Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library / en Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery /news/learn-long-and-prosper-u-t-s-fisher-library-becomes-eternal-archive-star-trek-discovery <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library&nbsp;becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/ZkWH1yol0Zci9L4C_DISCO_508_MGG_1006_16097-1_RT1-crop.jpg?h=713684b1&amp;itok=X8xQxGVD 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-05/ZkWH1yol0Zci9L4C_DISCO_508_MGG_1006_16097-1_RT1-crop.jpg?h=713684b1&amp;itok=WM2EpPVK 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-05/ZkWH1yol0Zci9L4C_DISCO_508_MGG_1006_16097-1_RT1-crop.jpg?h=713684b1&amp;itok=jLxSE4IR 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/ZkWH1yol0Zci9L4C_DISCO_508_MGG_1006_16097-1_RT1-crop.jpg?h=713684b1&amp;itok=X8xQxGVD" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-05-17T16:51:35-04:00" title="Friday, May 17, 2024 - 16:51" class="datetime">Fri, 05/17/2024 - 16:51</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Hy'Rell (Elena Juatco) leads Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) through the Eternal Archive and Gallery in an episode of Star Trek: Discovery that was filmed in U of T's Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library&nbsp;(photo by&nbsp;Marni Grossman/Paramount+)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/culture-and-media" hreflang="en">Culture and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/film" hreflang="en">Film</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library was chosen as a filming location for the latest episode of the sci-fi series because of its unique architecture and "commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The team behind&nbsp;<em>Star Trek: Discovery</em>&nbsp;didn’t have to venture too far into the final frontier to find the perfect venue for a boundless library containing all the knowledge of the universe.</p> <p>The Ƶ’s <a href="https://fisher.library.utoronto.ca">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a> stars as a complete repository of cosmic wisdom in the latest episode of the sci-fi series, titled “Labyrinths,” which premiered this week and&nbsp;is <a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/ca/shows/video/cRjV3zTvR_XCNmce6PeX_7Y1AGwQ9T1c/" target="_blank">available to&nbsp;stream on Paramount Plus</a>.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-right"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_250_width_/public/2024-05/UofT5193_20140610_Robarts_DoorsOpen_007-lpr.jpg?itok=wXbiBLse" width="250" height="167" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-250-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (photo by U of T Communications)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>With its tiered stacks of timeless tomes, the Fisher library – a brutalist architectural marvel – serves as more than a retro-futuristic TV setting, says&nbsp;<strong>Michael Cassabon</strong>,&nbsp;director of advancement at U of T Libraries.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I think the university is trying to imagine an ideal future and bring it into the present … whether it’s working on inclusion, diversity and equity, or science and exploration,” he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The&nbsp;<em>Star Trek</em>&nbsp;future represents a lot of what we’re trying to materialize.”</p> <p>A self-proclaimed “Trekkie,” Cassabon says he had to set his fandom&nbsp;aside when reviewing the request to bring the USS Discovery to Fisher Library, which holds about 800,000 volumes and 5,000 linear metres of manuscripts.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/ZkGsf0FLKBtrWzYV_STDiscovery_508_MGG_1004_15226-1_RT1-crop.jpg?itok=xtPlxfas" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2792296/?ref_=tt_cl_t_1">Sonequa Martin-Green</a>&nbsp;as Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery (photo by&nbsp;Marni Grossman/Paramount+)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>The Toronto-based production <a href="/news/star-trek-transforms-u-t-building-futuristic-space-school">has&nbsp;previously filmed at various U of T locations</a>. However, camera crews rarely gain access to Fisher Library’s valuable stacks and a shoot of this scale was unprecedented, Cassabon says.</p> <p>The deciding factor? The pivotal role Fisher Library would play in the run-up to the series finale,&nbsp;offering the galaxy a glimpse of the rich trove of knowledge preserved within its walls.</p> <p>“It was exciting that Fisher Library wouldn’t just be a backdrop,” Cassabon says. “It was like the library itself was a character – a very important character – in the story.</p> <p>“The Fisher Library is a national treasure, and we thought this was a really good way of making it known to a lot of folks out there.”</p> <p>The fifth and final season of&nbsp;<em>Star Trek: Discovery</em>&nbsp;sends the crew on an interstellar scavenger hunt to uncover a hidden ancient power. The final clue lies in the “eternal archive,” an infinite library safeguarding the secrets of the universe.</p> <p>As soon as&nbsp;<em>Star Trek: Discovery</em>&nbsp;location manager&nbsp;<strong>Melissa Warry-Smith</strong>&nbsp;read the site description, she says only one place came to mind.</p> <p>“Not only does [Fisher Library] look like it is from the future and could in fact have been plucked directly from the&nbsp;<em>Star Trek</em>&nbsp;universe, but the library’s commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge is intrinsic to the core values of&nbsp;<em>Star Trek</em>,” Warry-Smith says.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/903362f1-c4ed-4217-859f-0f53fa265462-crop.jpg?itok=6BmY-iVa" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Larry Alford, right, university chief librarian, observes filming from a director's chair (photo by Michael Cassabon)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“The library is a stunning example of what we can achieve when we care deeply about preserving and sharing knowledge, and commit to coming together to use that knowledge for a shared vision of a better future for all – and what could be more <em>Star&nbsp;Trek</em>&nbsp;than that?”</p> <p>This respect for the preservation of knowledge shaped the production team’s approach to shooting the scenes, says Cassabon.</p> <p>Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers. The crew worked with Fisher’s librarians and archivists to implement strict protocols to protect its precious collections, including using heat-free lighting to prevent damage to delicate materials.</p> <p>Cassabon and&nbsp;<strong>Larry Alford</strong>, university chief librarian at U of T Libraries, were on set for part of the shoot.&nbsp;</p> <p>For Cassabon, meeting the show’s cast and crew was a fanboy moment.</p> <p>“It was super surreal for me,” he says. “These are my childhood heroes.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DISCO_508_MGG_1004_15713-1_RT1-crop.jpg?itok=f0Rb_w5n" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers`(photo by&nbsp;Marni Grossman/Paramount+)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Cassabon adds that many researchers, professors and students have drawn inspiration from&nbsp;<em>Star Trek&nbsp;</em>as they look to tackle some of the greatest challenges in the world –&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-alum-helps-prepare-canadarm3-lunar-orbit">and beyond</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many of the show’s themes are reflected on campus, he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>For example, the episode’s search through the “eternal archive” echoes the work of <a href="/news/hidden-stories-project-u-t-researchers-lead-international-collaboration-centuries-old-books">a&nbsp;U of T-led international research collaboration</a>&nbsp;that’s using new techniques to unearth long-hidden stories lurking within Fisher Library and other collections, Cassabon says. And he notes that&nbsp;<em>Star Trek</em>&nbsp;has a nearly six-decade history of breaking new TV ground when it comes diverse representation and inclusivity – another one of the university’s core values.</p> <p>“So much of&nbsp;<em>Star Trek</em>&nbsp;is imaging a world where … the things that label and divide us have faded away,” Cassabon says. “The university is all about trying to create a more inclusive and just world. It’s all about working together in harmony toward progress.”</p> <p>Both U of T and Fisher Library are credited in “Labyrinths,” which is dedicated&nbsp;to “librarians everywhere, dedicated to the preservation of artifacts, knowledge, and truth.”</p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-oembed-video field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item"><iframe src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/35qwht19q_0%3Fsi%3DhZVJin5jvlnBLwGU%26t%3D382&amp;max_width=0&amp;max_height=0&amp;hash=c6_ScsKXHAhca6dULdrK_uI2wxW-QydKMvrp6avIYNs" width="200" height="113" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="David Ajala Enters The Ready Room | StarTrek.com"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">On</div> </div> Fri, 17 May 2024 20:51:35 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 307874 at Robarts Library at 50: How Fort Book became the ‘campus living room’ /news/robarts-library-50-how-fort-book-became-campus-living-room <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Robarts Library at 50: How Fort Book became the ‘campus living room’</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/robarts-library---doors-open-2014_14398694395_o-Edit-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ToBY5pry 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-09/robarts-library---doors-open-2014_14398694395_o-Edit-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=e6qczaVr 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-09/robarts-library---doors-open-2014_14398694395_o-Edit-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=rE52TrTu 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/robarts-library---doors-open-2014_14398694395_o-Edit-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ToBY5pry" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-09-26T09:58:01-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - 09:58" class="datetime">Tue, 09/26/2023 - 09:58</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>As many as 18,000 people visit U of T’s Robarts Libary in a single day, while countless more access its collection online&nbsp;(photo by U of T Communications)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/robarts-library" hreflang="en">Robarts Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/books" hreflang="en">Books</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">As it celebrates its half-centennial, Robarts Library is reflecting on its past – and looking towards its future – with an exhibit that traces the library’s history</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Ƶ’s campus weekly, <em>The Varsity</em>, greeted students with a front-page photograph of John P. Robarts Library in 1973&nbsp;– then a new, impossible-to-miss concrete giant on St. George Street.