Writing Workshops for Student Success

The Academic Success Centre is offering a six-part online workshop series this term called Building Your Writing Foundation. It is open to ALL students. The series includes six sessions that will equip you with foundational writing skills for your college success!

You are welcome to attend any or all of the six sessions. No registration is required, just log on!

Sessions will be held Wednesdays from 12:15-12:45pm on Webex. To join a session, click the button below and log in with your RRC Polytech credentials.

Workshop Series Schedule

Questions?

Contact writing@rrc.ca

Visit our website: Building Your Writing Foundation

Submitted by Meg Loewen – Academic Success Centre

The Writing Centre

Do you have a writing assignment that you need help with?  Would you like to improve your overall writing skills for better results in your courses?

The Writing Centre can help you at any point in the writing process, including the planning stage, draft writing, revisions, referencing and formatting.  We can also help you if you’re simply looking to improve your confidence as a writer. 

Flexible Options

Drop-in 

Currently available at the Notre Dame Campus Library Tutoring Nook:

• Mondays from 1-3pm
• Thursdays from 1-2pm

By Appointment

Book an in-person or online appointment with a staff or peer writing tutor using TracCloud, our online booking system in HUB.

Through Email

Too busy to meet with a tutor? Try our Writing Support through Email to get feedback on your drafts.  

Questions about writing tutoring? Contact writing@rrc.ca or visit the Writing Centre online.

Submitted by Linda Fox on behalf of the Academic Success Centre, Library and Academic Services

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –
(Emily Dickinson)

The Wellness Wall

In partnership with Campus Well-Being, the Library will be hosting a Wellness Wall display from April 17th – April 28th, 2023 where students, staff, and faculty can write anonymous responses to the question “What gives you hope?”

The purpose of the Wellness Wall is to give users a space to write anonymous notes with the anticipation of giving hope to those who may need some words of encouragement.

Where can I post a message?

NDC

A tree shape will be hung on the wall near the exit across from the Tutor’s Nook. Post-it notes and materials will be placed near the tree display for users to write their notes.

EDC

A tree shape will be displayed on the window at the entrance to the Reading Room. Post-it notes and materials will be placed near the tree display for users to write their notes.

ONLINE

Can’t make it to the Library? Send a message of hope through the online form. We will write and post your message at the EDC and NDC Libraries on your behalf.

Photo Gallery

Photos of the trees budding with messages of hope at EDC and NDC.

Submitted by Meagan Acquisto and Fatima DeMelo – Library and Academic Services

Why do my students need Library Instruction?

Many students begin college believing Google can provide all the answers. Concepts such as crafting effective searches and evaluating information may not be familiar to them. Library instruction provides the initial direction students need to navigate the world of information with skill and confidence. Library staff also offer further guidance through one-on-one research help.

How does it work?

Upon request, a Library staff member will work with your schedule to provide live instruction to your class (online or in-person). Topics frequently covered include (but are not limited to) effective searching, source evaluation, and citation techniques. Whether it be a general session such as an introduction to using the Library, or a more focused session on finding resources for a specific assignment, Library staff will tailor the session to your needs.

Click the button below to learn more and request a session. We are currently booking sessions for fall, so please contact us soon so we can accommodate your request.

Written by Rosemary Woodby and Linda Fox – Library and Academic Services

Photo source: frameryacoustics.com

With both quiet and privacy in high demand, the Library welcomes a new kind of study space featuring glass doors (so you can feel safe and included) and a soundproof, sleek interior (so you can feel comfortable and undisturbed).

Also known as the Framery Q, the Library’s new multifunctional, soundproof space fits 1-4 people and is ideal for quiet study, group work, brainstorming sessions, and private conversations.

Features

• Fresh air ventilation
• Stylish finish
• LED lighting
• Two power sockets
• Two sofas and a turntable
• Adaptable set-up (for sitting, standing, and shared conferencing)

You are invited to try the new Soundproof Study Room at the NDC Library today!

Written by Linda Fox – Library Technician, Program Support and Promotion

Open Education Week

Open Education Week (March 6-10, 2023) raises awareness and highlights innovative open education successes worldwide. OE Week provides practitioners, educators, and students with an opportunity to build a greater understanding of open educational practices and be inspired by the wonderful work being developed by the community around the world.

As costs continue to rise for students, educators are looking toward free open resources made by educators for educators to help ensure students have access to the course materials they need to succeed. These resources also ensure educators have permission to adapt lesson materials without seeking complicated copyright permissions or encountering restrictive digital access requirements. To date, the adoption of Open Textbooks by instructors at RRC Polytech has saved students $477, 500 in textbook costs. Thank you to all our instructors who participate in Open Education!

During OE Week take the time to:

• Visit Library and Academic Services’ OER Support Page – View past OER sessions at RRC Polytech and learn the basics of Open Education.
• Register for the “Opening” Options for Accessibility OE week session – Participants in this session will explore and evaluate OERs with regard to accessibility guidelines.

Happy Open Education week on behalf of the Copyright Officer.

Written by Ebony Novakowski – Copyright Officer, Library and Academic Services

Louis Riel the founder of Manitoba was a lifelong advocate for Métis rights. He shaped the future of Manitoba and was an important figure in Canadian politics.

Did you know?

