Thrive Week intends to provide an opportunity to develop skills and mindset to flourish and be healthy – socially, physically, spiritually, and mentally. Building a sense of belonging and connectedness, with strong empathetic relationships, is essential.

To support your Thrive journey, Library Services has curated a short playlist of LinkedIn Learning courses that can help you:

• develop a positive mindset for life success
• understand one’s own personal values
• build personal confidence and resilience
• enhance listening skills

Check out these free resources by signing in to LinkedIn Learning!

Video: Six anti-success habits with Chris Croft

Take a short break and learn six anti-success habits that can create a barrier to success if you don’t become aware of them and avoid them.

Duration: 4m 14s

Course: Cultivating a Growth Mindset with Gemma Leigh Roberts

Mindset is a choice. Learn how to cultivate a growth mindset in order to achieve your true potential.

Duration: 58m 57s

Course: Developing Self-Awareness with Gemma Leigh Roberts

Learn how to become more self-aware in order to develop yourself personally and enhance career progression.

Duration: 1h 0m

Course: Enhancing Resilience with Gemma Leigh Roberts

Being resilient will not only help you overcome challenges—it will help you thrive. Learn how to create a proactive plan to build your resilience, maintain it in the face of challenges, and track your progress over time.

Duration: 53m 29s

Course: Developing your Emotional Intelligence with Gemma Leigh Roberts

Align your intentions and your impact so that you can build strong and collaborative relationships.

Duration: 1h 10m

Course: Effective Listening with Brenda Bailey-Hughes and Tatiana Kolovou

Assess your current listening skills, understand the challenges to effective listening (such as distractions!), and develop behaviors that will allow you to become a better listener.

Duration: 1h 8m

For more information about these resources, you can contact Nora Sobel (Diversity Initiatives Coordinator) at nsobel@rrc.ca or 204.632.2404.

For information on how to use your LinkedIn Learning account, click here.

–Posted by Nora Sobel, Library Services

Image by croisy from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/images/id-2175404/)

Laughter: A Natural Remedy for Stress

According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter is one of the BEST ways to relieve stress. The article Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke explains the short- and long-term benefits of laughter on the human body and mind. It can help you cope, boost your immune system, stimulate organs, soothe tension, and improve your mood.

Even a fake smile or laugh is good for us. In her article Sixteen Stress Busters: Positive Changes to Take Stress Away, Lauren Parsons says that it can “often lead to real laughter, which lifts our mood and releases chemicals in the body that make us feel great, all while combating stress.”

Laura McShane, who works for the Grand River Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association believes in the power of laughter as well. In Laughter’s healing powers focus of Mental Health Week, she describes laughter’s physical benefits:

“It helps the liver better process the stress hormone adrenalin, decreases blood pressure, increases oxygen intake and circulation, stimulates the immune system and releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemical… Laughter can help people cope better and boost resilience for when they hit a rough patch… There are many little and free ways to bring more joy and humour into life.”

Are you looking for “little and free ways” to enjoy some laughter? For a free dose of laugh therapy, and information about THRIVE Week activities, read on.

Laugh Therapy, Courtesy of NFB

In honour of THRIVE Week (November 4-8), RRC Library would like to get you in the laughing mood. We have a line-up of hilarious award-winning animation selected from the Library’s  NFB Campus collection. Click on the thumbnail image then log in with your College ID when prompted. Hope you have a great laugh!

The Big Snit

This poignant and hilarious animated film perfectly captures the intersection of a domestic quarrel and a global nuclear war. Enjoyed by millions of fans, this film is a classic example of Richard Condie’s off-the-wall humour.

Bob’s Birthday

A witty, offbeat animated portrait of a frustrated dentist wrestling with the fundamental issues of life proves that birthdays (and surprise parties) can be very tricky indeed.

The Danish Poet

Kasper, a poet whose creative well has run dry, is on a holiday in Norway in search of inspiration. As his quest unfolds, a spell of bad weather, an angry dog, slippery barn planks, a careless postman, hungry goats and other seemingly unrelated factors end up playing roles in the big scheme of things.