</p> <p>“Welcome to U of T and Fort Book,” the headline shouted.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-09/thevarsity94_Page_0005-crop.jpg" width="300" height="460" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Cover of The Varsity newspaper from September 12, 1973 (Ƶ Archives)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Now, <a href="https://features.library.utoronto.ca/robarts50/">as it celebrates its half-centennial</a>, Robarts is reflecting on its past – and looking towards its future – with an exhibit that traces the library’s history, including the architecture, technology and social movements that shaped its evolution.&nbsp;</p> <p>Originally built to house 2.7 million volumes and accommodate 4,100 people in reading rooms and study carrels, Robarts aimed to be the largest academic library building in the world, intended to make room for U of T’s growing library collection and the influx of students born during the Baby Boom.</p> <p>Then-U of T President <strong>Claude Bissell</strong>, who played a central role in its construction, called it “the final, climactic stage in the development of the higher learning at the Ƶ.”</p> <p>The triangular library complex included the School of Library Science and what is now the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The building’s namesake, Premier John Robarts, said the buildings – which came with a $41.7-million price tag – should not be judged based on cost, “but in terms of how many people would pass through them over the next fifty years.”</p> <p>These days, as many as 18,000 people visit Robarts in a single day, while countless more access its collection online. The index card catalogue and coat check for visitors are long gone, but Robarts is now home to spaces for nursing, meditation, and mindfulness – even <a href="/bulletin/robarts-library-opens-family-study-space-parents-and-kids">a family study room designed for parents and children</a>, the first space of its kind in a Canadian academic library. Although the U of T Libraries collection contains more than 11 million physical items in total, it now mainly acquires electronic material and hosts data centres with a storage capacity of 1.5 petabytes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Yet, while the library’s layout and technology have changed, its role remains the same: to support research, discovery and community, Chief Librarian <strong>Larry Alford </strong>said. “When Robarts Library opened, it was very much seen as a place for students – and faculty, but especially students – to come together to study and work together,” he said. “That hasn’t changed at all. I think it’s as important now as it was in 1973.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/UofT92434_Robarts%20Common_July%202022-1-lpr.jpg?itok=l7V-V9ne" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Robarts Common (photo by Matthew Volpe)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>To create much-needed study space, the library recently underwent its first expansion in 42 years with the addition of <a href="https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/robarts-common">a </a><a href="/news/u-t-celebrates-official-opening-robarts-common">free-standing, five-storey building on its west side</a>. The project was made possible through the generous support of the late <strong>Russell</strong> and <strong>Katherine Morrison</strong>, along with one thousand other donors.&nbsp;Robarts Common came equipped with 1,200 new study spots – a 25 per cent increase – including soundproofed rooms with big-screen TVs for group study.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/img_4959-2899x1933-crop.jpg?itok=VEsElSK6" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>A group of students on the second floor of Robarts Common (photo by Hanna Borodina)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>In the realm of technology, Robarts Library has long been a centre for innovation. Under the leadership of <a href="/news/robert-blackburn-u-t-s-pioneering-former-chief-librarian-celebrates-100th-birthday"><strong>Robert Blackburn</strong></a>, chief librarian from 1954 to 1981, U of T Libraries became an early adopter of an automated catalogue. And while it was not the first institution to have a computer-output microfilm catalogue,&nbsp;Blackburn said Robarts was the first large research library anywhere that had converted its entire catalogue. “Our pioneering in the field was not unnoticed or unappreciated,” he wrote in <em>Evolution of the Heart</em>, a history of U of T Libraries.</p> <p>The first online catalogue, “Felix,” came into service in 1987.</p> <p>Today, Robarts Library supports digital scholarship including in the field of <a href="/news/hidden-stories-project-u-t-researchers-lead-international-collaboration-centuries-old-books">non-destructive analysis of ancient books</a>&nbsp;by examining the physical properties of ancient volumes using techniques such as atomic force spectrometry.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Jesse Carliner</strong>, a user services librarian and co-curator of the Robarts Library exhibit with university archivist <strong>Tys Klumpenhouwer</strong>, said technology was not the only important driver of change at the library – so, too, was the U of T community.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-09/utarmsCPC_LAN721064-011-crop.jpg" width="300" height="460" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Student sit-in protesting stack access to Robarts Library (photo by Robert Lansdale)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“The library has evolved from being this very formal, book centre to being more of a socially oriented student centre,” Carliner said. “It went from being an imposing concrete monolith to kind of the campus living room.”</p> <p>While initially only faculty and graduate students were supposed to be granted access to the bookstacks, undergraduate students staged protests to open the stacks to everyone&nbsp;– and&nbsp;the library has continued to reshape itself over the years, hosting 2SLGBTQ+ events and adding prayer rooms and an ablution room for Muslim students. Just last summer, Fisher Library hosted Raymond Frogner, head of the archives at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, for a talk about confronting historic biases and promoting Indigenous knowledge within library collections.</p> <p>What has remained constant, however, is the lively debate surrounding the library’s imposing concrete exterior.</p> <p>The Brutalist landmark divided opinion from the start, with architect Ronald Thom saying it “represents everything in architecture that is arrogant and wrong.” It has been compared to everything from a “giant chess piece” to a “sci-fi version of a medieval castle.” But for the building’s many critics, there seems to be an equal number of admirers. Italian author Umberto Eco described it as a “masterpiece of contemporary architecture” and, more recently, Robarts topped <em>Monocle’s</em> list of architectural must-sees in its Toronto travel guide.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/Larry-P-crop.jpg?itok=mCz7juBR" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Larry Alford (photo by&nbsp;Paul Terefenko)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Chief Librarian Alford said he understands why the building’s architecture is controversial, but has always been a fan. “If you look inside the building, as I’ve often done, you stand on the second floor and look up, you can’t help but be impressed and it becomes clear that the architects paid a lot of attention to every detail,” he said.</p> <p>As for what the library will look like&nbsp;50 years from now, Alford said it’s impossible to predict&nbsp;– though he imagines it will play an increasingly important role in AI-assisted analysis and authentication of information.</p> <p>“If you think about the radical changes over the last five decades, I don’t think any librarians could have said where we were headed.”</p> <p><em>This story has been condensed. <a href="https://features.library.utoronto.ca/robarts50/news/index.html">The original can be found here</a>.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:58:01 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 303237 at Portugal’s president commemorates 75 years of Portuguese language program at U of T /news/portugal-s-president-commemorates-75-years-portuguese-language-program-u-t <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Portugal’s president commemorates 75 years of Portuguese language program at U of T</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/2023-09-15-Portugal%20President%20%285%29.jpg?h=97c3312f&amp;itok=ZUWO9TCu 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-09/2023-09-15-Portugal%20President%20%285%29.jpg?h=97c3312f&amp;itok=-3R6XLDF 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-09/2023-09-15-Portugal%20President%20%285%29.jpg?h=97c3312f&amp;itok=Hq-dIkoz 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/2023-09-15-Portugal%20President%20%285%29.jpg?h=97c3312f&amp;itok=ZUWO9TCu" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-09-21T09:13:31-04:00" title="Thursday, September 21, 2023 - 09:13" class="datetime">Thu, 09/21/2023 - 09:13</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa signs&nbsp;the Ƶ Distinguished Visitors Book at Simcoe Hall&nbsp;(photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/u-t-news-team" hreflang="en">U of T News Team</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/spanish-portuguese" hreflang="en">Spanish &amp; Portuguese</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Ƶ welcomed Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to the St. George campus last week to commemorate 75 years of the Spanish and Portuguese language program in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p>Rebelo de Sousa’s visit was part of <a href="https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2023/09/15/prime-minister-justin-trudeau-meets-president-portugal-marcelo-rebelo-de">a five-day trip to Canada</a> that coincided with the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the first significant wave of Portuguese immigrants to the country.</p> <p>Addressing U of T students and professors, as well as high school students and teachers, Rebelo de Sousa said “it’s an honour to me, my country and my people” to visit the university and acknowledged U of T’s early commitment to Portuguese language scholarship.</p> <p>“That’s something I would call perspective,” he said. “We are very grateful for it.”</p> <p>U of T President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> welcomed the president, his delegation and attendees and said that U of T is honoured to play a part in expanding the ties between Canada and Portugal.</p> <p>“The Portuguese community has deep roots here with business, cultural and community organizations contributing to Toronto’s rich cultural landscape,” he said, noting that Portuguese is fifth-most prevalent language spoken in Toronto, excluding English and French.