October brings Canadian Library Month, an annual celebration of the critical role libraries and library workers play in our communities. Libraries are at the heart of knowledge, community engagement, and social awareness.

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations has designated the third Friday in October as Canadian Library Workers Day. This year, we recognize the valuable contributions made by all those who work in and for libraries in Canada on Friday, October 18. This year’s theme, “Libraries for Life | Biblios pour la Vie”, highlights the lasting impact libraries have in promoting education, cultural understanding, and fostering lifelong learning. This special day allows us to express our gratitude for the passion and dedication of the library staff who work tirelessly at both the NDC and EDC campuses of Red River College Polytechnic. Their efforts to support students, staff, and faculty make our libraries the dynamic and supportive spaces they are.

Of course, these essential services are only possible because of the dedicated individuals who work in libraries. Libraries have evolved into vibrant community hubs that offer much more than just books—they provide educational programs, research support, collaborative spaces, and so much more. Libraries also champion freedom of expression and inclusivity, playing a vital role in connecting people across all walks of life.

Whether you’re visiting the library or sending a note, please take a moment to thank our library workers for the hard work they put in every day to enhance the experience of our college community.

Celebrating Our Tutors

October is also the time to recognize our dedicated tutors, as Tutor Appreciation Week was celebrated earlier in the month. Tutors are essential to the academic success of our students, providing not only subject-specific guidance but also fostering confidence, resilience, and a passion for learning. Their patience and expertise help create an environment where students feel supported and empowered to overcome academic challenges.

Tutors often work behind the scenes, yet their impact is profound. They are mentors, motivators, and sometimes the key to a student realizing their full potential. Their ability to connect with students on a personal level and offer tailored support makes a lasting difference in both academic performance and personal growth.

We are deeply grateful for their unwavering commitment to helping students succeed. Tutors are not just academic guides—they are champions of student success, contributing to the overall strength and vibrancy of our learning community. As we continue to celebrate this month, we recognize that the positive ripple effect of their work extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the futures of our students and enriching the entire college experience.

At the heart of our Library & Academic Services department is the shared commitment to fostering growth, connection, and success within our community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our library staff and tutors for the exceptional work they do every day in supporting and enriching the lives of our students, faculty, and staff.

Introducing Atreya Madrone, Research Services Librarian

Library and Academic Services is excited to welcome the new Research Services Librarian, Atreya Madrone! Atreya joined Library and Academic Services at the beginning of October from the University of British Columbia, where they received their Master of Library and Information Studies.

Range of Supports Offered

As the Research Services Librarian, Atreya will be supporting student, faculty, and applied research across the College. Research Services encompasses a range of areas, including:

• Research data management (data management plans, adhering to funding policies, Indigenous Data Sovereignty)
• The scholarly communication lifecycle (publishing, author rights, Open Access)
• Understanding research ethics
• Learning about different research methodologies, such as Community-Based research, Anti-Oppressive research methods, and Indigenous Research methodologies
• Support in finding materials both in and outside of the Library collection
• Developing search strategies for researching

Learn about these topics by visiting the Research Services page on the Library and Academic Services website.

Book a Research Consultation

You can book a consultation with Atreya to discuss your research needs and questions. Consultations can be done in-person at NDC or EDC and online via Teams. To book a research consultation, please fill out the Research Services Consultation form.

Written by Atreya Madrone – Research Services Librarian (Library and Academic Services)

Photo source: frameryacoustics.com

With both quiet and privacy in high demand, the Library welcomes a new kind of study space featuring glass doors (so you can feel safe and included) and a soundproof, sleek interior (so you can feel comfortable and undisturbed).

Also known as the Framery Q, the Library’s new multifunctional, soundproof space fits 1-4 people and is ideal for quiet study, group work, brainstorming sessions, and private conversations.

Features

• Fresh air ventilation
• Stylish finish
• LED lighting
• Two power sockets
• Two sofas and a turntable
• Adaptable set-up (for sitting, standing, and shared conferencing)

You are invited to try the new Soundproof Study Room at the NDC Library today!

Written by Linda Fox – Library Technician, Program Support and Promotion

Did you know that October is also Dyslexia* Awareness Month? Did you know that 1 in 5 people have dyslexia? Do you know what dyslexia is?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects the ability to read, write, and comprehension skills. Dyslexia is something that affects more than just how your brain processes words and their sounds. It can affect many other areas of the brain such as phonemic awareness*, motor control, memory, spatial awareness*, and more. People with dyslexia cannot “try harder” to catch up with their peers. It’s a neurobiological disorder*, which means that when you compare the two brains of someone with dyslexia and without you will notice that their brains respond differently when learning new words, spelling, etc.

