On June 12, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries will launch OMNI, an academic search tool designed to bring library search and service functions together to provide a seamless, one-stop search experience for users.
The archive will serve as a repository for future research and experiential learning
The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” has proven true as the COVID-19 global pandemic has unfolded. People have searched for images that show what the virus has done to cities across the globe, and have found comfort in videos of neighbours singing together from their balconies in isolation. Ryerson Library Archives and Special Collections have created a digital home for content just like this, and are inviting the Ryerson community to contribute through an online portal. The material they receive will be used for future research and experiential learning.
The Archives and Special Collections have posted an excellent blog dedicated to celebrating the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
Author’s blog note: The planning for this blog started in November 2019, to tie into exhibits and other events to celebrate the World Health Organization’s declaration that 2020 would be The International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. At that time COVID-19 was not a known entity and now 5 months later we are in the midst of an international health crisis. We would like to take this moment to recognize Nurses and Midwives for all of their hard work and dedication. The Nurses who care for us and our loved ones on a day to day basis, and those who are working on the front line of this pandemic – Thank you. The Midwives who support and care for their patients and are doing so now during these unprecedented times – Thank you.
As the University moved courses, exams and services online, the Library quickly responded. Expanding its laptop loan program to include wifi lending, moving 3D printers to assist FCAD’s efforts to prototype PPE, ensuring improved access to electronic resources, and participating in a global call to archive lived experiences during the pandemic, the Library swiftly adjusted to this new environment.
Library online services and resources
In response to COVID-19, the Library quickly mobilized and expanded its digital infrastructure to ensure students and faculty continued to have access to critical Library services and resources. This included highlighting and adding digital collections (ebooks, ejournals, data, streaming media), expanding virtual reference hours (a 63% jump in use), shifting workshops, instruction and programming online, and ensuring graduate students and faculty have advanced SRC support. The Library also joined the Keep Teaching Taskforce and continues to play an important role in shifting courses to virtual delivery advising on learning resources including open education resources, assisting with learning and teaching technology support, providing online information literacy instruction, and ensuring copyright compliance through the transition.
Laptops and mobile wifi hotspot loans
Quickly stepping up to adjust and expand the laptop loan program (doubling size, and extended loan periods), the Library added mobile wifi hotspot lending to ensure students had the technology and connectivity needed to complete their courses during the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, the Library worked closely with the President’s Office to liaise with Rogers to provide temporary unlimited data to students with a Rogers or Fido phone plan. This included receiving, verification and processing of student requests for Roger’s activation of this generous offer. The program has now closed for the winter term, and the Library is reviewing and revising the program to support the unique needs of students taking spring and summer courses.
Expanding digital collections
The purchase of a number of critical academic and SRC resources continued, adding to an already robust research collection. To date, the existing scholarly collections has expanded and has received more than 36 new packages in support of all disciplines, faculties, and schools, including: substantial expansion of essential ebook content, electronic academic journals, data sets and business reports, and streaming media content along with other specialized and unique collections and research tools. These new resources will have a positive impact on the Library’s ability to continue supporting high quality academic programs and SRC initiatives, especially in times of increased digital delivery.
COVID-19 Digital Archive
Through the leadership of the Archives and Special Collections unit, the Library is inviting community members to contribute to our own local COVID-19 Digital Archive. The goal of this project is to develop a portal to serve as a repository for those of us – students, faculty, staff and alumni of Toronto Metropolitan University – who may be documenting their current experiences during these troubling times. This grassroots primary source documentation will be of significant value to future researchers studying this period. The Ryerson COVID-19 Digital Archive seeks to preserve and make accessible content that was captured and created by community members about their lived experiences.
Community members are encouraged to contribute original digital content from a wide variety of possible formats including photographs, videos, diaries, journals and other written content related to COVID-19. Contributed content will eventually be made publicly available.