• As a young man he was educated in Montreal at a junior seminary.
• Was head of the provisional government set up in 1969 to govern what was to become Manitoba.
• Negotiated the Manitoba Act in 1870, making Manitoba a province of Canada.
• Twice elected in 1873 and 1874 to the Canadian Parliament in the federal riding of Provencher, but unable to take his seat due to hostile feelings in Eastern Canada.
• Officially exiled from Canada in 1875 for his political activity.
• A husband and father of two children.
• Executed by the Canadian Government in 1885 for his participation in the Métis demands for rights and resistance in what was to become the province of Saskatchewan.

Discovery more about Louis Riel through our Library collection!

Louis Riel Books

Click a book cover to discover its location and availability.

Louis Riel Videos

Riel Country

The great possibility : Louis Riel & the Métis resistance

The Mystery of the Bell

Discover More Louis Riel Resources

Click the OneSearch link below to browse “Louis Riel” related items in our collection:

Written by Bettina Allen, Reference & Circulation Coordinator (Library and Academic Services)

Red River College Polytechnic’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy talks about promoting group knowledge and literacy at various times throughout the year. Black History Month celebrates the contributions of Black Canadians in areas such as politics and literature while not losing sight of the country’s history of racism and discrimination.

Part of promoting that knowledge and literacy starts with a library collection and access to information for people wanting to learn more about Black History Month and participate in events happening throughout the month. The Anti-Racism Steering Committee and the Library offer their Black History Month Book Tasting Events from 11:00-1:00 on February 27 at the EDC Library and NDC Library (Active Learning Classroom, CM27) on February 28 from 11:00-1:00.

Book tastings offer a way to browse books within an event resembling an evening at a restaurant, complete with tablecloths and cutlery in some instances. If you want to expand your knowledge palate this month, here are some resources ranging from notable print titles to online resources.

Around the Library

Take another look at our Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit, especially the section on Anti-Black Racism for curated resources about Black Canadians. Among notable titles:

Black Like Who? by Rinaldo Walcott

Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land by Graham Reynolds and Wanda Robson

Interested in web resources? Scroll down to the section on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Stories or National Film Board Resources.

The library collection also boasts a selection of black authors, especially Giller Award Winners Esi Edudyan (Washington Black, 2018 and Half-Blood Blues, 2011), Andre Alexis (Fifteen Dogs. 2015), and Austin Clarke (The Polished Hoe, 2002).

National & Local Information

The Government of Canada, through Canadian Heritage, has a website with information about upcoming events around the country, YouTube videos, and data about black communities in Canada. The site also displays this year’s Black History Month theme in Canada, “Ours to Tell,” to hear the stories of Black Canadians in their own words, not only from history but within the present, including stories of success.

Manitoba has its own Black History Month Celebration Committee with a calendar of events to mark the month. Check out the rest of the website for more resources and information with a local focus.

Written by Fatima DeMelo, Reference Technician

There are times you can benefit from meeting with a tutor. You may have specific questions or want something explained another way. You may want someone to observe you working through pinch points; offering solutions that are responsive to your needs.

At the Academic Success Centre, found in the  Notre Dame Campus and Exchange District Campus libraries and online, there are many ways you can access tutoring and writing supports.

Drop-In Help Desks are one of those ways.

There are two streams of Help Desks – Writing (general writing skills and nursing writing) and clustered around courses or programs. Trades Math, Business Math and Accounting and Engineering Math are all examples of these clusters.

How does Drop-in tutoring work? Easy! Visit the schedule at Help Desk Drop-In Tutoring and attend. Bring your questions, assignments or  course notes/materials; a staff tutor will be more than happy to help with your course !

In addition to helping you untangle a question, assist with the writing process and/or provide opportunity for review, Help Desks provide comfort, confidence and foster active learning – you may feel more comfortable asking questions in a Help Desk setting. Furthermore, you become actively engaged in your learning process – you get to identify and articulate what you want to review.  All this leads to academic improvement and an increased value to your college experience.

We look forward to seeing you at one or more of the following Help Desks:

NDC Drop-In, Help Desk Tutoring Schedule Winter 2023

EDC Drop-In, Help Desk Tutoring Schedule Winter 2023

The events of Inclusion Week only go until November 4, but the work continues for the remaining 51 weeks. Library collections reflect this ongoing work with efforts to keep current and provide access for those wanting to learn more after the last speaker finishes. LibGuides curate resources to help facilitate discovery on specific topics. While some Indigenous guides cover the legacy of residential schools and encountering racism in various settings, two more guides provide resources about diversity and further exploration of racism in Canada’s past and present.

Intercultural Competence & Diversity

One of the earliest guides in our collection, Intercultural Competence & Diversity, introduces viewers to experiences previously unknown but still a daily reality for groups such as the disabled or Black Canadians, to name a few.

In addition to videos and books, organizations feature mainly those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community taking steps toward their true selves. A keyword section recommends search terms to put into OneSearch for further reading and viewing on specific topics.

The guide includes topics related to sexuality, disability issues, and the anti-black racism section.

Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit

The Anti-Black Racism page from the last guide links up with the Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit, a guide devoted to educating about racism with a Canadian focus. The History of Racism section provides websites and other resources about incidents within Canada’s History, including Japanese Internment camps, the Komagata Maru, and many others. Some resources reflect Canada’s past, and plenty of resources help understand the country’s present. Again, a keyword section will supply words to research a topic within the larger subject.

A new addition to the guide is the Anti-Racism Training Section. It’s designed to do alone or as part of a group with videos, articles, and some documentaries requiring college credentials for viewing. Reflection questions can stimulate conversation or pause for thought on the issues.