Strange Invaders

An animated short about a new addition to the family. Part science-fiction, part autobiography, Strange Invaders is another irrepressible comedy by Cordell Barker.

The Cat Came Back

This hilarious animation is based on the century-old folk song of the same name. Old Mr. Johnson makes increasingly manic attempts to rid himself of a little yellow cat that just won’t stay away…

Runaway

Set to the rousing music of Ben Charest (Triplets of Belleville), this animated short takes you on a journey that is both funny and disastrous.

You may also like:

>> NFB’s Animation Channel 

>> The Shortest Day Playlist on NFB 

How to THRIVE at the Library…

Light Therapy

RRC Library hosts wellness activities year-round. As part of a joint program between Healthy Minds Healthy College, we offer light therapy to soothe winter blues. A permanent station is set up at the EDC and NDC Libraries. We also have portable “happy lights” that you may borrow for one-hour periods at a time.

>> Read more about light therapy: Light Therapy – Mayo Clinic

Puzzle and Colouring Therapy

Other wellness activities include “Puzzle Therapy” and “Colouring Therapy” at the NDC library. Come visit us any time you need to take a break from the grind.

Library Collection

In collaboration with Healthy Minds Healthy College, RRC Library has curated a selection of Wellness resources for you. Visit the Healthy Minds Healthy College Library Guide and the Healthy Minds Healthy College Library Collection for more information.

College-wide THRIVE Week Activities (Nov 4-8)

THRIVE Week is filled with free self-care events. Healthy Minds Healthy College has planned several THRIVE Week activities. With therapy dog visits, paint night, a lunch hour comedy show and much more, there’s something for everyone.

More information:

>> Thrive Week Activities – NDC

>> Thrive Week Activities – EDC

Happy THRIVE Week, everyone!

–Posted by Linda Fox, Library Services

A variety of trades are offered at RRC and the Library is here to support trades students as they explore woodworking, cabinetry and carpentry, electrical, plumbing, power engineering and welding.

Find the SKILLED TRADES guides here:

library.rrc.ca/Trades

or

1. Go to library.rrc.ca
2. Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
3. Select the subject box – SKILLED TRADES – to see all the guides on this subject
4. Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.

Guides in this collection include:

• Carpentry and Woodworking (https://library.rrc.ca/Carpentry_woodworking)
• Manufacturing Technology (https://library.rrc.ca/ManufacturingTech)
• Plumbing (https://library.rrc.ca/plumbing)
• Power Engineering (https://library.rrc.ca/powereng)
• Welding (https://library.rrc.ca/welding)

Related guides of interest

• National Research Council Building Codes (Database Instruction) (https://library.rrc.ca/NRC)
• Electrical Engineering Technology (https://library.rrc.ca/electrical)

What is a Guide?

Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.

Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).

Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.

We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.

Are you baking breads, pastry, shortbreads, cakes and desserts? This guide will help you find information to improve your technique and expand your palate.

Included in this guide is a special section on special occasion cakes, wedding cakes and the special techniques required to decorate these edible works of art.

Find the PROFESSIONAL BAKING AND PATISSERIE guide here:

library.rrc.ca/ProfessionalBakingandPatisserie

or

1. Go to library.rrc.ca
2. Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
3. Select the subject box – PROFESSIONAL BAKING AND PATISSERIE is in the Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Tourism section – to see all the guides on this subject
4. Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.

Other guides you may find interesting:

• Food and Kitchen Safety (library.rrc.ca/FoodKitchenSafety)
• Restaurant Management (library.rrc.ca/restaurant)
• Indigenous Culinary Arts (library.rrc.ca/Indigenous_Culinary)

What is a Guide?

Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.

Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).

Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.

We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.

Nursing, Paramedic and Allied Health Students! Are you doing your clinical study and need drug information? Are you doing dosage calculation or studying pharmacology? This is the guide for you.

Find here books (and ebooks) on these topics as well as shortcuts to instructions for the best databases in our collection to get the information you need.