</p> <p>Rebelo de Sousa, for his part, highlighted the significance of Portuguese as a language of business, science, culture, and education.</p> <p>“For all those who don’t speak Portuguese, learning the Portuguese language is now more than an exercise in intellectual curiosity,” he said. “It’s a safe investment in personal and professional development.”</p> <p>The Portuguese delegation – which included senior government leaders and António Leão Rocha, Ambassador of Portugal to Canada – were welcomed by President Gertler, <strong>Anna Kennedy</strong>, chair of Governing Council, Professor <strong>Melanie Woodin</strong>, dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, Professor <strong>Ana T. Pérez-Leroux</strong>, chair of the department of Spanish and Portuguese, and other U of T senior leaders.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/2023-09-15-Portugal-President-%2829%29-crop.jpg?itok=byeFRsoJ" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa views items from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library ’s Portuguese collection as U of T President Meric Gertler looks on (photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>During the event, two students from the Faculty of Music performed Portuguese folk songs and Pérez-Leroux moderated a question-and-answer session with students in the audience. There was a signing of memoranda supporting a continued agreement between the Camões Institute and the department of Spanish and Portuguese at U of T.</p> <p>“U of T is fortunate to play a vital role in promoting and preserving the Portuguese language,” Woodin said.</p> <p>“The Faculty of Arts and Science is proud to be home to the department of Spanish and Portuguese – a place where students can explore these major languages and literatures and appreciate the influential societal, artistic and intellectual history of Ibero-America.”</p> <p>Toward the end of the event, President Gertler accompanied Rebelo de Sousa to the boardroom to view artifacts from the Portuguese collection at U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. They included: a first edition of a selection of shipwreck narratives called Historia tragico-maritima that was originally published as news flyers and sold in the streets of Lisbon; a collection of poems or romances by Bernarda Ferreira de Lacerda, one of the earliest women writers in Portuguese; and two works of poetry by António Botto and Judith Teixeira that are now considered key publications in Portugal’s LGBTQ history.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/DZ2_1146-crop.jpg?itok=LJWIIJ0f" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa shakes hands with a student (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Luis Antunes</strong>, a computer engineering student in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering and president of the Ƶ Portuguese Student Association (UTPA), said that as a recent immigrant to Canada, he noticed that not many young Portuguese people speak Portuguese.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I moved here two years ago, and I think it’s very important for us to maintain our cultural heritage and for future generations to still speak Portuguese,” said Antunes, adding that he admires the president’s professional career as a former law professor, journalist and political commentator. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I’ve had family members who were his students when he was a professor. It was an honour to be able to meet him and share this moment with the rest of the UTPA members.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:13:31 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 303129 at 'A medieval blockbuster': U of T acquires a rare 14th-century manuscript /news/medieval-blockbuster-u-t-acquires-rare-14th-century-manuscript <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'A medieval blockbuster': U of T acquires a rare 14th-century manuscript</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/DSC_4784-crop.jpg?h=fa3f0194&amp;itok=N-qpM3Hc 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-09/DSC_4784-crop.jpg?h=fa3f0194&amp;itok=3yCpsPG3 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-09/DSC_4784-crop.jpg?h=fa3f0194&amp;itok=feAcdZf5 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/DSC_4784-crop.jpg?h=fa3f0194&amp;itok=N-qpM3Hc" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-09-18T11:22:25-04:00" title="Monday, September 18, 2023 - 11:22" class="datetime">Mon, 09/18/2023 - 11:22</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Sebastian Sobecki stands over The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, which scholars believe was written in the mid-1300s (all photos by Diana Tyszko)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sean-mcneely" hreflang="en">Sean McNeely</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/centre-medieval-studies" hreflang="en">Centre for Medieval Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/english" hreflang="en">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/history" hreflang="en">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Ƶ has acquired an ancient manuscript widely regarded as one of “medieval Europe’s biggest bestsellers.”</p> <p>Led by the efforts of <strong>Sebastian Sobecki</strong>, a partial copy of <em>The Travels of Sir John Mandeville</em> that scholars believed was penned in the mid-1300s is now part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://fisher.library.utoronto.ca/">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a>’s&nbsp;collection.</p> <p>“This is one of the texts that made explorers&nbsp;believe in circumnavigation,” says Sobecki, a professor in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science’s&nbsp;department of English who cross-appointed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medieval.utoronto.ca/">Centre for Medieval Studies</a>.</p> <p>To secure the ancient manuscript, Sobecki collaborated with the Fisher Library as well as the University Library.</p> <p>“This is big news for the university&nbsp;– I'm thrilled,” says Sobecki. “This is probably one of our most important medieval manuscripts and it could be a crown jewel of the Fisher collection.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/DSC_4768.jpeg?itok=p8mT_MDQ" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Written on animal skin,&nbsp;Mandeville’s Travels&nbsp;is considered one of medieval Europe’s biggest bestsellers.</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“It’s quite likely that this is the earliest surviving copy of what was one of the most popular and influential works of the Middle Ages,” says <strong>Tim Perry</strong>, a medieval manuscripts and early books librarian at the Fisher Library.</p> <p>The manuscript was purchased from Bernard Quaritch Ltd – a London-based bookseller that specializes in rare books and manuscripts. Previously, it was owned by the Duke of Manchester’s family in the United Kingdom.</p> <p>Written in insular French (or Anglo-French), the manuscript consists of 40 leaves – or 80 pages – and includes a substantial fragment of Mandeville’s&nbsp;<em>Travels</em>&nbsp;(chapters 11-12, 13-16 and 23-31). Each leaf measures approximately 27.5 by 18.5 centimetres.</p> <p>The writing is on specially prepared animal skin – likely sheep or calf skin – rather than paper.</p> <p>The book purports to be the travel memoir of Mandeville, though it’s more accurately described as fiction. He claims to have travelled through Turkey, Persia, Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, India and China in the 1320s or '30s.</p> <p>It’s filled with tales of exotic beasts, treasures beyond imagination, as well as magical kingdoms with mythical people such as dog-headed humans and other strange creatures – all hallmarks of today's science fiction&nbsp;– and the book is considered by some to be one of the first widespread tales in the genre.</p> <p>And&nbsp;the <em>Travels</em>&nbsp;goes beyond simply writing about destinations, delving into subjects such as religion and politics. For example, while trekking through Egypt, Mandeville engages in a lengthy conversation with the sultan of Egypt.</p> <p>“They exchange ideas about the Qur’an&nbsp;and the Bible,” says Sobecki. “And they discuss differences of belief between Muslims and Christians. It's really quite open-minded.</p> <p>“But it's not a religious text. This is a secular adventure text about [fictional] monsters&nbsp;of the East and what Asia looks like. This is one of the great global travel writing texts and it's remarkable for its tolerance and openness.”</p> <p>Part of that adventure includes visiting the enchanted kingdom of Prester John, a legendary Christian patriarch and king who ruled over a large Christian settlement in India.</p> <p>Mandeville describes the kingdom as having unmatched wealth with an abundance of precious stones, including an entire river composed of gemstones instead of water, which flows down from enormous mountains, and yields especially sweet-tasting fish.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/DSC_4815-crop.jpg?itok=oYzTSo2y" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Tim Perry is a medieval manuscript sand early books librarian at the Fisher Library.</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Where did the author get his material for this book? From combining several authentic travel accounts from a variety of sources and adding his own flair.</p> <p>“There's quite a lot of material from the 13th-century Franciscan missions to the Mongols,” says Sobecki. “They brought back fantastic reports about the peoples of Central Asia. Some of them are accurate, some are laced with fiction and science fiction.”</p> <p>So who, exactly, was Sir John Mandeville?</p> <p>“That’s a good question. We don't know that,” says Sobecki, noting that it is the subject of scholarly debate. “John Mandeville was probably a fictional name, one of the earliest pen names.”</p> <p>Whoever the author is, it’s generally accepted that he didn’t do much travelling himself. However, he was a master at taking other people’s accounts and creating a new narrative.</p> <p>“Someone said, very accurately, that his longest journey was to the nearest library,” says Sobecki. “So he was probably the world's greatest armchair traveller.”</p> <p>Some scholars have suggested that&nbsp;the <em>Travels</em>&nbsp;was written by Jan de Langhe, a Flemish monk pretending to be an Englishman. He was known to be a prolific writer and avid collector of travel memoirs right up to his death in 1383.</p> <p>What also makes this manuscript so important is that it’s far more than just a prize – it’s a valuable tool for research and teaching.</p> <p>“This is a book for readers, for real use,” says Sobecki. “We're trying to work out where in the family tree of Mandeville manuscripts this text belongs. And for teaching purposes this text would be enormously helpful because Mandeville is a canonical English writer and is taught every year, not only in my course, but in several others across U of T. This manuscript also presents many teaching opportunities for undergraduate, master’s and PhD students: comparing later Middle English translations to the original Anglo-French text.” &nbsp;</p> <p>As well, this text can shed light on many other facets of historical literature and publishing.