Library building closure
While sad to see the building closed, and a normally bustling academic library empty of students, faculty, librarians and staff, the Library was able to easily shift essential academic services to online delivery. Like all academic libraries, the Ryerson Library has been operating at the nexus of digital, experiential and in-person for years. Its digital expertise, focus on personalized services, and a pre-existing robust online infrastructure were already in place and could be easily leveraged and expanded. Though print resources, academic study and learning spaces (including experiential, SRC technology, and R&D spaces) are currently inaccessible, Librarians and staff continue to explore new and creative ways to advance their work in supporting SRC, teaching and learning at Ryerson.
Open Education Week is a global event designed to raise awareness of free and open sharing in education and the benefits they bring to faculty, instructors and students.
The Library, in partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching and The Chang School, are hosting a series of discussions, workshops and events in support of Open Education work underway at Ryerson.
Open Education Week events:
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Using Open Education Resources (OER) for Teaching and Learning Workshop
Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Library Collaboratory-3rd floor, Library (Enter from the SLC)
This Chang School workshop will give an overview of how instructors can use open educational resources in their teaching, and introduction to open licensing. Through guided support by a team of instructional designers and librarians from Toronto Metropolitan University Library, participants will locate relevant resources for their respective courses and draft an action plan for OER use for the future.
Open Education Week Keynote: Highlight on Open Textbooks
Time: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Library Collaboratory-3rd floor, Toronto Metropolitan University Library (Enter from SLC)
Come and join us for an afternoon of lunch and learning about Open Education and how it can support both your teaching and your students. Our keynote David Porter, is the new Dean of Innovative Learning and Senior Special Advisor for Flexible Learning at Humber College and was the former CEO of eCampusOntario. Dr. Porter will speak about charting a course towards innovation using open education, open practices and open pedagogy. Next, learn about how Ryerson faculty have worked with students to create Open Textbooks with Jennifer Lapum and her team who will present on “Creating and Adapting OER with Students for Students.” The third session of the afternoon will be a panel of Ryerson students and faculty who have recently worked on open textbooks or have worked on the first round of the Toronto Metropolitan University Library OER Grants.
Keynote: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. “Charting a Course Towards Open Innovation: Open resources, open practices, communities of innovation” with David Porter, Dean of Innovative Learning and Senior Special Advisor for Flexible Learning, Humber College
Dr. David Porter is the current Dean of Innovative Learning and Senior Special Advisor for Flexible Learning, Humber College, and the former CEO of eCampusOntario, the primary face of the Ontario Online Learning Consortium (OOLC), a not-for-profit corporation whose membership is composed of all publicly funded colleges and universities in Ontario.
David is a long-time advocate for the benefits of adapting new technology to deliver educational opportunities, and has been involved in open and distance learning since the 1990s, at both the K-12 and higher education levels.
Discussion: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. “Creating and Adapting OER with Students for Students” with Jennifer Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Nada Savicevic
Panel: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Faculty and Student Panel on creating OER with Library Grants
Curating in the Open: A Webinar with James Skidmore
Time: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Online Webinar
Informative for both faculty and administrators, this webinar will focus on a content curation approach to open and online education. James will also cover the role of policy in supporting OER initiatives at your institution.
James Skidmore is a faculty member at the University of Waterloo. He is also the Director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies. He has been a University of Waterloo Teaching Fellow, and is just finishing up a one-year appointment as one of six eCampusOntario Open Education Fellows.
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Library Learning Commons-2nd floor, Toronto Metropolitan University Library
Students! Drop by our OE Week Table, grab a free cookie and find out more about Open Textbooks.
Open Pedagogy Workshop
Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences (DCC-713)
Led by: Michelle Schwartz and Nada Savicevic, Educational Developers, Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching
Open pedagogy is about “rethinking the relationship between teachers, students, and knowledge” (DeRosa & Robinson). This experiential learning technique defines the role of the students as that of a creator of knowledge, rather than a consumer. Teachers learn alongside their students, and course content is dynamic, rather than set in stone. Assessments are designed so that student work can be shared outside the classroom, contributing to public knowledge, and, if openly licensed, to be built on by others. Join us to learn more about this learner-driven, experiential, and inclusive pedagogy. Bring your course outlines or assessments so we can discuss how they could be transformed through open teaching principles.
Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: DCC – 7th floor, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Drop by the Centre to talk with experts on open access and open pedagogy. Have some coffee and work with a librarian to find open resources or textbooks, or talk with one of our educational developers about how your course can be more open.
Chang School Open Educational Resources Showcase
Time: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Location: 7th floor, Chang School
This is an excellent opportunity for Chang School Continuing Education Contract Lecturers and Academic Coordinators to network with colleagues and check out open educational resources created by the Digital Education Strategies unit at The Chang School.
Resources to be showcased include:
Web Accessibility Open Textbooks
Educational games for nursing, accessibility and academic integrity
Guide to The Art of Serious Game Design for multidisciplinary teams in higher education
The event features a special address by The Chang School Dean, Dr. Gary Hepburn who will share his experience on open education.
Chang School staff will be available to guide you on exploring some of the key repositories for Open Educational Resources and OpenTextbooks relevant to your discipline.
Please drop in to introduce yourself and explore! Refreshments will be provided.
OER textbooks available through Ryerson Library Pressbook platform
For nearly a decade, the Ryerson Library has worked with external and internal partners (Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and Digital Educational Strategies at the Chang School) to provide leadership in, and support for, Open Education Resources (OER) in higher education. OERs are openly licensed and freely available learning materials for students that can be used, adapted, reproduced, copied, and shared. These include: courses, modules, textbooks, multimedia, assessments, and supplementary materials.
At Ryerson, the Library’s role in building a positive university-wide OER environment has focused on supporting the adoption, adaptation, and creation of OER. Most recently, the Library introduced OER grants to help fund the development of open education resources that support specific course needs. From the outset, grant objectives have been “to provide support for the review, revision and adoption of open textbooks and other OER materials,” and to, “increase the use of OER at Toronto Metropolitan University resulting in pedagogical innovation, enhanced access for students, and reduced textbook and class material costs.”
Simply put, the grants allow Ryerson faculty to adapt current OER, or create new OER content in support of student learning at the university—positively impacting equity and ensuring all students have access to required course materials.
An added benefit of the grants has been the Library’s ability to employ students to work on OER projects with faculty and librarians. Students learn about open publishing, expand their digital skill sets and subject matter knowledge, all while making a positive impact on student success.
“Open Education Resources can be transformative for student learning and teaching innovation,” say Ryerson Chief Librarian, Carol Shepstone. “The Library is thrilled to provide these experiential opportunities for students, while also providing leadership in advancing OER at the university, as well as nationally and provincially.”
In addition to granting opportunities, Ryerson librarians and OER experts Sally Wilson, Ann Ludbrook and Kelly Dermody work to build partnerships with Ryerson faculty who are also committed to creating OER materials. Increasingly, the Library, faculties and departments, have witnessed greater interest from faculty members in developing and employing open resources in courses. And, for the past several years, the Library has provided publishing support through Ryerson Pressbooks, which now hosts fourteen open course resources, not including the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 OER grant recipient projects.
This past summer, working with the Library, Faculty of Community Services Professor Ian Young, created and published Mathematics for Public and Occupational Health Professionals for his fall course that had an enrollment of 150 students. The response from the students, and Library, was overwhelmingly positive. “Working with Dr. Young and a Library Career Boost student to create a customized textbook was very rewarding,” says Web Services Librarian, Sally Wilson. “The result was a text tailored to a particular course, freely available to all students.”
Once open resource material is published on the Pressbook platform, the Library is then able to provide additional support by gathering metrics, usage statistics for authors, and information about the community impact beyond Ryerson. Along with important copyright advice and education, the Library also helps to ensure discoverability by applying enhanced metadata and ISBNs.
Creating freely available, pedagogically innovative, and current learning resources are certainly primary motivations for supporting the development of OER, but equity is also about accessibility and adhering to the principles of Universal Design for Learning. Accessibility Services Librarian, Kelly Dermody notes that, “OER’s are a more ideal solution for ensuring accessibility since they are already online and have no digital locks—meaning they can be quickly converted to multiple accessible formats.”
