Open education is a philosophy about the way people should produce, share, and build on knowledge. “Open educational resources (OERs) provide a model for convenient, cost-effective access [to resources] with no copyright barriers to worry about, expensive texts to purchase, or restrictions on adaptation, customization or re-use.”[i]

Open Education Week seeks to raise awareness and highlight open education efforts worldwide. OE Week provides practitioners, educators and students an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of open educational practices and be inspired by the wonderful work being developed by the community around the world. [ii]

The 2020-2021 year presented unprecedented challenges in the world. One of these challenges met by educators was the sudden shift to online learning. Red River College kicked off discussion and supports for Faulty using OER (Open Educational Resources) in May 2020 spearheaded by the new Copyright officer in partnership with Campus MB. Over one hundred faculty and staff attended this session, and two additional sessions on OER were hosted during the 2020 year.

One simple adoption of an open textbook at RRC during the 2020-2021 year served 840 students, saving each student $159.95 in textbook costs for a total saving to students of $134,358. This the impact of just one title, over the years RRC has seen over 8 open textbook adoptions.

OER’s have also provided instructors at RRC with additional resources to work with and adapt in a time when access to physical resources has been limited. The Open Education philosophy proves to be a great asset in the push for online learning environments prompted by the pandemic,  but OER’s themselves have been around since the early 2000’s.

If you would like to view our past 2020 OER session it was recorded and is available to be viewed at your convenience:

OER’s are resources published under an open license, such as Creative Commons, these resources can be freely adapted to help your students meet the learning outcomes for your course. At RRC our main focus in the 2020 year has been around the use of Open Textbooks but many different OER’s exist as vast as the types of educational content. If you feel like you missed the boat and are just hearing about OER, let me assure you that isn’t the case. The RRC library offers an OER Landing Page to start you out on your Open Education journey.

If you are already familiar with OER and would like to take this week to get up to speed conversations educators are having regarding Open Education during the pandemic Law Bytes has a prerecorded podcast discussing the significant new challenges for teachers and students in adapting course materials to the online learning environment. Be sure to check it out!

Episode 45: David Porter on the Benefits of Open Educational Resources as Millions Shift to Online Learning

As we celebrate Open Education Week for the 2021 year, I challenge instructors to ask themselves:

What can Open Education do to support your online instruction?

How can Open Education serve your students?

If you are seeking OER assistance or support get in touch with the RRC Copyright Officer.

Happy Open Education Week!

[i] Michael Geist, “David Porter on the Benefits of Open Educational Resources as Millions Shift to Online Learning,” Law Bytes Podcast, March 30, 2020, https://www.michaelgeist.ca/podcast/episode-45-david-porter-on-the-benefits-of-open-educational-resources-as-millions-of-canadians-shift-to-online-learning/.

[ii] Open Education Week. Open Education Global, n.d. https://www.openeducationweek.org/page/what-is-open-education-week.

Red River College takes the protection of Intellectual Property rights seriously. The College and its staff and students are expected to take reasonable steps to ensure that materials protected by copyright are used in accordance with the law by following our Fair Dealing Policy. Copyright is complicated but interacting with Copyright materials is often a daily part of our lives. At work, during our education and in our leisure time, we are often engaging with copyright materials. Fair Dealing is an important part of how we as educators and students ensure we are using Copyrighted content with respect to the rights of the individuals that create the content, and in in accordance with the law.

Could you imagine if there was no legal way to use Copyright material without permission from the owner of that content? How would this affect your work, education and hobbies?

Our ability to use Copyright content when we don’t secure permission is limited, Fair Dealing is a provision in the Copyright Act that permits use of a copyright-protected work without permission from the copyright owner or the payment of copyright royalties in limited circumstances. Fair dealing exists as a user right within the Copyright Act for the public good to foster education, creativity, and innovation.

The doctrine of Fair Dealing guides our use of Copyright material under the Copyright Act of Canada, but how do we use materials in accordance with Fair Dealing? Here at the RRC library we have some helpful tools to point you in the right direction. If you are trying to make a decision around using copyright material we have a Fair Dealing tool to support you. This tool will walk you through a series of questions around your use of copyright content to ensure your use is in line with our policy, and the tool will direct you to the Copyright Officer when you are in need of assistance.

Want information about how to use our Fair Dealing tool, and how you can use Copyright material under Fair Dealing?

Register For our Fair Dealing Week Session

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Time: 11am-12 noon

Register for Fair Dealing week Events Across Canada Here

Date:  February 22 – 26, 2021

Fair Dealing Week is a time to highlight and promote the opportunities presented by the Fair Dealing provision of the Copyright act, celebrate successful stories, and explain this user right under the Copyright Act. How do students engage with, and rely on fair dealing? Check out this Fair Dealing Testimonial from Shifrah Gadamsetti Sociology Student and President of the Students’ Association Mount Royal University.

Educators also interact with copyright on a daily basis. “Fair dealing is critical for innovative teaching and learning on campuses across Canada. It helps our instructors bring dynamic and relevant content to their courses…” read more about how fair dealing impacts educators in the following testimonial from Leslie Reid Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning) and Teaching Professor, Faculty of Science University of Calgary.

RRC policy is available to guide our actions when using Copyright material, our Library Team and Copyright Officer are here to assist Instructors and Students in interpreting this policy. If you have questions about Copyright or Fair Dealing be sure to visit the Copyright Page on the RRC library site and reach out the Copyright Officer for assistance.

Happy Fair Dealing Week!

Coming April 7, 2021: Long Night Against Procrastination

The event is free to all RRC students.

Details

What?

Long Night Against Procrastination

Where?

Online (web location TBA)

When?

April 7, 2021, 5-8 pm

Why?

For support and assignment help when you need it most

Who?