</p> <p>“Once we know where this manuscript fits, maybe we can locate the particular dialect where the writing came from,” says Sobecki. “We can also understand more about how these early medieval manuscripts of Mandeville’s&nbsp;<em>Travels</em>&nbsp;were circulated in England.”</p> <p>Sobecki adds that he can’t wait to dive into Mandeville’s pages and see what secrets can be unlocked.</p> <p>“This text has really inspired people,” he says. “This is the text that really made me fall in love with medieval travel writing. I've worked with thousands of manuscripts, but every time you're in the presence of something that was written 700 years ago by hand, it’s just amazing.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 18 Sep 2023 15:22:25 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 302898 at Margaret Atwood reveals she’s writing a memoir: NBC’s Today /news/margaret-atwood-reveals-she-s-writing-memoir-nbc-s-today <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Margaret Atwood reveals she’s writing a memoir: NBC’s Today</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/atwood-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1_4sknOP 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/atwood-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=43JUOYoC 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/atwood-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MRLGl4uM 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/atwood-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1_4sknOP" alt="Margaret Atwood being interviewed by Jenna Bush Hager"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-03-08T11:20:26-05:00" title="Wednesday, March 8, 2023 - 11:20" class="datetime">Wed, 03/08/2023 - 11:20</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(image courtesy of David Fernandez, Fisher Library)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/literature" hreflang="en">Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/margaret-atwood" hreflang="en">Margaret Atwood</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-college" hreflang="en">Victoria College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">Her bibliography includes&nbsp;more than 50 titles spanning fiction, poetry and essays, but author&nbsp;<b>Margaret Atwood</b> says she’s tackling new terrain in her next book:&nbsp;her own story.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Atwood revealed on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/margaret-atwood-opens-up-on-life-legacy-and-a-new-book-164552773934">NBC’s <i>Today</i> show</a> that she’s working on a memoir&nbsp;– a project she’d previously denied any interest in tackling.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“That’s the kind of thing you say in your youth,” Atwood, 83, told host Jenna Bush Hager during&nbsp;an interview shot inside the Ƶ’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. “You say that when you’re maybe 70.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Atwood&nbsp;– who completed her bachelor’s degree at Victoria College and was a U of T writer-in-residence in 1972&nbsp;–&nbsp;talked about her latest collection of short stories, <em>Old Babes in the Wood</em>, and leafed through selections from <a href="/news/handmaid-s-tale-margaret-atwood-s-handwritten-first-draft-u-t-s-fisher-library">her extensive archives</a> housed at Fisher, which may serve as a useful resource as Atwood turns her pen on herself.&nbsp;“You can’t just make stuff up,” she says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Back in the studio, Bush Hager told her <i>Today </i>co-hosts she was excited to spend time with Atwood at her alma mater. “U of T was where Margaret did her undergrad, so it was very cool to be back there with her,” Bush Hager said, thanking Thomas Fisher for hosting the interview. “They very rarely let people film there, but of course, when the queen of Canadian literature comes, they roll out the red carpet.”</p> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><a href="https://www.today.com/video/margaret-atwood-opens-up-on-life-legacy-and-a-new-book-164552773934">Watch the <i>Today</i> Interview</a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" loading="lazy" scrolling="no" src="https://www.today.com/today/embedded-video/mmvo164552773934" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:20:26 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 180598 at U of T to confer honorary degrees on 14 academic, business and community leaders /news/u-t-confer-honorary-degrees-14-academic-business-and-community-leaders <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T to confer honorary degrees on 14 academic, business and community leaders</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/group-v10.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2z5gzfw4 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/group-v10.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=tyMmAQN2 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/group-v10.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=COcLLbM5 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/group-v10.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2z5gzfw4" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-02-16T10:42:32-05:00" title="Thursday, February 16, 2023 - 10:42" class="datetime">Thu, 02/16/2023 - 10:42</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">All photos supplied except for Beverly Glenn-Copeland (by Briana Boyd), James and Louise Temerty (by George Pimentel) and Sara Seager (by Justin Knight). </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/mariam-matti" hreflang="en">Mariam Matti</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6899" hreflang="en">Convocation 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-music" hreflang="en">Faculty of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/statistical-sciences" hreflang="en">Statistical Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">A leading stem cell scientist and biotech entrepreneur. An influential couple whose philanthropy champions health care, education and community-building. A former head of state who prioritized gender equality and sustainability in her public service career. An inspirational business leader who is breaking down systemic barriers facing Black entrepreneurs. And an internationally acclaimed filmmaker whose work has put anti-colonial resistance and Indigenous persistence in the spotlight.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">These six luminaries – <b>Derrick Rossi</b>, co-founder of Moderna, philanthropists <b>James and Louise Temerty</b>, former prime minister of New Zealand <b>Helen Clark, </b>business leader <b>Wesley Hall</b> and filmmaker <b>Alanis Obomsawin</b> – are among the 14 eminent individuals who will receive honorary degrees from the Ƶ this year and will address graduating students at convocation ceremonies in spring or fall.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“Through their outstanding contributions to their respective fields and beyond, these exceptional individuals have each made a tremendous impact on the world,” said U of T President <b>Meric Gertler</b>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“Their innovation, vision and generosity are an inspiration to all members of the U of T community – and I’m delighted that we will have an opportunity to honour their achievements at our convocation ceremonies this year.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Here is the full list of honorary degree recipients for 2023.</p> <hr> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/David-Andrews---1---preferred-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">David F. Andrews</b>, professor emeritus and a U of T alumnus, is recognized for his innovative, foundational and transformative contributions to the field of statistical sciences and for his service to the public good. A chair of the department of statistics (now statistical sciences) at U of T for eight years, Andrews helped bring statistical knowledge to research work at the university and aided media commentators tasked with predicting the results of more than 100 Canadian elections.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Helen-Clark-press-photo---high-res-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Helen Clark</b> is recognized for her ongoing, globally impactful commitment to a just, thriving, equitable and sustainable world. As prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, Clark led societal change and broke down barriers. She also served eight years as administrator of the UN Development Programme and has held other leadership roles with global organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/David-Denison-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">David F. Denison</b>, a U of T alumnus, is recognized as a corporate leader in the for-profit and non-profit sectors, and for his outstanding service to the university. A former CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Denison has contributed to Canada’s global reputation for having an innovative and effective retirement income system. He also improved the performance of U of T’s endowment and pension funds (now part of University Pension Plan of Ontario) as co-chair of the university’s investment committee.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Beverly-Glenn-Copeland-1---Photo-credit-Briana-Boyd-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Beverly Glenn-Copeland</b> is internationally recognized for his innovative and influential musicianship and sterling artistic reputation. Throughout his 50-year recording career, Glenn-Copeland has received national and international acclaim as a singer and composer. A Black trans artist, he is a strong advocate on behalf of Black and LGBTQ2S+ communities in Canada and abroad, and has influenced new generations of artists.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/050622-CBC_DD-Wes-376-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Wesley Hall</b> is recognized for his innovative corporate and entrepreneurial leadership, and for his outstanding service to the local community&nbsp;as a champion for equity and the removal of systemic barriers affecting the Black community. When he was 34, Hall founded Kingsdale Advisors – a leading shareholder advisory firm with offices across North America. He also founded the BlackNorth Initiative following George Floyd’s death in 2020 and partnered with U of T’s Rotman School of Management in 2021 to introduce Canada’s first Black entrepreneurship and leadership course.