Dyslexia is something that is a lifelong struggle. Which, in turn, affects adult learners in a variety of ways. They might be hesitant to do assignments with heavy reading, could be stressed out about deadlines, or avoid places like the library altogether.

Library and Academic Services is ready to help all students and we can cater to the unique set of needs that someone with dyslexia may need such as:

• • A collection of audiobooks
  • Auto renewals for physical books
  • Videos with closed captioned options
  • eBooks with dyslexia friendly fonts
  • One on one reference support services
  • And more!

Dyslexia (duh·slek·see·uh): A brain-based learning disorder that affects the ability to read, write, and spell.

Phonemic (fuh·nee·muhk) Awareness: The ability to focus on and manipulate different sounds in spoken words.

Spatial (spay·shl) Awareness: Knowing where your body is in relation to objects or other people.

Neurobiological (nur·ow·bai·aa·law·jee·col) disorder: Disorders of the nervous system caused by genetic, metabolic, or other biological factors.

Written by Justine Hawley – Resource Management Technician

RRC Polytech staff and students can now enjoy hassle-free scheduling with the library’s new online equipment booking system.
Find out everything you need to know about the new booking system so you can plan ahead, and be front of the line for fall bookings!

What’s available?

There are many equipment categories to browse and book online:

• Laptops for Staff and Students
• Equipment for meetings and presentations
• Webcams, headsets and computer accessories
• On campus use items
• Light Therapy Lamps for those long winter months!
• And much, much more!

Where to go on Library.rrc.ca to book equipment?

You can navigate to the equipment booking system from the library homepage, either by selecting Book Equipment from the icon bar on the homepage, or find it under browse and borrow from on the homepage top menu.

OR

Where to pick up a booking?

The RRC Polytech Library has two locations, one at the Notre Dame Campus in CM18, and another at the Exchange District Campus in room P214. Our two libraries have different equipment collections, so make sure you select the location you’ll be picking up from, before browsing and setting up bookings.

Add upcoming bookings to your outlook calendar

When you create a booking, you will receive a “Your booking has been confirmed” email with an .ics calendar file. Open the attachment and add the booking to your calendar.

Make sure to add alerts@mail.libcal.com to your safe senders list so you don’t miss any important updates or reminders about your bookings!

Cancel or Change an upcoming booking

Created a booking you no longer need? Need that equipment for a different time? You can cancel an upcoming booking anytime through the link included in your booking confirmation and reminder emails.

To change a booking, simply reply to your booking confirmation or reminder email and let us know the change, you’ll get an automatic email notification confirming when the changes have been made.

Find out more!

Need some help figuring out how to book equipment? Find out everything you need to know on the book equipment help page.

Curious about the student laptop loan program? Check out the laptop loans terms of use.

Find all the loan periods for equipment on the loan period information page.

Connect with Us!

More information about our services and supports is available on our website. You may also connect with us through Ask Us chat, our Ask a Question form, or visit one of our service desks during regular Library hours.

Written by Artemis Hedrich – Reference Technician

Keeping your research organized and writing your paper just got easier!

The Library is pleased to announce that IT Services will be pushing the RefWorks Citation Manager plug-in out to all RRC Polytech users.

Offered by the Library, RefWorks is a free, web-based reference management service that simplifies the process of research, collaboration, data organization, and writing by providing an easy-to-use tool. RefWorks lets you build a collection of customized references (and accompanying PDFs), share, annotate, comment, and import directly into your writing.

The RefWorks Citation Manager plug-in integrates your RefWorks account into Office 365, allowing you to insert in-text citations easily and automatically generate your reference lists as you write with a click of your mouse.

LEARN MORE…

• Visit the RefWorks guide for text-based and video tutorials on using RefWorks.
• Watch the RefWorks training session on the various tools you can use when writing a research paper, including RefWorks Citation Manager for Office 365, Write-N-Cite (older Word), ProQuest RefWorks for Google Docs, and Quick Cite.
• Contact us, click Ask Us on our homepage, or visit one of our service desks for one-on-one assistance.

Written by Rosemary Woodby, Reference Technician

All of the staff at Library and Academic Services are happy to extend a warm welcome to everyone returning to campus. We’re looking forward to providing a safe study space and continuing to offer supports to students and staff, both in-person and online.

In-person service now available

Beginning on August 30, the Library at the Notre Dame Campus is re-opening for in-person service (note that our EDC location will remain closed at this time). While we look forward to seeing you, we encourage you to continue to take advantage of our online service desk, which is available during regular Library hours by clicking the Ask Us button at library.rrc.ca.

Services and spaces within the Library

The following spaces and services are currently available at the NDC Library:

• Individual study spaces
• One printer/photocopier
• Three computer stations
• Limited physically-distanced group study space
• Borrowing of Library materials
• Reference services
• A welcoming and safe environment

What to expect when you arrive

Virtual services from Academic Success Centre

As we enter a new academic year, we wish the College community of students and staff an insightful year of learning and discovery.

In the context of March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and City of Winnipeg’s Anti-Racism Week from March 21-27, Academic Success Centre is proud to share that is finalizing the development of a new Anti-Racism Training for Students. Once finalized, this training will join our Diversity Training suite of workshops that already includes Intercultural Competence Training and Gender and Sexual Diversity Awareness Training. (More information about our Diversity Training is available here.)

When we think and talk about racism, most people reference examples of interactions between people. However, racism is also maintained by institutions and society through the implementation of policies, practices, and programs. This training is an introduction on how racism functions as an interconnected system. The training will go over historical instances of racism and it will also focus on current examples of racism.

It is our goal that the Anti-Racism Training will support our students and contribute to the College’s educational efforts in enhancing our knowledge and understanding about racism, acknowledging how racism has shaped our thinking and actions, and speaking out against racism and systemic barriers.

The Anti-Racism Training for Students includes key concepts and frameworks, as well as activities for reflection and discussion. The training also presents a curated suite of relevant videos to amplify the voices and lived experiences of racialized people and Indigenous people. At the end of each training module, students will receive a set of key strategies and resources to map out a personal Action Plan and foster an ongoing student learning and action experience.

After piloting this training in the Spring/Summer time, we expect to offer this training for students from the Fall academic term on. The training modules will be delivered as live workshops via Webex, and will also be recorded for later screening as needed. Workshops are facilitated by Academic Success Centre’s diversity facilitators, and faculty is encouraged to take advantage of this new resource to support their students and book workshops to be delivered during class time, as time allows.

As an additional resource, students and faculty can also access a new Anti-Racism Learning Toolkit developed together with Library staff. This guide is available here and features curated videos, readings and other resources from the College and the community at large.

For more information about the Anti-Racism Training for Students, please connect with Nora Sobel, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator (Academic Success Centre) at nsobel@rrc.ca.

Image: Rafabollas / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Open Access (OA) week 2020 will be hosted internationally October 19 – 25. Open access is a set of principles and a range of practices through which research outputs are distributed online, free of cost or other access barriers. With open access strictly defined, barriers to copying or reuse are also reduced or removed by applying an open license for copyright. We see the principles of OA in Open Education. [i]

Event:

If you want to learn more about Open Access and the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) be sure to register for the Red River College Open Access Week Event here: Open Educational Resources (OER) adoption and adaptation Session  – Oct. 20, Noon – 1PM  hosted by the Red River College Copyright Officer in partnership with Campus Manitoba.

In the Spirit of OA week let’s ask ourselves some complicated questions:

Why should Open Access Matter to Educators?

Sun Yang associate professor of China University of Political Science and Law stated “It is naturally accepted that teachers should have the authority to determine the specific use of their course materials by third parties, including their students. Without their permission, no one should copy, distribute, delete or modify the copyrighted course content. In an offline environment, copyright is controlled through physical copies which are purchased. This becomes a challenge in online classrooms.”[ii]

While the original goal of the Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives was to make higher education more accessible by reducing students costs through the use of openly licensed textbooks these resources now serve educators in the wake of a pandemic as valuable and adaptable tools for the online classroom. OER supports Open Access principles by freely allowing modifications, adaptations, and format transitions without the need to seek costly or time consuming copyright permissions for modification to fit online institutional environments, platforms and classrooms.

The restrictive licensing agreements and terms of copyright applied to many digital textbooks and supplementary materials from publishers make it difficult to adapt materials in new ways to engage students in online learning environments. Materials can further have restrictive licensing agreements that make it confusing to establish when the material can be used in conjunction with a Learning Management System (LMS/LEARN). OER’s have become powerful tools in aiding educators in the adaptability they need to function in continually changing teaching environments that can move from the classroom in person, to digital online learning with little notice and their access to the physical resources of their institutional libraries continues to be limited or completely cut off.