Supporting and strengthening OER resources at Ryerson, as well as provincially and nationally, is about student success and relieving some of the barriers to higher education. In addition to campus initiatives, the Ryerson Library works in collaboration with academic libraries across Ontario and Canada through the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL), eCampusOntario (2018 to 2019), the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), and internationally with the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), to advance OER. “Students’ needs are foremost when it comes to supporting OER,” says Copyright and Scholarly Engagement Librarian, Ann Ludbrook. “It is one more way the Library can help make attending university more affordable, equitable and accessible for all students.”
Congratulations to Professor Michael Carter, Professor Jennifer Lapum and Professor Jacqui Gingras on receiving 2019-2020 Open Education Resource (OER) Library Grants.
The OER Library grant supports the development of open education resources by Ryerson faculty and staff. OERs are openly licensed learning materials that are freely available to be adapted, copied, and shared. These can include: courses, modules, textbooks, multimedia, assessments, and supplementary materials.
The grants advance the University’s priorities to foster an innovation ecosystem and ensure excellence in student learning experiences, while supporting access to essential learning materials.
Funding and support provided through the granting process is upheld by the Library’s commitment to and expertise in open access and open education resource publishing and dissemination.
Each year recipients are selected through the review and adjudication process carried out by the Library in collaboration with the Office of eLearning, the Learning and Teaching Office, and Digital Education Strategies at the Chang School.
2019-2020 Grant recipients:
Michael Carter, Director of Industry, Master of Digital Media Program at FCAD, and Co-Investigator, Vincent Hui, School of Architecture
Project: Knowledge-making and 3D (Re)Visualization of Eastern Woodlands Indigenous History An Integrated and Interactive approach to Indigenizing Curriculum Carter’s proposal supports the development of text-based curriculum to complement an existing virtual, interactive, 3D (re)visualization of an Eastern Woodlands longhouse. Working with a Ryerson Indigenous advisor and Ryerson Indigenous community members in partnership with the Nation Huronne Wendat, Prof. Michael Carter and his team will develop teaching resources to support an existing virtual and interactive learning environment, including an executable digital game asset. Through the creation of an open educational resource (OER), additional material will also provide instruction on how to use the digital assets, and further explore the historical and archaeological knowledge already available in multimedia format. The proposed OER will also offer an open source environment to allow for the material to be reinterpreted, repositioned and reengaged by those who wish to expand on its offerings.
Jennifer Lapum, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing
Project: The Nurse’s Physical Examination of the Patient The proposal addresses the need for the creation of an open educational resource (OER) covering the four assessment techniques that comprise the nurse’s physical examination of the patient, which include: inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation (IPPA). These IPPAs are techniques foundational to physical assessment skills, and are applicable to each body system. Because such skills require tactile knowledge, the topic is well-suited for multimodal learning. In comparison with existing copyrighted resources, the proposed OER will offer experiential learning opportunities that leverage multimedia elements and interactivity to enhance students’ competency in conducting physical assessments and in preparation for clinical practice.
Jacqui Gingras, Department of Sociology
Project: Sociology of Education in Canada, Critical and Indigenous Perspectives The proposal addresses the need for an updated textbook for the course SOC 503: Sociology of Education. This course focuses on the “the functions of schooling and training in Canadian society.” This will include critical perspectives, including Indigenous perspectives on education that are informed by Indigenous ways of knowing with Indigenous consultation. The reason for the creation of an OER for this course is two-fold: 1) to update current scholarship related to the sociology of education; 2) provide opportunities to learn about Indigenous education in Canada, a topic not currently covered in many Sociology textbooks. As an OER, the book will be publically available, reusable and may serve to inform education decision-making.
Toronto Metropolitan University Library is pleased to announce the appointment of John Papadopoulos as the Library’s inaugural Head Law Librarian. John holds a Master of Information Studies and J.D. from the University of Toronto (U of T), and is an accomplished scholar and instructor in the areas of legal research and writing. He has held the position of adjunct instructor at the Faculty of Information and Faculty of Law, U of T, where he also spent six years as Chief Law Librarian at the Bora Laskin Law Library. John has over 20 years experience working in academic and firm law libraries including his most recent position as the Director of the John W. Graham Library & Trinity College Archives at U of T.