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/RobertHoule-1-crop.jpg" style="width: 125px; height: 125px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left;">Robert Houle </b>is recognized for being an internationally celebrated Indigenous artist and curator known for his revisioning of the history of abstraction and representation through an Indigenous lens. A residential school survivor, Houle – who grew up in Sandy Bay First Nation – has been instrumental in bridging the gap between Indigenous art and the contemporary art scene. His art and advocacy have played a pivotal role in working to change the history and representation of Indigenous Peoples.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Barb-J-Colour-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Barbara Jackman</b>, a U of T alumna,<b> </b>is recognized for her transformative impact on Canadian immigration and refugee law, and her outstanding service for the public good&nbsp;as an unyielding advocate for social justice and human rights. One of Canada’s foremost immigration and refugee lawyers,<b> </b>Jackman has shaped Canadian legal practices related to migration and worked tirelessly to protect the human rights of non-citizens. She also played an instrumental role in the Student Legal Aid Society at U of T’s Faculty of Law.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Photo---Claire-Kennedy-crop.jpg" style="width: 125px; height: 125px; float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;">Claire Kennedy</b>, a U of T alumna, is recognized as one of Canada’s leading tax lawyers and for her outstanding service to the university as a tireless advocate and volunteer. A senior adviser of clients and industries at Bennett Jones LLP, Kennedy served on U of T’s Governing Council for nine years, including four as chair. She is a co-chair of U of T’s Defy Gravity campaign who has also served as a member of the dean’s advisory committee at the Rotman School of Management and held several advisory roles in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Alanis-Obomsawin_Cosmos-Image-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Alanis Obomsawin</b>, one of the most acclaimed Indigenous directors in the world, is recognized for being an internationally renowned, multi-disciplinary artist dedicated to the cultivation of exemplary documentary film practice grounded in both social justice and artistic achievement. Over the course of a six-decade career, she has created 54 films with the National Film Board of Canada. A member of the Abenaki Nation, Obomsawin is a dedicated mentor to new generations of Indigenous artists and activists.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Derrick-Rossi---1-crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Derrick Rossi</b>, a U of T alumnus, is recognized for his groundbreaking scientific research that has been translated into therapeutics with global impact, and for his outstanding service for the public good&nbsp;through his extraordinary contributions to global public health and biotechnology innovation. A co-founder of biotech firm Moderna and the CEO of Convelo Therapeutics, Rossi has contributed to the development of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines through his research. He is heavily involved in the U of T community through speaking events and mentorship.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/SeagerPhotoCreditJustinKnight---Preferred-square.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Sara Seager</b>, a U of T alumna, is recognized as an internationally renowned leader in astrophysics and planetary science, and as a pioneer of the field of exoplanet atmospheres. A professor of physics at MIT, Seager leads multiple international collaborations dedicated to finding signs of life on other planets and actively works on building confidence among young people, women and those who are neurodivergent.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/james-louise-temerty-square-2.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left;">James and Louise Temerty</b> are recognized for their dedication to bettering the lives of others through a sustained, thoughtful and generous commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism, and for their outstanding service to the university. Their donation to U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, which was renamed in their honour, remains the largest single monetary gift in Canadian philanthropic history. They have also supported countless important causes at U of T, including COVID-19 research, the Scholars-at-Risk program and students from Ukraine whose studies were disrupted by war.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Walsh_Michael_F-square.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 125px; height: 125px;">Michael Walsh</b> is recognized for his commitment to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, his transformative gift of the Walsh Philosophy Collection, and his outstanding service for the public good&nbsp;by ensuring that the collection remains an accessible resource for scholarship. His donation of rare books and early prints from before 1500 contributed to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library’s status as one of the leading rare book libraries in the world.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:42:32 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 180029 at ‘That object has a story’: Alexandra Gillespie on CBC’s Metro Morning /news/object-has-story-alexandra-gillespie-cbc-s-metro-morning <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">‘That object has a story’: Alexandra Gillespie on CBC’s Metro Morning</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT89376_0302SilkRoadsBookProject030-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MqeSRti7 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT89376_0302SilkRoadsBookProject030-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=z5W0CL51 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT89376_0302SilkRoadsBookProject030-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VKrdBwMj 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT89376_0302SilkRoadsBookProject030-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MqeSRti7" alt="Alexandra Gillespie looks at one of the ancient books being studied"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-12-09T15:37:23-05:00" title="Friday, December 9, 2022 - 15:37" class="datetime">Fri, 12/09/2022 - 15:37</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Professor Alexandra Gillespie heads the Old Books New Science Lab at Ƶ Mississauga (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alexandra-gillespie" hreflang="en">Alexandra Gillespie</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cbc" hreflang="en">CBC</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-and-innovation" hreflang="en">Research and Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At first glance, the dusty and worn pages of an old book from centuries ago might not seem to reveal more than their written content. But a closer look unlocks a treasure trove of knowledge, Professor <strong>Alexandra Gillespie</strong> told CBC Radio’s <em>Metro Morning </em>on Dec. 8.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="/news/hidden-stories-project-u-t-researchers-lead-international-collaboration-centuries-old-books">Hidden Stories: New Approaches to the Local and Global History of the Book</a> is the latest in a series of projects co-ordinated by the research team at the Ƶ Mississauga’s <a href="https://oldbooksnewscience.com/">Old Books New Science Lab</a>, led by Gillespie, who is also a U of T vice-president and the principal of U of T Mississauga. It aims to explore the systems, peoples and cultures that make a book, including its physical and biological properties that reveal new knowledge.&nbsp;</p> <p>“When you love books, you don’t only love the thing that you’re reading, you also love the object that’s in your hands, and that object has a story to tell,” Gillespie told host Ismaila Alfa. “We’re also really interested in the books whose stories haven’t been told…The story of media is not a straight line from Gutenberg to Zuckerburg. On the contrary, it’s a rich line with many forking paths that takes in all parts of the world.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The Hidden Stories project examines manuscripts in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and across the world including China, Ethiopia, east Africa, North America, Tunisia and Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-39-metro-morning/clip/15953703-the-old-books-new-science-project-judges-books">Listen to the CBC Radio interview</a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:37:23 +0000 lanthierj 178503 at Hidden Stories Project: U of T researchers lead international collaboration on centuries-old books /news/hidden-stories-project-u-t-researchers-lead-international-collaboration-centuries-old-books <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Hidden Stories Project: U of T researchers lead international collaboration on centuries-old books</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0302SilkRoadsBookProject018-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3kkeTCDL 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0302SilkRoadsBookProject018-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=0wmYEplt 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0302SilkRoadsBookProject018-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=i_Gz-Bo7 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0302SilkRoadsBookProject018-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3kkeTCDL" alt="''"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-12-06T15:14:13-05:00" title="Tuesday, December 6, 2022 - 15:14" class="datetime">Tue, 12/06/2022 - 15:14</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Researchers analyze a manuscript as part of the The Book and Silk Roads project. UTM Old Books New Science Lab is co-ordinating a follow-up project, Hidden Stories, which has received funding from the Mellon Foundation. (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/ali-raza" hreflang="en">Ali Raza</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alexandra-gillespie" hreflang="en">Alexandra Gillespie</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-and-innovation" hreflang="en">Research and Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At first glance, the dusty and worn pages of an old book from centuries ago might not reveal more than their written content. But a closer look unlocks a treasure trove of knowledge.</p> <p>It’s those obscured treasures – hidden stories – that Ƶ researchers want to uncover.</p> <p>U of T is launching a collaborative and interdisciplinary project entitled Hidden Stories: New Approaches to the Local and Global History of the Book, funded by the Mellon Foundation. The Mellon Foundation has given a $2.69 million grant for the next four years to support the project, which involves a collaboration with 130 researchers – humanists, scientists, librarians, curators, conservators and others – at U of T and from 60 institutions across the world.</p> <p>It’s the latest in a series of projects in global book history co-ordinated by the research team at UTM’s Old Books New Science Lab.