Why Should Open Access Matter to Students?

UNESCO stated that, “…as of 17 May 2020, almost 1.21 billion learners were affected (by the global pandemic), accounting for 69.3% of the world’s student population. The global education community continues to face the major challenge of providing interactive and motivating educational experience during school and university closure. In this special situation, Open Educational Resources (OER) have never been so urgently and broadly needed like today.”[iii]

OER’s can involve students directly in the adaption and building of the learning materials they engage with. They allow students to contribute to online education which can be built upon by others around the globe and allow classes and instructors to source global perspectives to incorporate into College programs. These skills as well as the experience of involvement in the creation of resources for teaching and instruction ensure the student experience is intellectually rigorous, experiential and robust. Student involvement in OER development and adaptation can upon graduation stand as a real world example of experience and skills gained by the student in their education. This can be helpful in providing prospective employers meaningful examples of not only the skills they have acquired but “what” they have accomplished during their studies, in contributing to educational resources that can be used by other educational institutions around the globe.

OER’s and Open Access resources also reduce the cost textbooks and supplementary materials to students as these resources are free and openly available alternatives to traditional textbooks and supplementary material.

What is the Role of Open Access in a post pandemic society?

UNESCO (2020) has recently launched a call stating that “the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in a paradigm shift on how learners of all ages, worldwide, can access learning. It is therefore more than ever essential that the global community comes together now to foster universal access to information and knowledge through OER.” [iv] Open Access to information is the free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research, and the right to use and re-use those results as you need. Open Access  has the power to transform the way research and scientific inquiry are conducted. It has direct and widespread implications for academia, medicine, science, industry, and for society as a whole.

For more on the importance of OA check out this video from PHD Comics.

Sources:

[i] ‘International Open Access week, about page’ Accessed September 30, 2020 http://www.openaccessweek.org/page/about

[ii] Yang, S. (2020). ‘As teaching shifts online during the epidemic, it faces copyright issues.’ Accessed September 30, 2020 https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-02-20/Copyright-concerns-as-teaching-shifts-online-during-epidemic-OejyJkh3xu/index.html

[iii] & [iv]  UNESCO (2020) ‘Guidance on Open Educational Practices during School Closures: Utilizing OER under COVID-19 Pandemic in line with UNESCO OER Recommendation’ Accessed September 30, 2020 https://iite.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Guidance-on-Open-Educational-Practices-during-School-Closures-English-Version-V1_0.pdf

Following Red River College’s Flexible Online Delivery Model, the Academic Success Centre (ASC) and Library have developed a suite of Hybrid LEARNing Modules featuring self-directed tutorials in LEARN and facilitated live sessions via WebEx.

Visit the Hybrid LEARNing Modules website for more information.

Complete this form to request LEARN tutorials and book live sessions.

Suite of Modules

The modules focus on standalone topics that faculty can use to provide their students with foundational skills for success in their studies. Click on each module link for learning outcomes and content.

 Online Learning

  Virtual Classroom Strategies

  Time Management Skills

  Reading

 Our Learning Mind

 Test Taking

  Working in Teams

 Intercultural Competence

 Academic Integrity

 Research Papers

 Professional Communication

 Library Basics

 Technology Literacy

Asynchronous Delivery: Self-Directed Tutorials

The modules feature 2-3 hour self-directed tutorials housed in LEARN that faculty can import into their own LEARN courses. The tutorials feature content from LinkedIn Learning, Learning Scientists study strategies, short pre-recorded MDR video lectures, and other resources, as well as learning activities.

Instructors can use the modules in a number of ways. They can use the complete module as an asynchronous independent learning activity, where students progress through all sections at their own pace, or select one or more sections, according to the needs of the students.

Alternatively, the instructor can choose to share the videos of each sub-module in a synchronous classroom setting and lead discussions about the topics introduced. Additionally, instructors can use section activities as assignments in order to assess students’ understanding of the content.

Synchronous Delivery: Facilitated Live Sessions

In addition, a 1-hour live session delivered by Webex (or MS Teams) is available for each topic. The live sessions will be led by a member of the Academic Success Centre or Library and will complement the online tutorials. These sessions will be active learning experiences, with facilitated discussion and activities that can help them further understand the content from the self-directed tutorials.

The workshops include review of key concepts, discussion with guiding questions, sharing of additional resources, and application to a case study. The live sessions are recorded for later screening and recordings will be available online for a week after the date of the actual sessions.