citation, bibliography, and reference management. Learn the basics of using this web-based tool and make writing your papers that much easier.

PART 2 – For Nursing Students

Nursing Reference Center Plus – April 19 at 12:15pm

Designed specifically for nurses, this premier resource provides evidence-based information for point-of-care, along with skills videos, continuing education, drug databases, nursing research, and more. Come learn what the new Nursing Reference Center (NRC) PLUS can do for you.

The New PubMed – April 26 at 12:15pm

PubMed is an open-access database, created by the National Library of Medicine, that contains more than 30 million citations and abstracts of peer-reviewed biomedical literature. PubMed is used by researchers the world over. In this session, we will explore the multiple facets of the popular PubMed database.

Have questions?

Connect with us through ‘Ask Us’ at library.rrc.ca or visit us in person during regular Library hours. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you!

Written by Linda Fox, Program Support and Promotion

The last couple of years has seen a transformation in education and teaching techniques. The transition to largely online learning saw many educators quickly having to relearn how to deliver and rewrite their course content to match. Not all course materials and delivery methods transitioned easily to an online delivery model, and everyone had to work double-time developing new content, and searching out alternative materials. Throughout, Open Education Resource’s (OER’s) made this job easier, and lot more affordable, both institutionally, and for students.

OER’s. Applaud them. They are the real MVP’s. Going out there every day, offering themselves up to be reviewed, taken apart, and reassembled – within the limits of what their creative commons licenses stipulate, of course – all to meet so many different needs and applications, and asking almost nothing in return… well, maybe attribution (see how to use OER’s correctly.)

If you have never used an OER (as unlikely as that seems) find out about them today. It’s Open Education Week and there are lots of great open-access online resources to learn about and adopt. A great place to start learning about OER’s is the RRC Polytech Libraries OER Guide

OER’s come in all shapes and sizes, for every education level, but it is important to know where to find ones that are open access, copyright free, and fit your curricular needs.

In recognition of Open Education week, here is a list of just some of the many great OER resources available online.

Textbooks

• Textbook (eBook) Open Resources For Nursing (Open Rn) Nursing Fundamentals
• Textbook (eBook) Open Resources For Nursing (Open Rn) Nursing Skills

Open Textbook Repositories in Canada

• BCcampus: Open Textbook Collection
• eCampusOntario: Open Library
• Manitoba Open Textbook Initiative

Learning Resource Repositories

• Sol*r: Shareable Online Learning Resources
• Skills Commons
• MIT Open Courseware

Search Tools

• The Mason OER Metafinder (MOM)
• Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) This tool will simultaneously search 44 different open content sources.

Need a process for evaluating whether an OER resource is appropriate for your purpose? Try this OER Evaluation Checklist adapted from Kirkwood Community College Library.

When using OER’s, it’s important to know how to identify licenses and credit appropriately, but don’t let that intimidate you. You can easily learn all about creative commons licenses and how to use OER’s correctly.

Still feeling lost on how to use something you found online? Did you know that Red River College Polytech Library and Academic Services has a Copyright Officer? Ebony Novakowski, is your copyright expert on using all forms of media on LEARN, in presentations, and more! You can find out even more on the Libraries copyright page.

Artemis Hedrich
Reference Technician
Library and Academic Services, Information & Program Delivery
Red River College Polytechnic

Image credit: freepik.com, Electrical neon ‘open’ signage Free Psd

Starting March 7th, the Academic Success Centre (LAS) is kicking off it’s second Motivation Mondays workshop series of the term! We’ve scheduled six new interactive 30-minute workshops – bright and early – to support students in finishing their Winter term strong.

Our facilitators will provide students with active learning strategies and tools to enhance their academic success and pose discussion questions to encourage self-reflection and goal setting for the remainder of the term.

Students can pre-register by clicking the links below: