Jesse Carliner

#UofTBackToSchool: Five ways to get the most out of U of T Libraries, from self-care essentials to video game rentals

Romi Levine — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 04:00:00 +0000

#UofTBackToSchool: Five ways to get the most out of U of T Libraries, from self-care essentials to video game rentals

Romi Levine Fri, 08/24/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Yoonhee Lee, a graduate student in the Faculty of Information and a library assistant at the Ask Us Desk, takes a breather in Robarts Library's new reflection room (photo by Romi Levine)

Topic

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Robarts

U of T Libraries

U of T Scarborough

��Ƶ’s 44 libraries hold an impressive amount of literature – about 12 million volumes in 341 languages – accessed by members of the U of T community and researchers from all over the world. But beyond the seemingly endless stacks are U of T Libraries’ incredible resources – some that can help you with your studies, others to help you de-stress, and a few that are just plain cool.

Here are a few of them:

Study like a pro

Need help with your research? U of T librarians are available for one-on-one appointments that will help you save time and minimize stress levels while completing your research papers on time.

You can also use the Ask A Librarian chat to connect instantly – from anywhere, using any device – with a research and library expert to help you find a book or use library tools.

This handy assignment calculator from U of T Scarborough will help you to create a task schedule, breaking down your project into small, manageable steps.

Take a brain break

What better way to break up marathon study sessions than yoga or meditation in the newly renovated Reflection Room on the eighth floor of Robarts Library? Mats and pillows are available on site.

If you’re looking for a furry companion to raise your spirits, meet Bella the therapy dog – a frequent visitor to Gerstein Library who’s always up for a friendly pat.

15/10 would recommend visiting Bella the therapy dog at Gerstein Library (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Get a dose of pop culture

Missing the World Cup already? You can get in the beautiful game with FIFA18 for Xbox One from U of T's Media Commons. For amateur and serious gamers alike, you can choose from many other video games.

Learn something new

Whether you’re a teacher looking for new curriculum resources or are just interested in learning about Indigenous culture and history, it’s worth exploring this free online resource created by Outreach Librarian Desmond Wong. It’s packed with multimedia material for people of all ages.

Find your perfect work space

As the days get shorter and the weather gets gloomier, try out one of the light therapy lamps at Robarts Library, which mimic summertime light to bust those winter blues.

Looking for a quiet spot to get work done while keeping your kids occupied? Try out Robarts Library’s new family study space – decked out with work stations and kid-sized furniture and toys.

Do you have a favourite library resource? Share it with @UofT and @UofTLibraries on Twitter and Instagram.

Undergraduate students recognized for research skills by U of T Libraries

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 04:00:00 +0000

Undergraduate students recognized for research skills by U of T Libraries

noreen.rasbach Tue, 06/26/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Professor Ron Leprohan, from the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, his student Evelyn Hayes and Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students. Hayes was one of six winners of a U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prize

Jesse Carliner

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Arts & Science

U of T Libraries

Undergraduate Students

Six undergraduate students at the ��Ƶ have been recognized for their outstanding research, which required delving deep into archival records and scientific literature on topics ranging from Technicolor and colour film technologies to the text of an ancient Egyptian funerary statuette.

The winners of U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prizes for their innovative and effective search and use of sources in completing course assignments – Evelyn Hayes, Andrea Ho, An Li Tsang, Katya Smirnova, Jaya Thirugnanasampanthan, and Kelsey Wiseman – were honoured at a recent reception and awarded $1,000 each.

"This prize is a wonderful opportunity to showcase and award excellence in research by undergraduate students at the ��Ƶ," said U of T Libraries' Chief Librarian Larry Alford.

To be considered, students submitted their research, a letter of recommendation from their instructor and a personal statement about their work. The prize is open to undergraduates of any field of study and from any campus.

The winning papers will be made available to everyone through TSpace, U of T’s open access digital research repository.

“Although the winners come from different disciplines – history, cinema studies, political sciences, Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, and kinesiology – and write on widely different topics, there is a common thread among them all,” said Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students, who introduced the event.

“These students show curiosity and articulated reflective thinking in their search and use of information, often in new and exciting ways. It’s clear that our U of T undergraduate students are engaging in very creative learning,” she said.

Tsang focused on using primary research to explore the rise of colour film in Hollywood, working closely with Innis College librarian Kate Johnson.

“She gave us the most important research advice I ever seen which is: Never just do one search,” said Tsang. “She made the whole process so approachable and straightforward that I felt really comfortable.”

Tsang appreciated the opportunity “to turn all of these things that I was researching into the kind of academic work that we had been reading and learning from in class.”

Hayes, a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum, chose to challenge the textual precedent for her Middle Egyptian class, and instead translate and describe a 2,700-year-old shabti, a funerary figurine used in Ancient Egypt.

Professor Ron Leprohan, from the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, noted Hayes's tenacity. “It’s one thing to have the text laid out in front of you, it’s another thing to have an object.”

Hayes said the assignment gave her a new appreciation of the research process, and a “unique chance to improve my research skills, my writing skills, my linguistic skills – and my drawing skills at times.”

Learn more about the U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prize

#UofTBackToSchool: 10 things you didn’t know you could do at U of T’s libraries

Romi Levine — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 04:00:00 +0000

#UofTBackToSchool: 10 things you didn’t know you could do at U of T’s libraries

Romi Levine Thu, 08/31/2017 - 00:00

Cutline

Students can test out VR equipment at U of T's MADLab (photo by Romi Levine)

Jesse Carliner

Romi Levine

Author legacy

Romi Levine and Jesse Carliner

Topic

City & Culture

U of T Libraries

#UofTBacktoSchool

��Ƶ’s libraries are both a haven for bookworms and a hideout for crammers, but there are countless secrets hidden in their stacks.

Considering U of T’s library system is turning 125 this year, it's had a lot of time to build up incredible collections (over 12 million volumes!) and unique resources.

So head over to one of ��Ƶ Libraries' 44 libraries and check out some of these tools and services you may not have known existed.

1. Get a dose of virtual reality

Starting this fall, the MADLab at Gerstein Science Information Centre will let you rent VR equipment, from Google Cardboards to 360 cameras. If you’re developing a VR app, you can also use the in-house HTC Vive.

2. Kid around at OISE Library

When your brain hurts from all that studying, get lost in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education’s third floor library, where you can flip through the massive selection of books for kids and teens or put on a puppet show.

3. Borrow a board game

Sad season seven of Game of Thrones is over? Take out the GOT board game from Media Commons. If capturing the Iron Throne isn’t your thing, there are many other games to choose from.

4. Search for hidden treasures at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

Come visit the greatest rare book library in Canada and request to see a first edition of a classic text – like Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility or items from some of Fisher's stranger – and spookier – collections. Isn’t this what you imagined university to be like?

Flip through Margaret Atwood's original draft of The Handmaid's Tale (photo by Romi Levine)

5. Dig deep into the archives

Did you know that U of T has the archives of some of Canada's most iconic writers and poets? Check out the early writings of people like Margaret Atwood and Leonard Cohen.

6. Get by with a little help from a librarian

Schedule a one-on-one appointment for customized research help with a U of T librarian. Save yourself time and minimize stress levels while completing your research papers – on time.

7. Use this tool to manage your assignments

Use this handy assignment calculator from U of T Scarborough to create a task schedule, breaking down your project into small, manageable steps.

8. Get to know a librarian

Use the Ask A Librarian chat to connect instantly with a research and library expert from anywhere using any device (from Sept. 11) to help you find a book or use library tools.

9. Get some inspo for your #ootd

Crafting your fall aesthetic? Search through the massive online collection of runway shows from fashion weeks around the world housed in the Videofashion Library.

