What’s New in Open Shelf: February 5, 2018
In this, our first issue of 2018, we are thinking about relationships—between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, regulations in Canada and the U.S., and libraries…
Guns, knives & other prohibited items: What happens when good 3D printers go bad?
When the St. Thomas Public Library started investigating 3D printers as a new service several years ago, one of the frequent responses I would…
Net neutrality: Is the end in sight?
On December 14, 2017, the U.S. telecommunications regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), voted to repeal the country’s net neutrality regulations. What are the…
Campaign literature: Political evidence we must collect
A political paper trail of sorts will start this spring. Candidates hoping to win a seat in the Ontario legislature will hit the campaign…
Canada 151: Visions of Indigenous & non-Indigenous relations through time
Canada 150 is now officially over. However, the reconciliation work of libraries, archives, museums and other memory institutions continues in Canada 151. The Truth…
Safe spaces: Library values in the cultural wars
Headlines today scream about highly charged debates in the sociological and cultural sphere: Whose voices need to be heard? How do we create equity?…
Games: Community building blocks
I may have told you this story before but, even at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will tell it again.…
Being Fearless and a Heartfelt Goodbye: OCULA President’s Message
By Sarah Shujah Change is inevitable, and in the same way, my term as President has come to an end. I am confident that…
Helen Power
Helen Power is an Information Services Librarian at the University of Windsor's Leddy Library. She liaises with the Faculty of Nursing, the International Student…
Jesse Carliner
Jesse Carliner is a Communications and User Services Librarian at the University of Toronto Libraries. In his communications role, he coordinates external communications for…
Decolonization
Decolonization is a powerful and contentious word. What does it mean exactly? Is it feasible? Is it desirable? And what does it mean for…
From pilot to perfect: Improving RA skills by investing in training
Practice makes perfect—or at least staff can benefit from targeted readers’ advisory training, particularly when they have time to practice and reflect on their…
Canada 150: Library work as a profession for women
B. Mabel Dunham (1881-1957) was the president of the Ontario Library Association in 1920. In her presidential address, she spoke bluntly about the opportunities…