A combined study and social space, RDC’s Library Information Common provides a variety of spaces for collaboration and group work, as well as individual and quiet study spaces. Here’s some information about our space and how our students used it in 2017/18.
“An education for the digital age needs to focus not just on technology and understanding what technology can do but also on what it cannot do—at least for now and perhaps never.”
Robot-Proof p . 48
Robot-Proof: Higher Education In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence explores the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education.
Author Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University, presents a framework for a new discipline, humanics—encompassing new literacies of human literacy, data literacy, and technological literacy as well as cognitive capacities of systems thinking, entrepreneurship, and cultural agility—“which builds on our innate strengths and prepares students to compete in a labor market in which smart machines work alongside human professionals.” (Aoun p. xviii).
Alongside these literacies and capacities, Aoun discusses how creativity, experiential learning, and a growth mindset are essential in becoming “robot-proof.”
Now that exams are done, and the marking pile is starting to get smaller, it’s time to think about reading something not at all related to school… Instead of focusing on “Best of This Year” holiday reading suggestions, I thought I’d offer some options for something a little more seasonal:
And, because ’tis the season, I thought I’d close with a look at 14 of the Best Christmas Trees Made of Books.
Have a great break! See you in 2019.
You Said …
“I appreciate the staffs working at the library but i hope they consider chatting at a very minimal voice. this happens many times you can hear them talking :( ” Read the rest of this entry »
New this Fall, the Library has purchased select textbooks for students to borrow. We recognize the financial burden of purchasing textbooks and hope that this helps ease the load for some students.
Since we can’t purchase every textbook for every class offered at RDC, these are the criteria we consider:
Welcome back, and happy September! We’re kicking things off this year by marking Peer Review Week (yes, there is such a thing).
Peer review is an evaluation process where scholarly writing (like journal articles and books) are screened for quality and accuracy before they’re published. Check out the “What Does ‘Peer Reviewed’ Mean?” section of our How to Research guide for a more detailed explanation.
While peer review is the standard method of evaluation for scholarly writing, it is not without problems. This year, the chefs at The Scholarly Kitchen (the official blog of the Society for Scholarly Publishing) are exploring way to make the peer review process more diverse (in previous years they and others have looked at issues around transparency in the process and recognition for the work).
Something to think about the next time you use the “peer-reviewed only” limiter in one of our databases…
#IndigenousReads and Pride displays
June in Canada is National Aboriginal History Month and, in many places, Pride Month. To go along with the book displays currently available in the library, and if you’re interested in exploring either or both of these themes as part of your summer reading, here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Have a great summer, and happy reading!
When we hear the word “library” most of us still think of the big building filled with books. And while that definition is still mostly true, inside those big buildings you’ll also find a lot of really different, innovative programming going on. Check out some of the cool things different libraries have been up to lately:
What cool things have you seen libraries doing recently?
Quiet Book Club Meeting – Everyone welcome!
Date: June 6, 2018 from 12-1 pm
Location: Library (meet near front doors)
“Oh, I’ve read about Indians. Beautiful people they are. But you’re not exactly Indians, are you? What’s the proper word for people like you?” one asked. — (In Search of April Raintree p. 117)
Marking the month of June as Indigenous Book Club Month and in recognition of National Aboriginal History Month, we invite you to join us in reading In Search of April Raintree, a novel by by Manitoba-born Beatrice Culleton Mosionier.
April Raintree has been critically praised as an important piece of literature that explores the relationship and bond between two Métis sisters: “The powerful and moving life stories of two Métis sisters who suffer the breakdown of their family relations and the injustices of the social services system.” It has been a past selection of CBC’s Indigenous Reads Book Club.
You Said: “In study room 2006B (upstairs) there is a beeping noise that consistently goes off no matter what time of day it is. It sounds like it’s coming from the side of the wall with no other study rooms on it. Either way, it’s super distracting.”
We Said:
Thank you for reporting this issue. We checked it out and also heard the persistent beeping noise, and it is indeed coming from room 2006A, which is a secure storage room. We think the noise is coming from the security system. We will work with our campus maintenance folks to ensure this is fixed. Sorry for the distraction and inconvenience.