10. Stay warm while studying

As the temperature starts to drop, cozy up with a book at the Graham Library fireplace at Trinity College.

Undergraduates recognized for research by U of T Libraries

ullahnor — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:27:51 +0000

Undergraduates recognized for research by U of T Libraries

ullahnor Tue, 06/06/2017 - 13:27

Cutline

From left to right, Chief Librarian Larry Alford, Provost Cheryl Regehr, student Monica Layarda and Professor Robert Bothwell

Jesse Carliner

Author legacy

Jesse Carliner

Topic

Our Community

Libraries

Undergraduate Education

From uncovering the experience of Jewish refugees in Hong Kong to searching for clues to improve breast-cancer treatments – U of T undergraduates were recognized for their outstanding research, which required delving deep into archival records and scientific literature.

Six students received U of T Libraries' Undergraduate Research Prize for their innovative and effective search and use of sources in completing course assignments at the second annual prize reception on May 26.

The winners – Angela Hou, Taylor Irvine, Monica Layarda, Imindu Liyanage, Alexandra Southgate and Ryan Sun – were awarded $1,000 each.

They worked with a wide variety of materials including scholarly journals and primary sources found in archives and government documents.

“It is wonderful to see the research students produce from the wealth of information that we have available here at the ��Ƶ Libraries,” said U of T Libraries Chief Librarian Larry Alford.

Learn more about the U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prize

To be considered, students submitted their research, a letter of recommendation from their instructor and a personal statement reflecting on their work. The prize is open to undergraduates of any field of study and from any campus.

The winning papers will be made available to everyone through TSpace, U of T’s open access digital research repository.

“The winners are exceptional examples of the intellectual power and persistence needed to succeed in research,” said Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr, who introduced the event.

“These students accessed a broad range of materials and collaborated with faculty members and librarians here at U of T and throughout the world to investigate their scholarly questions and write up their findings,” she added.

“It’s clear to me that U of T undergraduate students are engaging in ground-breaking research – one of the benefits of studying here at our world-class, research-intensive institution.”

Liyanage focused on identifying potential drivers of metastatic breast cancer by observing possible correlations in the existing research literature for a course on human biology research.

“All the work that we do as scientists and as researchers is predicated on the research done before us,” he said. “This wonderful body of knowledge is... scattered literally around the world in every form of database, type of journal and type of article that you can conceive of.”

Layarda, who is in the international relations specialist program, combed through U.S., British and Canadian foreign policy documents, finding a gap in scholarship about Canada’s relationship with Indonesia during the 1960s. Her professor, historian Robert Bothwell from the Faculty of Arts & Science, says her research is unique. She wrote the paper for his capstone foreign policy seminar at Trinity College and said she was grateful for the help of librarians at Trinity’s Graham Library and Robarts Library.

Layarda said she applied the historical training that she received “to fully undertake the task of an historian, to go out to the archives and dig for fresh avenues to write a historical narrative, a story based on the facts that I uncovered.”

Jesse Carliner

#UofTBackToSchool: Five ways to get the most out of U of T Libraries, from self-care essentials to video game rentals

Study like a pro

Take a brain break

Get a dose of pop culture

Read more about Back To School 2018

Learn something new

Read more about the online Indigenous research guide

Find your perfect work space

Undergraduate students recognized for research skills by U of T Libraries

Learn more about the U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prize

#UofTBackToSchool: 10 things you didn’t know you could do at U of T’s libraries

1. Get a dose of virtual reality

2. Kid around at OISE Library

3. Borrow a board game

4. Search for hidden treasures at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

5. Dig deep into the archives

6. Get by with a little help from a librarian

7. Use this tool to manage your assignments

8. Get to know a librarian

9. Get some inspo for your #ootd

10. Stay warm while studying

Undergraduates recognized for research by U of T Libraries

Learn more about the U of T Libraries Undergraduate Research Prize