Find the DRUG INFORMATION FOR NURSES guide here:

library.rrc.ca/drug_information

or

1. Go to library.rrc.ca
2. Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
3. Select the subject box – the  DRUG INFORMATION FOR NURSES, PARAMEDICS AND ALLIED HEALTH STUDENTS guide is in the Nursing, Allied Health & Life Sciences section – to see all the guides on this subject
4. Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.

Other guides you may find interesting:

• Nursing (library.rrc.ca/nursing)
• Paramedicine & Primary Care Paramedic Guide (library.rrc.ca/paramedicine)
• Indigenous Health & Well-Being (library.rrc.ca/IndigenousHealth)

What is a Guide?

Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.

Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).

Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.

We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.

As part of Media Literacy Week, the Library is excited to welcome Jacques Marcoux, a CBC News investigative reporter, for a discussion on misinformation in the media and what that means for both those who consume it and those who produce it.

Date: Friday, October 11th, 2019

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Location: Lecture Theatre (A104), Exchange District Campus, 160 Princess Street

Seating: E-mail jzimmerly@rrc.ca to reserve your seat. Space is limited.

Jacques Marcoux is a CBC News investigative reporter specializing in data analysis. Previously he worked as a multiplatform reporter for the CBC’s French network Radio-Canada, as a public relations officer in the agricultural industry and worked in competitive intelligence gathering in the financial industry.

You can view recent stories from Jacques here.

Be sure to check out more Break the Fake tips and resources here.

In an age of information overload, it’s easy to consume as much as we can without considering where it came from or what the consequences might be. It can take long enough just to read a piece of information, let alone to verify it and decide whether or not it holds any water.

MediaSmarts’ Break the Fake logo

This year’s Media Literacy Week theme is Break the Fake, and the Library wants to help you make breaking the fake news cycle a little less daunting and a little more empowering. Here are 4 tips to help you break the fake!

Tip #1: Use fact-checking tools

Perhaps the most obvious way to make sure what you’re reading is true is to confirm the facts being presented. There are many fact-checking websites that do this regularly so a quick pit-stop after reading a news story is sometimes all it takes to debunk fake news. Here’s a list of useful fact-checking websites:

You can also do a general Google search of the story with the word “hoax” after it to see if any other sources might have questioned a news item’s credibility.

Keep in mind that if a fact-checker hasn’t debunked something, it doesn’t automatically make the story true. It just means that the story hasn’t been fact-checked yet. Not every story gets verified by fact-checkers so while it’s important to be aware of these websites, it’s important to be aware of their limitations as well.

Want more quality fact-checkers? Click here for an extensive list of fact-checkers from all over the world that have committed to the International Fact-Checking Network’s code of principles.

Tip #2: Find the source

It’s important to understand where something originally came from before you decide to trust it. A news story shared on social media almost certainly wasn’t published there, or it might be based entirely on someone else’s story. Fortunately, it often only takes a few clicks to find your way to the original source.

On social media, the link is usually found at the bottom of the post. On a website, look for key phrases like “according to” or “reported by” that indicate where the information came from.

For images, use a reverse image search tool like TinEye or Google Images. Upload the image or paste the image’s URL into the search bar to get a list of results where that image has been found.

To get the image URL, right-click the online image and select “Copy image address.” Alternatively, right-click the image and select “Properties,” then copy the URL provided. Filter the results from oldest to newest to see when and where the image was first published.

*If you’re using Google Chrome you can search the image by right-clicking the image and selecting “Search Google for image.”

Follow the trail until you’ve found the original source!

Tip #3: Verify the source

When it comes to breaking fake news, we have to determine whether or not the original creator is trustworthy. Even if that information was shared with us by trustworthy family or friends, we shouldn’t assume that they checked the facts themselves. Instead, we should verify the original source ourselves first, then decide whether or not it’s reliable.

Here’s 3 questions to determine if a source is reliable:

1. Do they really exist?

It’s become easy to create fake websites that look far more credible and professional than the actual content that they produce. Don’t assume their “About Us” page is necessarily true either.  Use a far-reaching website like Wikipedia or Google to see if others have found them to actually exist. Don’t forget to make sure that these “others” actually exist themselves.

