A significant collection of works by the late, visionary poet bpNichol has been generously donated to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries. bpNichol’s revolutionary work, particularly in concrete poetry, was a staple of the university’s curriculum in the 1970s. The donation, while solidifying TMU Libraries’ role as a significant repository for Canadian literary history, ensures bpNichol’s poetic legacy will continue to inspire and inform generations of researchers and students.

The collection, comprising nearly 200 items, is a donation by Brian Dedora, poet and close friend of bpNichol’s. However, its journey to TMU Libraries began with English professors Aaron Tucker (now at Memorial University) and Dale Smith who recognized Dedora’s collection as having great academic value, and brought it to the attention of Val Lem, head of Collections and former English literature liaison librarian. 

Lem, also seeing the value of the collection, then worked with Special Collections Librarian, Alison Skyrme to acquire it for TMU Libraries.

“Dedora’s extensive collection of works by and about bpNichol, arguably one of Canada’s most important and challenging poets of the 1970s and 80s, represented an opportunity for TMU Libraries to strengthen its collections that support the study of Canadian literature from the 20th century,” says Lem.

Its breadth and depth is what makes this collection exceptional. While not a complete set of published works, it is one that would be difficult, maybe even impossible to replicate since much of it  was acquired as a result of the close friendship between bpNichol and Dedora.

In addition to published materials, there are many items personally inscribed to Dedora including Christmas cards and small printed pieces that would have only circulated among friends and family. 

“The inclusion of cards and poetic artworks created for family and friends is a fascinating view into how bpNichol’s creativity was expressed in personal correspondence and offers insight into the author’s literary community,” says Skyrme.

One of the collection highlights is the GrOnk/Ganglia Press (of which Nichol was publisher) materials, including the complete series of GrOnk magazines and nicely preserved newsletters. These pieces alone make for a prized collection.

Another highlight is the complete Seripress catalogue. Works issued by Seripress are highly collectible and quite scarce. The catalogue donation includes the first book ever issued by the press, titled The Adventures of Milt the Morph in Colour. The book is a large portfolio made up of stunning collaborative works between bpNichol and artist Barbara Caruso, including 8 serigraphs limited to only 25 copies and signed by Nichol and Caruso. 

The bpNichol collection, now held at TMU Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections, offers researchers, students and faculty an invaluable resource for study. English scholars will find rich material for studying experimental poetry, sound poetry, and the Canadian literary avant-garde. Graphic design students and researchers can now explore first-hand the visual and typographical innovations present in bpNichol’s work, especially through the Seripress and Ganglia Press materials. The collection also provides insights for anyone examining the intersections of language, art, and media.

This generous donation by Brian Dedora, facilitated by Professors Tucker and Smith and TMU Librarian Val Lem, is an impressive acquisition of rare books and ephemera that ensures bpNichol’s vibrant and influential voice will continue to challenge, inspire, and redefine the boundaries of artistic expression.

 

As the Spring/Summer 2025 term wraps up, please ensure any outstanding fines are paid and overdue items are returned. Students with fines more than $25 or overdues will not be able to view their grades until their accounts are cleared.

You can pay fines at the Circulation Desk (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or OneCard) or by phone at 416-979-2149. We do not accept personal cheques.

For questions, contact us at access@torontomu.ca.

Good luck with your exams!

This past spring, when a middle school teacher reached out to the libraries’ Faculty of Community Services liaison librarian, Jane Schmidt asking about a potential Library visit, it opened an opportunity to spark imaginations and expand ideas about academic libraries. The idea for a visit then evolved from a Library tour into a unique and eye-opening excursion that offered curious middle schoolers a firsthand glimpse into the world of academic discovery.

When first approached about a visit, Schmidt’s initial reaction was: “why not introduce these kids to the incredible tools, knowledge, and spaces we have at TMU Libraries? Maybe it will light a spark.”

While many of the students mentioned wanting to go to university after high school, having a chance to ”see and walk through the campus, explore the library, and interact with the resources—that makes it real. That’s powerful,” says Schmidt.