As Head Law Librarian, John will be responsible for building a robust and innovative law library branch including a rich collection of quality legal resources, an outstanding legal research instructional program, and student focused services customized to meet Ryerson’s unique law curriculum. John will be joining the Library’s leadership team, reporting to the Chief Librarian, while also working closely with the new Dean of Law and law faculty members as they welcome the first cohort of students in 2020. “I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and to being part of the strong team at Toronto Metropolitan University Library. Ryerson’s new Faculty of Law presents the Library with an exciting opportunity to develop a unique kind of law library essential for the success of the School’s innovative programming,” says John.
John will also be joining the librarian collegium and will be a key member of the TRSM/LAW liaison team where he will offer important contributions to the Library’s growing support of SRC.
“I am thrilled that John is joining the Ryerson Library team in this important new role. It is a fabulous opportunity to create a new specialized branch library, and I know John has the leadership experience and expertise needed for success,” says Chief Librarian, Carol Shepstone.
John will join the Library team on February 10, 2020.
The Ryerson Press Collection arrived at the University Library towards the end of 2016. It includes nearly 3000 books published between 1862 and 1970, and 2000 documents including letters and author contracts, all from what was once the largest publisher in Canada.
The publishing company, originally founded in 1829, evolved into the Methodist Book and Publishing House, and eventually became Ryerson Press in 1919. In 1920, Lorne Pierce joined the firm as literary advisor, and was soon promoted to general editor–a role he remained in for another 38 years. During his tenure, Pierce embarked on an ambitious cultural publishing program to promote Canadian literature, history and art.
In 1970, the press was sold to McGraw-Hill Canada, and became known as McGraw-Hill Ryerson. While the company had roots in publishing religious materials and trade books, it also launched the careers of a number of notable Canadian authors, poets and illustrators. Among the collection are first editions of Alice Munro’s first book, Dance of the Happy Shades, and works by Canadian poets such as A.M. Klein, Earle Birney, Miriam Waddington and Al Purdy, as well as book illustrations by several members of the Group of Seven.
Shortly after the collection arrived at the Ryerson Library, three book historians took note of the opportunities presented by the donation. Eager to promote its research capacity, Ryerson Librarian Val Lem, Professor Ruth Panofsky, Department of English at Ryerson, and Dr. Janet Friskney, Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at York University, set out to secure a SSHRC Connections Grant to create an online exhibit of the collection. Expressing interest in the project, Ryerson Librarian, Sally Wilson, Professor Art Seto, School of Graphic Communications Management at Ryerson, and former Executive Vice President of McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Clive Powell, also joined the team.
Their efforts paid off and in November 2017 they were awarded the SSHRC grant. Ryerson Library also provided in-kind support for the project, and some additional funds were granted by the Faculty of Arts and an external donor.
“The funding allowed us to hire a graphic communications intern to help create the website images. As well, graduate English students wrote case studies, and external scholars were recruited to contribute chapters, essays or case studies in their areas of expertise,” said Lem.
The project also provided opportunities for undergraduate students to work with and study the collection. “Undergraduate students registered in the graphics communication course The Art of the Book were encouraged to write essays on aspects of the collection,” notes Lem, adding that “four of the papers were modified for inclusion in the website.”
Two years later, after all contributions and graphic work was complete, the exhibit launched in October 2019. The website, designed to replicate the format of a book, can be explored through chapters, essays, and case studies each highlighting different sections of the collection. The project shines a spotlight on the significance of the collection, which Lem notes “will continue to inspire new research in the years ahead.”
Echoing Lem, regarding the scholarly importance of the collection, Chief Librarian, Carol Shepstone adds, “the McGraw-Hill Ryerson Press Collection provides our students and faculty with a rich source of academic research materials, and its long history offers insights into many aspects of Canadian studies in the making. There is endless potential for fascinating projects by a broad range of scholars.”
