Along with other Ontario universities, the Library will be participating in the MINES Survey from February, 2010 until February, 2011. This online survey collects demographic information about users of electronic resources, as well as information about the purpose of their research.

Users will be asked to complete a short survey during 1 in every 250 requests to access an e-resource through our Get It! Ryerson link. The survey is completely anonymous.

We appreciate your participation in this survey, which will help us assess how e-resources are being used across the province.

In celebration of Black History Month, the Library has several books from the collection on display in the glass case near the Reference area on the main floor, and in the New to the Collection section of the Library homepage. More books on this topic are viewable in the Library catalogue, or ask for help at the Reference Desk.

To learn more about Library resources relating to Black History, please see the following research guide, The Black Experience in Canada.

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has also identified many films in its collection relating to Black History Month, which can be viewed online, and even from your iPhone. These are freely accessible, and can be used for both recreational or educational purposes.

As many of our users have indicated a need for more silent study space, the Library has recently initiated a pilot project to designate the 10th floor as a Silent Study Floor, with the following rules now in place:

No talking or whispering
No group study
No use of cell phones – turn cell phones off
Minimal and quiet keyboarding
Mute all audio – no headphones
No eating

Let us know what you think about the silent study floor by posting comments.

Discover what your Learning Commons has to offer at My Learning Commons Is… on Wednesday, January 27th from 1-3 p.m. on the Library main floor! This event, hosted by the Library and its Learning Commons partners, will highlight many of the services available to students to help you achieve your learning goals.

Students will have the opportunity to visit different zones in the Commons, sample some free food and enter a draw to win fabulous prizes, including a Netbook! You can also provide us with valuable feedback to help shape the future development of the Learning Commons – so come out and tell us what you want from your Learning Commons!

 
Congratulations to our two prize winners. To see all the contest submissions, check the slideshow below.

2009 Holiday Contest Slide Show

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Do you love AskON, our chat reference service? If so, we need your help! Knowledge Ontario, which provides the AskON chat service, as well as access to a number of online databases, is made possible through government funding.

In this time of economic restraint, Knowledge Ontario must ensure it can demonstrate the strongest possible case to potential funders of the value of its work. They have launched a campaign to show the government how its services are making an impact on communities across the province. Please show your support for Knowledge Ontario by filling out an e-postcard and sharing your story.

The Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives (RULA) was selected to receive up to 100 books from the Nippon Foundation as part of its 100 Books for Understanding Contemporary Japan initiative. In October of 2009, we received 73 new titles on Japanese politics, government, international relations, economics, business, society, culture, literature, the arts, and history. The books have been chosen to help non-experts gain a basic understanding about Japan.

Several of these titles are on display in the glass case near the Reference area on the main floor. Many of them are available for borrowing, and can be viewed in the Library catalogue.