With that, what started as a simple tour developed into something more meaningful. The visit became an intentional effort to demystify post-secondary education. An itinerary for the visit was set. When the students arrived on campus they were guided into various areas of the Main TMU Library, exploring everything from 3D printing and virtual reality in the Digital Media Experience Lab to participating in a scavenger hunt in the stacks.

At the Libraries’ Media Creation Studio, they had the chance to hear their own voices in the podcast booth and learn about lighting for photography. At the Immersion Studio they heard about creating immersive experiences for school projects, and while amazed, it wasn’t just the tech that caught their interest. Students were equally curious about the stacks. “I was really touched by how many of them opted to explore the books rather than only play with the tech,” says Schmidt.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the visit came during their time spent at the Archives and Special Collections. There, students discovered early camera equipment, TMU’s retired Eggy the Ram mascot head, and Wampum Belts—which prompted conversations around reconciliation and the university’s renaming.

“They showed an impressive understanding of why renaming matters. We connected it to the broader context of reconciliation and even discussed the renaming of Dundas Station,” says Schmidt.

The visit wasn’t just eye-opening for the students—it was exciting for the teachers as well.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with Mr. IIic, one of the class teachers, referring to the visit as “formative,” stressing its long-term value. “The kids don’t know how enriching it is,” says IIic. “But it will come back to them—when they see a piece of tech or remember a conversation. It plants a seed.”

As for offering more school visits?

“Absolutely, we’ll do it again,” says Schmidt. “Investing in young people is never time wasted. If we want the next generation to be curious, thoughtful, and engaged, we need to give them opportunities to see the wider world—and their place in it.”

 

 

 

Nam Jin Yoon joins TMU Libraries from Columbia Law School where he was the Head of Public Services at the Arthur W. Diamond Law Library. While at Columbia, he was also a Lecturer in Law teaching Legal Research & Writing and Advanced Legal Research Techniques. Prior to becoming a librarian, Nam Jin practiced as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP, where he represented clients in a diverse array of commercial litigation matters and maintained an active pro bono practice with a focus on representing underserved youth.

Nam Jin holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School (2016), a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington (2019), and a BA in English from Amherst College (2012).  

As Head Law Librarian, Nam Jin will be responsible for continuing to build a robust and innovative law library branch that includes a rich collection of quality legal resources, an outstanding legal research instructional program, and student focused services customized to meet TMU’s unique law curriculum. 

Nam Jin moves into the position following John Papadopoulos’ inaugural term as Head Law Librarian. John remains at the Law Library continuing to provide legal research expertise to faculty and students. 

“I’m delighted to join TMU Libraries in its ongoing work to support the students and faculty of the Lincoln Alexander School of Law,” says Nam Jin. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue John’s vision of developing a unique law library dedicated to furthering the law school’s innovative curriculum.”

Nam Jin joins the Libraries’ leadership team, reporting to Mark Robertson, dean of Libraries, while also working closely with Donna Young, dean of Law, as well as the law faculty and the library team. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Nam Jin as our new Head Law Librarian,” says Mark. “He is an exceptional librarian and promises exciting developments for the Law Library’s services, collections, and spaces.  We are all looking forward to working with him.”

Fun fact about Nam Jin: he is a freelance crossword writer for the New York Times!

 

 

The Bikram S. Dhillon and Family Medical Library will be the School of Medicine’s gateway to learning, an essential resource for study, research and collaboration.

Toronto, July 10, 2025 – Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) today announced that Bikram Dhillon, CEO of BVD Group, and his family have made a transformational donation to the TMU School of Medicine in Brampton. The school welcomed its first cohort of future physicians earlier this month with the launch of its Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) programs.  Over 100 residents began their training in 16 newly accredited residency programs. The Dhillon family’s multi-million dollar contribution will support the establishment of the university’s new Medical Library along with two new student awards.

Recognizing that the costs of undertaking a medical education can be a challenge for many promising candidates, the Dhillon family established two new awards programs. The Bikram S. Dhillon and Family Scholarship—worth up to $50,000 each—will be awarded to five outstanding students  demonstrating commitment to health in their community. And, each year, five incoming students of high academic standing will receive the Bikram S. Dhillon and Family Award, providing $5,000 to each student toward their medical education.