In February 2019, the Library launched a new grant offering students an opportunity to receive funding, mentorship, and access to Library resources allowing them to develop a personal project that addressed a systemic social issue.
Aptly titled the Creators Grant, this new program hit the ground running after careful consideration and development through the Library’s Isaac Olowolafe Jr. Digital Media Experience Lab (DME).
Four students were ultimately selected, whose ideas and applications surpassed expectations.
On Thursday, November 14, those four student recipients of the 2019 Library Creators Grant showcased the fruits of their labours during an engaging evening presentation that highlighted their innovation, creativity and learned skills.
Agents of Change: the Disability Edge by Paul Benson
Paul Benson, is a second-year student in Ryerson’s Disabilities Studies program, Faculty of Community Services. He applied for the grant determined to create a documentary that drew attention to “the positive changes that people with disabilities make in the world based on their experiences,” said Benson.
After receiving the grant, he immediately set out to accomplish his film. He set up interviews, used Library resources and worked with mentors selected through the Library DME “who guided [him] through the process of making a short documentary,” said Benson.
Agents of Change: the Disability Edge was screened at the showcase event. His impressive film, which he plans to submit to the Reel Ability Film Festival, is an informative and enlightening look at the work people with disabilities are doing to create change in their communities and the world.
Untamed Roots by Hansel Igbavboa
When Hansel Igbavboa, a third-year student in the Entrepreneurship & Strategy program at the Ted Rogers School of Management, received the Creators Grant, his intent was to create a multimedia art installation, incorporating 360 video, which would celebrate the beauty and culture of black peoples’ hair. From the start, the project was an ambitious undertaking that would lead Igbavboa Guyana to document his own heritage, African culture and headress traditions.
Throughout the process, he realized he needed to reduce scope in order to complete the project within the given timeframe of the grant. In doing so, he refocused efforts and completed a vibrant photo exhibition titled Untamed Roots. “Hair is a big part of my life and part of my identity. It helps me express myself,” said Igbavboa. Using Library resources, including print and digital collections, photo equipment and editing software, Igbavboa “hopes black folks can identify with the project and learn more about the history of black hair.”
Kaleidoscope Light Prism by Kelly Bang
Kelly Bang, a third-year architecture student, applied for the Creators Grant with the idea, and a plan, to create kaleidoscopic light prisms that address public safety on campus. As alternatives to the planters on Gould Street, Bang’s prisms “encourage social interactions and make spaces feel safer,” said Bang.
While working on the project, Bang relied on the mentorship provided through the grant, as well as tools and resources available through the Library DME and Collaboratory. The result of her hard work and perseverance was an original and remarkable prototype of a prism. Bang displayed the prototype while discussing her process with the project. Without lights, it presented as a fun, and whimsical art installation, which would playfully reflect sunlight during the day. When the lights turned off, and the prism lights turned on, the room erupted in awe. The prism lit up beautifully, achieving the reaction Bang had hoped for. While addressing public safety by increasing lighting within public spaces, Bang’s hope for the project is that “it also becomes an opportunity for people to be able to take a moment out of their day and immerse themselves with the art.”
Harm Reduction TO by Alannah Fricker
Alannah Fricker was the final presenter of the evening. A fourth-year social work student in the Faculty of Community Services, Fricker presented her website Harm Reduction TO. As part of the Ryerson Harm Reduction team, she applied for the grant with the intent to further complete a website that addresses drug use and sexual health stigma.
Fricker, who has also worked in Ryerson’s Office of Social Innovation, worked with Library DME mentors, Librarians and used Library resources to enhance her project management, content creation, and ‘front end’ design skills as well as UX assessment techniques. Through extensive research, and managing team members and their contributions, the result of the project is a comprehensive resource, which provides “evidence-based harm reduction information, community supports, materials for skill development, and resources to promote community safety and well-being,” said Fricker.
The showcase was an exciting event. All students presented inspiring and thoughtful projects, which they intend to continue to work on, update and improve.