2. Are they who they say they are?

Just as it’s easy to create fake websites and content, it’s easy to pose as someone who actually does exist online. If you know the source exists, be sure the information is coming from them and not an impostor.

Look for indicators that verify who they are. Twitter and Instagram verify users by putting a blue check mark next to their name on their profile.

3. Are they trustworthy?

Make sure the source has a reliable process for producing information and a good track record for providing it accurately. Do they make mistakes? More importantly, do they admit to them and correct them when they do? Are they experts on that topic? Are they willing to publish information that their owners or readers would disagree with? Answering these types of questions can help you determine where the source’s interests lie and whether or not they should be trusted.

Tip #4: Check other sources

To make sure you’re getting the whole story, check other news sources to see how they covered the event or topic. This is a great way to see if what you read omitted any important information. It’s also an effective way of highlighting any possible bias that a source might have.

Using the “News” tab when doing a Google search is an easy way to narrow down results to real news outlets when looking for other sources.

*Find it faster! Use Control-F (Command-F on Macs) to jump to a keyword or phrase in an article.

You can also try to find the consensus view on the topic (what most experts agree to be true). If the story is only sharing information that experts agree to be false, you’re likely reading misinformation.

MediaSmarts has created a custom search to help you find the consensus view on specialist topics like science and medicine. You can try it out here!

Now that you’re equipped with these tips and tools, go ahead and put them–and the news you come across–to the test. While you might not be able to stop fake news from being published, you can stop it from spreading.

Want to learn more? Check out MediaSmarts, a not-for-profit that develops digital and media literacy programs for Canadians, or go to the “How to Evaluate Websites and Online Resources” guide to explore some of the Library’s resources on the topic.

More of a hands on learner? Play the Reality Check game to test your skills and learn some new authentication techniques.

RRC Library is committed to challenging colonialism and working towards reconciliation on this National Day for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women & Girls by remembering and respecting our Indigenous sisters.  If you would like to see resources on this topic check out our MMIWG library guide.

Find the MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS guide here:

library.rrc.ca/MMIWG

or

1. Go to library.rrc.ca
2. Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
3. Select the subject box – the MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS guide is in the Indigenous Education section – to see all the guides on this subject
4. Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.

Other guides you may find interesting:

• Residential Schools (library.rrc.ca/ResidentialSchools)
• Indigenous Languages (library.rrc.ca/Indigenous_language)
• Indigenous Health & Well-Being (library.rrc.ca/IndigenousHealth)

What is a Guide?

Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.

Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).

Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.

We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.

Orange Shirt Day occurs annually on Sept 30th and recognizes the harms done to our Indigenous communities, friends and family by the Residential School System.

Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.

The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year. It also gives teachers time to plan events that will include children, as we want to ensure that we are passing the story and learning on to the next generations.

Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.

Reference: http://www.orangeshirtday.org/ 

Residential Schools Guide

Prepared by Library staff member Joan Boersma the Residential Schools Guide places many “residential schools” resources at your fingertips.

In the guide you will find books about survivors, documentaries and videos, eBooks, survivors stories and links to resources such as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation where the “Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission” may be viewed.

Residential Schools Guide:
library.rrc.ca/ResidentialSchools

Notre Dame Campus “Orange Shirt Day” Window Display

Red River College Library has recognized Orange Shirt Day with a window display outside the Notre Dame Campus Library. We have also placed a selection of books in the display. Come by and see what is available.

Resumes, Interviews, and interpersonal skills, oh my! Even if you don’t get the movie reference, the last part echoes the concerns of our students of all ages and backgrounds. Our employment skills guide connects people to a variety of resources, including our own Student Employment Services. Great as a compliment to course work or a starting point in the process.

Find the EMPLOYMENT SKILLS guide here:

library.rrc.ca/Employment_Skills

or

1. Go to library.rrc.ca
2. Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
3. Select the subject box – EMPLOYMENT SKILLS is in the Student Success section – to see all the guides on this subject
4. Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.

Other guides you may find interesting:

• Intercultural Competence & Diversity (https://library.rrc.ca/Intercultural_Competence_Diversity)

What is a Guide?

Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.

Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).

Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.

We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.