TMU is proud to recognize the generosity of Bikram Dhillon and family through the naming of the Medical Library. The Bikram S. Dhillon and Family Medical Library will be the School of Medicine’s gateway to learning, an essential resource for study, research and collaboration. The Dhillon family’s generous donation to the TMU School of Medicine aligns with their notable history of giving back to the community, and their keen awareness of the need to strengthen medical education and local health care.

Learn more:

Media release : Bikram Dhillon and family make landmark gift to TMU School of Medicine

Toronto Met Today; Bikram Dhillon and family make landmark gift to TMU School of Medicine

 

The Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries is pleased to announce this year’s 2025 Open Educational Resources (OER) Grants, supporting the creation and adoption of openly licensed learning materials.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are educational materials that are free to use, adapt, reproduce, and share. These resources can take many forms, including courses, modules, textbooks, multimedia, assessments, and other supplementary content.

The OER Grants program aligns with TMU’s commitment to open education, innovation, inclusive teaching, and enhancing student learning. It builds on the Libraries’s strengths in digital scholarship, Open Access, and OER publishing and dissemination. 

The Libraries is pleased to be offering three types of OER Grant opportunities. In addition to a grant offered solely by TMU Libraries, two additional grants are being offered via a Partnership grant model, with TRSM and CELT. 

2025 Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries Open Educational Resources (OER) Grants

Offered and supported by The TMU Libraries, these Open textbook and multimedia creation grants have been offered by TMU Libraries since 2018. A total of $30,000 is available in two categories of grants. 

2025 Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Ted Rogers School Of Management OER Partnership Grant

The TMU Libraries and Ted Rogers School Of Management 2025 OER Partnership Grant  encourages the creation and adoption of open educational resources (OER) with a focus on 100-level and 200-level business courses. This grant also was offered in 2020 and 2022, and to date the projects produced have saved TMU students an estimated $1 300 000. A single $40,000 two-part grant that runs over two years will be available to the successful proposal. 

2025 Teaching with OER Grant: A partnership between TMU Libraries and the CELT

New this year TMU Libraries and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) are pleased to announce a new joint Teaching with OER Grant to encourage the creation and adoption of open educational resources in large enrolment classes. The grant will also be supported by CELT’s Digital Learning Team (DL) which will provide pedagogical / instructional design and multimedia production services. A single $15,000 grant will be available to the successful proposal. 

The deadline for all three grants this year is September 30th, 2025. 

 

Madison Hall just completed her first year as a graduate student in TMU’s Photography Preservation and Collections Management at the Creative School. This summer, through the Young Canada Works program, she’s gaining experience researching and handling special collections at the Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections. 

The Libraries’ Special Collections are home to a growing mass of prominent photography collections that include: the student First Edition Photobook Collection; the Kodak Collection; and the Collingwood Collection–composed of photos taken in Ontario between 1940s and 1990s. The latter is especially appealing to Hall as she notes she has, “a particular interest in early-to-mid twentieth century photography.”

Her role at the Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections is not the first opportunity Hall has had to work with older materials. She previously held positions at local history museums and a municipal archive, which she credits as giving her a solid foundation in collections handling and archival research. However, this is her first time working with special collections at a library, a different environment that adds to her breadth of experience. “My current role at TMU Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections is particularly valuable in order to consider how library-based collections operate differently from other cultural/heritage institutions–especially in terms of descriptive standards, and the emphasis on serving academic as well as public audiences,” she says.

In this role, Hall is working towards an internship credit–a requirement of her graduate program–while gaining valuable experience in an area that she may one day be interested in working in. “I have aspired to become either an archivist or collections manager since my first job in a museum, and have a keen interest in how primary sources, especially photographic materials, can help shape or change our understanding of history,” says Hall. 