</p> <p>“I became really interested in the way that there were stories about books that could be told that were not only about the texts that are in them,” says U of T Vice-President and U of T Mississauga Principal <b>Alexandra Gillespie</b>, who leads the Old Books New Science Lab.</p> <p>“That’s this ‘hidden stories’ idea, that there are stories about the makers of books, the users of books, that leave all kinds of traces that are non-textual.”</p> <p><a href="https://booksilkroads.library.utoronto.ca/">The Hidden Stories project</a> will run from November 2022 to January 2027 and aims to explore the systems, peoples and cultures that make a book, including its physical and biological properties that reveal new knowledge. Everything from fungal growth on its pages to the trade routes involved in the materials used to make the book will be studied.</p> <p><img alt="A student shines a flashlight through a page of a large book while Alexandra Gillespie examines the page from the opposite side" src="/sites/default/files/0302SilkRoadsBookProject036-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>Alexandra Gillespie, vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, and principal investigator for the Hidden Stories project, joins researchers working on The Book and the Silks Roads project, March 2022.&nbsp;(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>This latest project is named after a public exhibition displayed at the Aga Khan Museum from October 2021 to February 2022. That display, which included contributions from U of T, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and other collaborators, showcased manuscripts including a 17th century manuscript of the <em>Bhagavad Gita</em> from Kashmir.</p> <p>The Hidden Stories project examines manuscripts in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and across the world including China, Ethiopia, East Africa, North America, Tunisia and Nepal.</p> <p>Some of these books are so fragile that opening them to read would destroy the manuscript. To get past this hurdle and access its contents, researchers conduct micro-CT scans of the book, layer by layer – not page by page. Because the pages are wavy, and both the ink and the page are made of carbon, reconstructing a 3D model of the scanned layers involves the use of AI.</p> <p>The project leaders are Gillespie, Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) Professor <b>Suzanne Conklin Akbari</b>, and Ƶ Libraries (UTL) IT Director <b>Sian Meikle</b>, who will provide oversight for project goals and outcomes. Akbari was a professor at U of T for nearly 25 years, including serving as director for the Centre for Medieval Studies between 2013 and 2018 before moving to IAS in New Jersey. She was the co-curator for <a href="https://agakhanmuseum.org/exhibitions/hidden-stories">the Aga Khan Museum</a> exhibition from which the project sprang.</p> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1118JessicaLockhart004-crop.jpg" alt><em>Jessica Lockhart (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> </div> <p>“We’re working together to preserve and share the knowledge of the past,” says <b>Jessica Lockhart</b>, the <a href="https://oldbooksnewscience.com/">Old Books New Science Lab</a>’s head of research, calling this the “most ambitious project” the lab has ever undertaken.</p> <p>The results of the research will be made available through open-source code, open data repositories, academic publications, media posts, podcasts, videos and exhibits.</p> <p>UTL project librarian <b>Rachel Di Cresce </b>will direct the project’s technical development and approach to intellectual property, data rights, data sovereignty, sustainability, curation and preservation. IAS research associate Melissa Moreton will co-ordinate individual research clusters based all over the globe, from South Asia to the Americas.</p> <p>A component of the project is to find better ways to conserve old manuscripts. While some of the books are too fragile to open, other manuscripts made of parchment degrade through a process of gelatinizing. “It’s where the page starts to physically break down on the molecular level,” Lockhart says. “We don’t really have a good conservation solution for that, so that’s part of the work.”</p> <p>Other conservation issues include what’s known as the carbon black problem. CT scans of books with charcoal ink reveal that the ink and the page are both made of carbon, which makes it difficult to distinguish in a scan, as is the case with some 16th century Kashmiri birchbark manuscripts. Researchers have turned to machine learning, imaging scientists, Sanskrit scholars, librarians and conservators to figure out how to conserve the book and read it.</p> <p>But the project is much more than scanning old books. In addition to imaging and machine learning, it includes DNA analysis, ecosystem analysis, data management and cataloging. It also involves directing funding toward communities of origins – the communities where the manuscripts were initially found.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/0302SilkRoadsBookProject010-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>PhD student Arka Chakraborty holds a palm leaf manuscript. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>One of the project’s primary investigators, Gillespie is interested in "disrupting the traditional narrative about the arrival of printing in Western Europe” which, she explains, is “inconsistent with pre-modern textual culture.”</p> <p>That narrative, which she refers to as the “Gutenberg myth,” is that the arrival of printing in Western Europe in the 15th century is what produced modernity.</p> <p>But Hidden Stories aims to change this narrative by studying diverse and creative ways of knowledge-sharing that have existed millennia before the development of the printing press in Europe. Those stories range from the squashed bug flattened between the pages of an old book to textual traditions in non-Western societies that were suppressed by colonialism or Western scholarship.</p> <p>“The stories we tell about the past shape the way we live in the present,” Gillespie says.</p> <p>“Recovering knowledge people have ignored, neglected, stolen or excluded, recovering knowledge, sharing it, doing it truthfully, openly, is necessary for our world to thrive,” she adds. "It's also a tool for cultural resilience&nbsp;– a way of giving hope for the future by affirming the cultural vitality of the past."</p> <p><img alt="Top view of Alexandra Gillespie examining a book" src="/sites/default/files/0302SilkRoadsBookProject024-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>Among the project’s most important collaborators are members from Indigenous communities, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Munsee Delaware Nation, both located in what is now Ontario. Since the Munsee homeland is in what is now New York and New Jersey, that collaboration is carried on through IAS faculty. Meanwhile in Nepal, U of T collaborators are working with the local community to clean and catalog a collection of manuscripts in a monastery.</p> <p>Akbari says the project developed organically and soon spread into a web of connections of interested researchers.</p> <p>“It started very early on with conversations among medievalists at Toronto,” she says. She hopes Hidden Stories will generate research, speak to a wider public, create exhibitions and effect change in curricula.</p> <p>“The book is a conduit that lets us find ourselves in the past,” she says. “It’s about the different ways of accessing the past, telling those stories in a good way, respecting the evidence and respecting how people have told the story over time.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 06 Dec 2022 20:14:13 +0000 lanthierj 178451 at U of T mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, lowers flags to half-mast /news/u-t-mourns-death-queen-elizabeth-ii-lowers-flags-half-mast <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, lowers flags to half-mast</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-77652189-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Gif52hsz 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-77652189-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=0GRO7kRA 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-77652189-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fO1cVwzz 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-77652189-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Gif52hsz" alt="Queen Elizabeth II"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-09-08T19:35:48-04:00" title="Thursday, September 8, 2022 - 19:35" class="datetime">Thu, 09/08/2022 - 19:35</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96, was the longest-serving monarch in British history (photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/princess-margaret-cancer-centre" hreflang="en">Princess Margaret Cancer Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sinai-health" hreflang="en">Sinai Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/massey-college" hreflang="en">Massey College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mount-sinai-hospital" hreflang="en">Mount Sinai Hospital</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/munk-school-global-affairs-public-policy" hreflang="en">Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/queen" hreflang="en">Queen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/royalty" hreflang="en">Royalty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Ƶ is mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, who visited the university on numerous occasions.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Flags on all three U of T campuses are being lowered to half-mast in memory of the Queen, who <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1567928275913121792?s=20&amp;t=XsVfCshJiutsw7VBzPe8SQ">died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at the age of 96</a>. They will remain at half-mast until the day of her state funeral.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The university will also mark the event by having carillonists play the bells in Soldiers’ Tower on Friday at noon, tolling the largest bell once for each year of the Queen’s age at the time of her passing. The royal anthem&nbsp;and <i>O Canada</i> will also be played.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">U of T President <b>Meric Gertler </b>said the U of T community joins all Canadians in mourning the loss of the sovereign, noting that, before acceding to the throne, she promised to devote her life to the service of her people.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“She fulfilled that promise with unparalleled grace and dignity, and in so doing set a magnificent example for us all,” President Gertler <a href="https://www.president.utoronto.ca/statement-by-president-meric-gertler-on-the-death-of-her-majesty-the-queen/">said in a statement</a>. “Her unfailing devotion to duty has been a constant source of strength and continuity for generations of Canadians as well as countless others around the world.