“The evening highlighted the creativity, passion and innovation of Ryerson students. It was such a pleasure to see the amazing work of these four grant recipients and to see the many ways the process advanced their learning and digital literacy skills,” said Shepstone. “We are so pleased to see how these students embraced these grants and this unique experiential learning opportunity.”
Event details:
On Thursday, Nov. 14 student recipients of the 2019 Library Creators Grant showcased their grant projects.
These dynamic projects, which ranged from documentary film to kaleidoscopic light prisms, each addressed specific social issues that impact our lives, our city, and our culture.
RSVP: bit.ly/2019creatorsgrant
Date: Thursday, Nov. 14
Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Toronto Metropolitan University Library, 4th Fl, LIB 405
Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in partnership with the Library, host Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony
On Wednesday, November 13, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, in partnership with the Library hosted a special citizenship ceremony, themed Innovation and Entrepreneurs.
New citizens were welcomed during an enhanced ceremony that took place on the 8th floor of the Student Learning Centre.
Proceedings began with remarks and smudging offered by Elder Wendy Philips, and roundtable discussions facilitated by Librarians and Library staff. The discussions provided opportunities for new citizens, family and friends to come together and share stories about their journeys to citizenship and what it means to them to be Canadian.
Namir Ahmed speaking with new citizens during roundtable discussions. Photo credit: Lee Chapman
Having an opportunity to listen to these stories, Library facilitators felt honoured to be a part of the days events. “Being a facilitator was an amazing experience, it was a joy to meet such a diverse group of people, and to be there at the start of their lives as Canadian citizens. The stories they told were incredible to hear, both funny and poignant,” said Namir Ahmed, Library DME Coordinator.
Following roundtable discussions, the official citizenship ceremony began with Judge Hardish Dhaliwal presiding over proceedings and asking the platform party– including Ryerson President, Mohamed Lachemi and DMZ Executive Director, Abdullah Snobar, to assist with the presentation of certificates.
During his remarks as a member of the platform party, President Lachemi welcomed all citizens, their families and friends to the Ryerson campus on behalf of the University and the Library.
President Lachemi, DMZ Executive Director, Abdullah Snobar, and Elder Wendy Phillips during citizenship ceremony. Photo credit: Lee Chapman
“It was a privilege for the Library to have the opportunity to partner with the ICC, and IRCC to host this special ceremony. Listening to the new citizens’ stories was truly inspiring and highlighted the inclusive, diverse, welcoming community we all work in at Ryerson,” Carol Shepstone, Chief Librarian, Toronto Metropolitan University Library.
As the ceremony concluded, all participants—as well as Ryerson community members and students—were invited to a reception in celebration of their new citizenship.
Denise O’Malley-Farrell
Photo credit: Lee Chapman
Q: What does today mean to you?
A: I’m really excited to be a Canadian, and become a Canadian today. I’m happy to have been here for 7 years, and I look forward to seeing more of Canada, exploring the country, and meeting all the new people, and exploring the diversity that Canada has.
Arora Family
Kurangi Arora, Parveen Arora, Puja Arora (left to right). Photo credit: Alexandra Cotrufo
Q: In one word, how do you feel about becoming a Canadian citizen?
A: Kurangi Arora: I feel excited today.
Parveen Arora: I feel amazed today.
Puja Arora: And, I feel privileged to be here.
(left to right)
Event details:
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), in partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and the Toronto Metropolitan University Library celebrated 52 new Canadian citizens during an enhanced citizenship ceremony.
As the University moved courses, exams and services online, the Library quickly responded. Expanding its laptop loan program to include wifi lending, moving 3D printers to assist FCAD’s efforts to prototype PPE, ensuring improved access to electronic resources, and participating in a global call to archive lived experiences during the pandemic, the Library swiftly adjusted to this new environment. 
Michael Carter, Director of Industry, Master of Digital Media Program at FCAD, and Co-Investigator, Vincent Hui, School of Architecture
Jennifer Lapum, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing
Jacqui Gingras, Department of Sociology