Not only is Hall gaining experience handling photography collections, but she is also receiving mentorship from Special Collections Librarian Alison Skyrme to whom she reports. “It’s been wonderful to work with Madison and see her put into practice the archival and photographic preservation skills she has learned in theory,” says Skyrme. “She has naturally adapted classroom concepts to the real challenges of working with an archive collection with all the attendant preservation issues. She is becoming a thoughtful steward of our visual history.”

Hall’s goal throughout the summer is to learn as much as she can about making collections accessible and engaging to the public, “while preserving the quiet legacy of vernacular photography,” she says. In working with the Collingwood Collection, she is gaining hands-on experience with rehousing, condition assessments, description, digitization, and public outreach with photos that require careful handling and contextual research. In so far as the experience relates to her studies, Hall adds “these are things that I have developed a theoretical grasp on.” Through her role at the Archives and Special Collections she is able to take that theoretical knowledge and put it into practice.

 

 

Recent Master of Professional Communication graduate, Zahra Entezami, has been teaching a peer-to-peer workshop at the Library Collaboratory. The workshop has further developed her teaching skills, while giving her the opportunity to share her research interest and knowledge on text mining. 

Entezami, who also holds an MBA, first became interested in text mining in her Creative School graduate degree when she began working as a research assistant with Professor Charles Davis—a collaboration that has shaped her research focus on bibliometrics and text mining.

Since working and taking a course with Davis, she’s co-authored a paper and has developed text mining and topic modeling approaches that offer scalable applications in both academia and industry.

While presenting on the free, open-access data mining tool Orange3 during a research meeting in her role as a research assistant, she was encouraged by Davis to develop the presentation into a workshop. 

She took the advice to heart and taught her first workshop at The Creative School’s Catalyst. Encouraged by its positive reception, she decided to look for additional opportunities to teach and share her workshop. That brought her to the TMU Library Collaboratory where her workshop was met with enthusiasm, openness, and support.

A faculty and graduate multidisciplinary research hub at TMU Libraries, the Collaboratory brings together researchers and graduate students, helping to expand their research opportunities while also providing access to cutting-edge technology. At the Collaboratory, Entezami connected with Operations Specialist Cristina Pietropaolo, who also has an extensive research background, as well as experience developing and teaching advanced peer-to-peer research based workshops. 

Soon, what had started as a passion for Entezami turned into one of her most impactful experiences at TMU. The Library Collaboratory provided more than just a space to teach. It provided a platform. Pietropaolo and the Library team helped her promote her workshop, supported her teaching ambitions, and gave her a chance to build experience as a researcher, educator, and analyst.

The opportunity also gave her access to community members from different disciplines, amplifying her workshop’s reach and connecting her to new learning and teaching collaborations.

“Thanks to the resources and welcoming environment at the Library Collaboratory, I’ve grown in ways I never anticipated. I’ve had the opportunity to share my knowledge with the community I love, expand my academic toolkit, and make complex technologies more accessible to others,” says Entezami.  

 

 

As the academic term has ended, we are reaching out to remind you to clear any outstanding library fines or return borrowed items as soon as possible.

Graduating students with library fines or borrowed items have a hold placed on their account by the Registrar. While this hold does not prevent graduation, it will delay access to key graduation documents such as your diploma and transcripts, and you will not be able to view your grades until your account is cleared.

To avoid delays:

• Visit My Library Account to check for any borrowed items or fines.
• Return borrowed materials and pay any outstanding fines promptly.

How to Pay Your Fines:

• Fines can be paid at the TMU Libraries Circulation Desk using: VISA, MasterCard, AmEx, and OneCard. Note: Personal cheques are not accepted.
• We also accept credit card payment by phone. Please call: 416-979-2149.

If you have any questions or concerns about your account, please contact the Libraries Circulation team at access@torontomu.ca.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter, and congratulations on your graduation!

 

 

 

In the Fall term of 2024, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries launched a survey asking the TMU community to provide their feedback on what is important to them and how we are performing across four categories: communication, service delivery, facilities & equipment, and information resources.