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a world without her.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span id="cke_bm_483S" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/tricampus-flags-v3.jpg" alt></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>Flags fly at half mast at, from left to right, U of T Mississauga, St. George and U of T Scarborough to mark the Queen’s death on Sept. 8, 2022 (photos by Nick Iwanyshyn, Johnny Guatto and&nbsp;Raquel Russell)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">He also highlighted the Queen’s contributions to international peace and solidarity through the Commonwealth and noted the U of T community has been enriched by the contributions of students, faculty, librarians, staff and alumni who arrived from or live in fellow Commonwealth countries.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“In tribute to Her Majesty, in this time of sadness and in the years to come, let us remember and learn from her life of dedicated and extraordinarily generous service to others, and give thanks for a life very well lived.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:20px"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/0J5A0582-Edit-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted at Hart House by U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey</em>&nbsp;<em>(Walter F. Mackenzie/Ƶ Archives)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Queen’s passing comes 14 months <a href="/news/u-t-lowers-flags-half-mast-memory-prince-philip">after her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died aged 99</a>.</p> <div class="image-with-caption right"> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/0J5A0580-Edit-crop.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 446px;"><em>Princess Elizabeth visits Hart House with U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey on Oct.13, 1951 (Walter F. Mackenzie/Ƶ Archives)</em></p> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that it is with the “heaviest of hearts” that Canadians learned of the passing of the country’s longest-reigning sovereign.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“For most Canadians, we have known no other Sovereign. Queen Elizabeth II was a constant presence in our lives. Time and again, Her Majesty marked Canada’s modern history,” <a href="https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2022/09/08/statement-prime-minister-passing-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii">he said in a statement</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the crown in 1952 at age 25. She went on to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, marking her Platinum Jubilee this past February.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">She is to be succeeded as monarch by her eldest son Charles, Prince of Wales – now King Charles III.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>David Onley</b>, former lieutenant governor of Ontario and a senior lecturer in the department of political science at U of T Scarborough, said he has warm recollections of meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2008.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“The experience my wife and I had was quite amazing to us in that the conversation was not superficial. The Queen really engaged in our conversation,” Onley said.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QFX0NjGIDCc" title="YouTube video player" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">He added that the Queen took great interest in the results of Canada’s federal election, which had taken place the night before. “I was really quite amazed as to how well-briefed she was. She wanted to know about Stephen Harper, she wanted to know about why the Liberals had lost so badly on that occasion – so it wasn’t just a superficial chit-chat.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“At the same time, I would say that she interacted with everybody like that – and that was one of the fundamental reasons for her passing being felt by so many people. Because everybody has stories – if you met the Queen, you had a story – and that was because of her degree of engagement.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Onley said the Queen’s impeccable reputation during her seven-decade reign – he noted that her first prime minister was Winston Churchill and her last, the recently elected Elizabeth Truss; and that she had met all but one of the U.S. presidents since the Second World War – was testament to her complete devotion to the role.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“This is a particular accomplishment, and you would not have that kind of reputation if you were just effectively mailing in the responsibilities,” Onley said. “She saw it as a lifetime of service and executed that service right to the very end.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">He added that the frequency and range of the Queen’s visits to Ontario and Canada “give you the sense of the degree of interest that she had in this province, and other provinces as well.”</p> <p><span id="cke_bm_2468S" style="display: none;"><span id="cke_bm_2449S" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</span><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/6926427736_3a20652cc6_o.jpg" alt></p> <p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1662667089144_1738"><em>Queen Elizabeth II attends the Festival of Ontario at the CNE in 2002, making a stop in front of the U of T Blue Sky Solar Racing Team’s display (photo via Flickr)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Toronto seven times, with their first visit taking place in 1951, four months before the Queen’s coronation. On that occasion, the royal couple were driven to the steps of Hart House, where they waved to cheering crowds and posed for photos.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">In 1973, the Queen returned to Toronto and laid the cornerstone for the new Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health and one of U of T’s partner hospitals. The hospital is located next to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, named in honour of the Queen’s sister.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">In 2002, the royal couple visited Toronto again during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, which coincided with U of T’s 175<sup>th</sup> anniversary. During the celebrations, the Queen visited a U of T display where she spoke with undergraduate students from the Blue Sky Solar Racing team who were present with their solar-powered car.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“I recall that the Queen had such a presence,” said <b>Nicolle Wahl</b>, director of content in U of T Mississauga’s Office of Communications, who was present at the U of T display. “[She was] very warm and curious – and it was wonderful to see how excited the students were to meet her.”</p> <p><em><img alt="Text reads Feb 17th, 1952 Clarence House St. James. Dear Mr. Massey. I was so touched by your letter to me at this time of sorrow. we have been greatly strengthened by the knowledge that we had the love and sympathy of so many people - both [illegible] and [illegible]. The King was so much better - as you saw when you were at Sandringham - that the shock of his death still makes it seem unbelievable. to have been so far away from home and unable to help or comfort my mother and sister was very hard, but they have been been magnificently brave in their enormous loss. I at least have the support of my husband and the joy of my children to help me. With renewed thanks to you. yours sincerely Elizabeth R. " src="/sites/default/files/queen-deathoffather-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 526px;"></em></p> <p><em>A letter written by Princess Elizabeth&nbsp;to U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey dated Feb. 17, 1952 (photo by Larysa Woloszansky)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Queen’s 22<sup>nd </sup>and final tour of Canada took place in 2010 and included a visit to Queen’s Park – named in honour of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria and located amid U of T’s St. George campus – where she presented Ontario Medals for Good Citizenship and waved to thousands of cheering well-wishers.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Queen’s impact on U of T did not end with her last visit to Toronto, however. In 2017, Massey College announced that the Queen agreed <a href="https://www.masseycollege.ca/2017/06/20/queen-designates-chapel-royal-at-massey-college/">to designate the college’s St. Catherine’s Chapel as the third Chapel Royal in Canada</a>, which made it the first interdenominational Chapel Royal in the country.The request for the designation was made by <b>John Fraser</b>, then the master of Massey College, with the support of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. It was inspired in part by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:20px"><em><img alt="Text on paper reads The Coronation Bible This Bible is No. 17 of an edition of 25 copies No. 1 being that on which Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth took her Coronation Oath" src="/sites/default/files/2022-09-08-Queen_4-750.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></em></p> <p><em>U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library has one of 25 souvenir Bibles created to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1953&nbsp;(photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Queen’s ties with Massey College can be traced back to her close relationship with the college’s founder <b>Vincent Massey</b>, who was Canada’s 18<sup>th</sup> Governor General and a U of T chancellor from 1947 to 1953.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Letters written by the Queen to Massey – and preserved at U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library – speak to a warm personal rapport.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">In one letter dated February 1952, the Queen responded to a letter of condolence sent to her by Massey upon the passing of her father, King George VI. In her letter, the Queen expresses her gratitude for Massey’s condolences and notes that her father was in much better condition when Massey had last met him, but had then taken a turn for the worse. The Queen also states her regret at the fact that she was on a tour in Africa when her father died and was saddened by not being able to be home to comfort and console her mother and sister.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Another letter written from Balmoral Castle – where the Queen would eventually take her last breath – thanked Massey for being a great governor general. In another letter to Massey, written from Buckingham Palace in 1957, the Queen recounts her visit to the United States.