Notes: Panel

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Panel: Welcoming the whole academic community into the library

Karen Pilon, University of Windsor – Moderator

Panel Introductions

Nadia Caidi – Supporting French-Language Speakers

First course taught exclusively in French at the iSchool.– Nadia's first language is French, but does not research or teach in French.

French special status in Canada, official language in Canada, important to remember this, supported by legislation both federal and provincial.

Demand for French language services – bilingual education system  in public schools, French immersion   Employment opportunities for French.  French language service in Libraries

Who are Francohnes in Ontario?  11% of population – inclusive definition in Ontario.  There is an aging population, focus of population speaking French at home is focused ineastern and northern Ontario.

Providing services in French should be made a priority in Libraries, information professionals need to assume the fact that Canada is a bilingual country.

[Just a shout-out to the University of Ottawa's École des sciences de l’information / School of Information Studies, the only bilingual (French/English) program in North America.  ÉSIS offers flexible study options, with both full and part-time programs.  https://arts.uottawa.ca/sis/ ]

Maha Kumaran, University of Saskatchewan (presenting remotely) – Diversity and Leadership in Libraries

Sabbatical project – used participative inquiry method.

Participants who aim for leadership roles in libraries greater proportion non-Caucasian interested.

Ethnocultural backgrounds – small proportion of non-Caucasian participants in study.

Non-Caucasian higher education level – higher number supervising –higher number leadership roles outside the library.

Desired leadership roles and understanding of leadership in libraries – participants identifies the five practices referred to by Kouzes and Posner - Leadership characteristics.

Jamie Lee Morin, University of Toronto – Authentic Indigenous voices in academic libraries

Described personal experience as a Metis information professional-in-training student, working on a special project at Ryerson University Library as an eLearning Assistant.  Worked as member of a team  and in consultation with the aboriginal community during the planning cycle for the Aboriginal Research Portal and Four Directions Writing Guide.  

Make information accessible outside the academy looking at linked open data – life long learners.

Bring indigenous students under wing (mentorship) and encourage them in the information world to join the field of Librarianship,  so that we include indigenous voices in our academic libraries.

University of Toronto's Talint (Toronto Academic Libraries Internship) Program, started in 2014 providing Masters students with opportunity to gain practical work experience.

Encourage that people read the CFLA Truth and Reconciliation Report - begin to implement the recommendations.

Reading Recommendations: Chelsea Vowel's Indigenous Writers and Shawn Wilson's Research as Ceremony.

Victoria Owen, University of Toronto – Discussing the Marrakesh Treaty and supporting library users with print disabilities

Marraakesh Treaty 2013.

To facilitate access to publish works for person who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled.

First users’ rights IP treaty – 47 countries ratified

Libraries are essential for putting the treaty into practices.

Test Case – April 2018 in Kyrgyzstan – first international transfer of accessible books in Kyrgyzstan under the Marrakesh Treaty took place during the seminar – Books from UofT library system – 2 week timeline.

Role for Libraries – Have infrastructure in place – had a successful international exchange can confirm standard procedures and seek partners and agree on protocols.

Getting started for Canadians –  (developing a guide) a hands-on practical guide for library staff.