Thank you to all who completed our survey, we very much appreciate the feedback, and congratulations to our ten winners of the $50 Best Buy gift cards: Cristen A (undergraduate student), Caitlin C (graduate student), Khadijah H (undergraduate student), Liaba M (undergraduate student), Shivani J (JD student), Onyinyechi D (graduate student), Amara L (JD student), Mya I (undergraduate student), Siam C (undergraduate student), Sarah B (faculty).

Since receiving the survey results, we have been analyzing the data including comments received. Below is an overview of the key findings and how we are responding.

Where We are Performing Well

The TMU community identified many  areas where the Libraries are performing well, here are the top five:  

• Wireless access
• Off-campus access to Library resources and services
• Library hours of operation
• Users feel comfortable asking for help in the Library
• The Library provides a safe environment

Further, faculty rated the Library’s Course Reserves service (eReserves and Print Reserves) very highly — demonstrating that our investment in this service translates into excellence for faculty teaching and student learning support. 

Top Priorities for Improvement

Students’ top two priorities for the Libraries demonstrate clear opportunities to provide more and quieter study spaces in addition to more spaces for group study and collaborative work. These are:

• Finding a quiet place in the Library to study
• Finding a place in the Library to work in a group

Other Areas for Improvement 

The survey results identified a few other areas where the Libraries can make improvements:

• Faculty, contract lecturers, and PhD students: Information resources (e.g. books, articles, databases, streaming media, datasets) that meet teaching, learning and/or research needs
• Faculty and contract lecturers: The Library search box
• Cleanliness and maintenance of the Library

How We are Responding

In certain cases, the survey results confirmed our current course of action, as areas needing improvement had already been targeted for enhancement prior to receiving the survey results:

• Quiet study in the Main and Law Libraries: Survey data reinforced anecdotal and staff observations about elevated noise levels in our library spaces. Through their survey participation, students demonstrated a clear need for more quiet space that is better enforced. Improvements such as clearer signage, furniture layouts supporting more options for individual and quiet study, installation of sound masking systems, and collaboration between library staff and key stakeholders, have been undertaken to support students and ensure quieter study environments in the Libraries. In addition, changes to the Law Library have been implemented to ensure a quiet study environment for Law students. 
• Collections and information resources: we continue to work with University Administration on budget planning for Library acquisitions, with the goal of ensuring sustainability. Despite budget cuts and inflationary pressures, our Collection Services team continuously works to enable access to information resources of all types that our community needs to be successful.
• Library search box: In June 2024, the TMU Libraries migrated to the Omni platform that is shared by most universities in Ontario. This shared catalogue has significantly enhanced access to over 25 million physical books across 19 Ontario university libraries. With this enhancement comes a learning curve with using the new Omni academic search tool. TMU Librarians are dedicated to teaching students, faculty, contract lecturers, and other members of our community on how to use Omni through workshops and other research help services. Learn how to use Omni here or feel free to reach out to your subject librarian.

Further Action

For certain areas of concern, further investigation and exploration are needed to identify and develop successful solutions. For example, TMU Libraries has embarked on a new strategic planning process; additionally, we identify annual assessment projects that represent the needs of the TMU community. Going forward, the survey results will help us prioritize projects and implement solutions that will improve the overall experience for all members of our community. We will be sharing these projects and outcomes with the TMU community as we move forward.

We are thankful for the survey feedback and we look forward to making enhancements to improve the research, learning, and teaching experience of our users in order to ensure the overall success of the TMU community. We are grateful for the messages of support from our users:

“I have only taught here for 3 terms so far, but I have reached out to librarians to help me teach and give presentations to students each term since I figured out what a fantastic resource they are and what the students have access to for their research. I wish that every first year class in every school could get such a presentation. I have had 3rd year students ask me why did they not learn about this at the beginning of their studies as they could have saved themselves a lot of struggle. I love our librarians!”

“Excellent resource. I would never have been able to get through my graduate work without the library at TMU”

“Our library staff is wonderful – kudos for professionalism and being supportive”

“Honestly, for me, the Library is at the best it could be. Thank you for all the helpful resources readily available!”

For any questions or comments about the survey results and how we are responding, please feel free to contact Nazia Sheikh, Assessment Librarian (n3sheikh@torontomu.ca).