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:20px"><img alt="Text reads Dear Mr. Massey. Before you lay down your high office as Governor General of Canada I wish to send you my congratulations and my sincere thanks for the manner in which you have dischagred its duties. I know that as my personal representative you have always sought to maintain the right relationship between the crown and the people of Canada. I am grateful to you for this because I regard it as the most improtant function among the many duties of the appointment which you have held with such distinction and which you are shorty to relinquish. I am glad that it has been possible for me to come to Canada twice during your term of office. Our visits to Rideau Hall will always remain among the happiest recollections both of my husband and myself and we both look forward very much to seeing you when you come to London. Yours sincerely Elizabeth R" src="/sites/default/files/2022-09-08-Queen_21-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>A letter written by Queen Elizabeth II to&nbsp;Vincent Massey on the occasion of his retirement as governor general of Canada (photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is also in possession of one of 25 souvenir Bibles created to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1953. Bible #1 was used for the coronation ceremony – the Queen gifted Bible #17 to Massey.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Randall Hansen</b>, professor in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science and the director of the global migration lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy, said the Queen’s many accomplishments include overseeing a modernization of the monarchy – noting as examples her decision to agree to pay income tax and the landmark wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“Leaving aside how it all ended, the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a moment of a highly modern monarchy – an inter-racial marriage and a Black Baptist American minister who oversaw the service.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">He added that the Queen’s son and heir to the throne will benefit from the prestige of the monarchy and the Queen’s impact on the institution.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“It is the institution of the Crown, it is the institution of the monarchy that bestows the prestige … that institution will bequeath on him the full prestige of the monarchy,” Hansen said. “I suspect that he’s going to be quite a successful King.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Hansen said it was remarkable that Queen Elizabeth II, over the course of an extraordinarily long reign, was not embroiled in a scandal of any significance.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">“The Queen somehow managed to be above all of that, decade after decade after decade.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:20px">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 08 Sep 2022 23:35:48 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 176475 at By improving catalogues and collections, U of T librarians aim to be respectful of Indigenous voices /news/improving-catalogues-and-collections-u-t-librarians-aim-be-respectful-indigenous-voices <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">By improving catalogues and collections, U of T librarians aim to be respectful of Indigenous voices</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2022-06-20-Mikayla-Redden-%288%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cX2bafWu 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2022-06-20-Mikayla-Redden-%288%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RoTdB6ie 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2022-06-20-Mikayla-Redden-%288%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=__TGk18X 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2022-06-20-Mikayla-Redden-%288%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cX2bafWu" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-06-20T11:21:41-04:00" title="Monday, June 20, 2022 - 11:21" class="datetime">Mon, 06/20/2022 - 11:21</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Mikayla Redden, a librarian at New College, is part of a tri-campus movement within U of T Libraries to change language and practices used by libraries and archives worldwide to describe items related to Indigenous Peoples (photo by Johnny Guatto)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" hreflang="en">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/new-college" hreflang="en">New College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thomas-fisher-rare-book-library" hreflang="en">Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">U of T Libraries</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When <b>Mikayla Redden </b>was studying the library and information sciences in university, she was often shocked when she saw how Indigenous materials were catalogued.</p> <p>In a standard system used by many academic libraries, many novels, plays and other works by Indigenous authors fall under the heading: “History.”</p> <p>“That makes me feel completely invalidated,” says Redden, who is of Anishinaabe and Scottish heritage. “That makes the experiences of my Indigenous friends, who are creators, writers, playwrights [invalidated].</p> <p>“These things are very much here and now – alive – but they are being classified as ‘history.’”</p> <p>Now an information services and instruction librarian at the Ƶ’s New College, Redden is part of a tri-campus movement within U of T Libraries, as well as internationally,&nbsp;to change harmful language and practices that are still used in libraries and archives worldwide to describe items related to Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized communities.</p> <p>At U of T, the efforts extend to the realm of metadata, where librarians and staff have changed subject headings used to find and organize books in the catalogue. In recent weeks, U of T Libraries replaced hurtful and outdated headings, such as “Indians of North America,” and the racial slur, “Eskimo,” with more appropriate language that’s used in common speech.</p> <p><b>Jordan Pedersen</b>, a metadata librarian at U of T, says that U of T Libraries has removed 10 offensive terms from its catalogue so far, but notes that further changes will be needed.</p> <p>“In libraries, we make our records so people can find stuff. We adhere to international standards, and one of them is the U.S. Library of Congress – which is where these terms are coming from,” she says. “[But] in order to be respectful, we have to break some of those standards.”</p> <p>A group of librarians, staff and students has been working for over a year to change the subject headings and other metadata. An internal library survey showed that librarians and staff who interact with patrons were made to feel embarrassed and uncomfortable by the old terminology, Pedersen says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“There are a lot of messy feelings around how to explain this to users,” she says.</p> <p>The outdated system also threatens to impact research. That’s because some library users may not be able to find resources if they are organized using language that is no longer commonly used in Canada.</p> <p>That’s why the U of T working group plans to look at ways it can further improve the catalogue, including by adding more specific descriptions like “Mississaugas of the Credit River.”</p> <p>In making these changes, U of T librarians and staff took inspirations from American libraries that altered the way they catalogue items related to undocumented migrants, Pedersen explains.</p> <p>Now, U of T Libraries is prepared to share information with other libraries looking to follow suit.</p> <p>“I hope this will be helpful to other people as well,” Pedersen says.</p> <p>At U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, a parallel effort is underway to reorganize and showcase works by Indigenous authors, from the mid-19th century memoirs of an Ojibwe chief to an Inuktitut textbook on hunting from the 1970s.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/The-Life-History-and-Travels-of-Kah-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bowh-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>The Life, History and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh (George Copway): a young Indian chief of the Ojebwa nation, memoirs from 1847, will be on display at Fisher library on June 21 (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><b>Danielle Van Wagner</b>, a special collections librarian, is aiming to improve the descriptions of Indigenous materials that are both derogatory and overly broad – for example, three boxes that simply read: “Collection of miscellaneous material on Canadian Indians and Eskimos.”</p> <p>For National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, Van Wagner is organizing an <a href="https://fisher.library.utoronto.ca/news/indigenous-open-house-tuesday-june-21">exhibition at Fisher library </a>of important works in the library’s collection, including a signed and annotated draft of Tomson Highway’s 1989 play, <i>Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing</i>.</p> <p>“This is the ‘5th’ draft, not by any means the final, it’s a terrible draft &amp; I hope you don’t take it too seriously,” says a self-deprecating note signed by the author on the cover page.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Inuvik-hunter%27s-textboom-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>An illustrated Inuktitut textbook from the 1970s teaches students to hunt (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Personal papers, issues of Indigenous newspapers will also be on display at Fisher.</p> <p>Because Indigenous materials aren’t always labeled using respectful and familiar language, they are often hard to find in the stacks, Van Wagner says.</p> <p>“Part of what’s being lost is, number one, the voices you see in this room [at Fisher], but also the teaching and education possibilities that exist here.”</p> <p>Van Wagner adds that for current Indigenous students, long-standing biases in standard organization methods and collections send a harmful message.</p> <p>“It maybe tells Indigenous students that this [the library] isn’t a home for them, that this isn’t a place where their stories live – but, in fact, it is. But that’s something we need to work harder on, to make this a more welcoming and inviting space.”</p> <p>Redden, the information services and instruction librarian, is leading a tri-campus working group that is in the early stages of adding to the libraries’ collection in order to improve the representation of under-represented and racialized authors.</p> <p>Over the longer term, her “dream project” is to ensure all contemporary Indigenous materials in U of T Libraries’ vast collection aren’t mischaracterized as “history.”</p> <p>“Indigenous People are not history,” she says. “Today, Indigenous Peoples make up cultures that are reclaiming, thriving and very proud.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 20 Jun 2022 15:21:41 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 175311 at