All RRC students

Highlights from Last Year’s Event

The first Long Night Against Procrastination was held at the NDC Library on Feb 6, 2020. Moving online will make it look and feel different this year, but our commitment to helping you succeed at RRC will always remain the same.

View highlights of last year’s event >> Long Night Against Procrastination – Feb 2020

Have questions? Please contact Bettina Allen, Library Services.

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

Join us for LUNCH and LEARN a new skill!

The world of information is increasingly vast and also tainted by a great deal of misinformation. Library Lunch and Learn is a series of mini-lectures designed to teach you the specifics of finding and evaluating information. We also demonstrate the ins and outs of individual databases, which offer a wealth of information catered to your area of expertise.

January 2021 Schedule – Now Offering Live Sessions

RRC Library is excited to announce the January 2021 schedule of Library Lunch and Learn workshops, in which we will be offering live sessions as well as pre-recorded videos.  For more information, visit the new and improved Library Lunch and Learn site, which lists available topics and links to handouts, guides, and recordings. Please note that live sessions require registration, so click on the links provided below to register.

To view the complete schedule, visit RRC Library’s Events Calendar.

Wednesday, January 6
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

Rejuvenate Your Learning: Making the Most of LinkedIn Learning*

The learning videos formerly known as Lynda.com have found their way into course work and even our library guides. This session provides a refresher on what it is and navigating the various parts of a LinkedIn Learning Course to take advantage of this powerful tool for learning. Join us for a live demonstration of how to make the most of LinkedIn Learning. This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Thursday, January 7
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

OneSearch (Database Instruction)*

The new and improved OneSearch will search print books, ebooks, as well as 30+ full-text databases simultaneously. Join us for a live demonstration and instruction on how to use OneSearch – the Library’s Search engine. This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Friday, January 8 and Tuesday, January 12
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

Research Skills*

The number one problem students have when searching is creating keywords and building them into useful search strategies. Join us and learn some more advanced techniques to breakdown your search question, make finding keywords easier, and using operators to create useful search strategies. This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Thursday, January 14
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

RefWorks: Reference Management (Software Instruction)*

RefWorks simplifies the process of research, collaboration, data organization, and writing by providing an easy-to-use tool for citation, bibliography, and reference management. Learn the basics of using this web-based tool and make writing your papers that much easier. For any person who needs to write and cite! This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Tuesday, January 19
All-day event – pre-recorded

UpToDate (Database Instruction)

UpToDate is a point-of-care medical and drug database that contains clinical information intended to assist medical professionals in treating their patients.  It is available to students and staff at Red River College from the Library’s website and can be accessed via an app from anywhere and at any time on your own mobile device. The database is intended for use in clinical settings specifically to improve patient treatment by delivering current information at the point of need, supporting timely decision making, and ensuring consistent care. Learn more about what this database has to offer and how to access and use it.

Thursday, January 21
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

Peer-Review*

Join us for a live discussion on Peer Review. For many disciplines, peer-reviewed research is required. Not sure if your perfect article is Peer-Reviewed? Check out this session to learn: what is a peer-reviewed (or scholarly) article or journal, how to identify a peer-reviewed article, and where to find peer-reviewed articles. This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Tuesday, January 26
Live session: 12:15pm – 12:45pm

Advanced CINAHL (Database Instruction)*

CINAHL Plus with Full Text is the core research tool for all areas of nursing and allied health literature with full-text coverage of 770 health journals.  Attend this session if you would like to build better searches, know more about MeSH Subject headings, or just be more successful in your searches. Join us and get a look at this powerful database. This 30-minute webinar will allow time to ask questions.

*Live session: registration required

Thursday, January 28
All-day event – pre-recorded

Business Source Complete (Database Instruction)

This essential database for business students contains tens of thousands of full-text journal and magazine articles as well as newspaper items and e-books. Find current news stories, case studies, industry reports, market research reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses, and more greatly enhance your understanding of the world of business.

Have a question? Ask Us!

To ask a question through our online service desk, simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button. We’d love to hear from you!

This academic year finds us in quite a different world; however, our commitment to providing you with the supports and services you need to succeed at RRC remains unchanged. As we continue this year together, the Academic Success Centre & Library are here for you.

During the week of January 4^th, students are invited to “Warm Up” for the winter semester by completing the daily seminars, workshops, and activities at Winter Warm Up Week.

RRC’s Library & Academic Success Centre have partnered with student services across the college to build this schedule of events to help students prepare for a successful Winter Term. Warm Up includes presentations, videos, resources, help desks, and supports you can access online. It’s the perfect opportunity to focus on skills that will maximize your success in your studies, including time management, study skills, getting the most out of your textbooks, managing testing anxiety, putting your strengths to work in your future career, and practicing mindfulness.

Tutoring and advisor support are also available by appointment.

Warm Up Week Schedule

Winter Warm Up offers a broad range of upbeat and informative sessions intended to build you up at the start of the new term. Feel free to attend everything on the list, or pick and choose what is suitable for you. Some sessions require registration, so please visit the Winter Warm Up website for the full details and to register for each session you plan to attend. We look forward to warming up to a new term with you!

Monday, January 4

Click for full details >> Monday Warm Up

9am Technology Skills for Success

10am Technology Literacy / Walk Through of the College Readiness Math

11am Drop-in Mindfulness Practice

12pm Library Help Desk Drop-in

1pm Write Like a Pro!

2pm Fundamentals of Academic Writing

3pm Drop-in Indigenous Support: Round Room with Elder Una

4pm Learning and Sharing Culture at RRC

Tuesday, January 5

Click for full details >> Tuesday Warm Up

9am How to Excel During Remote Learning: What Academic Integrity Really Means

10am Academic Integrity / College Readiness Math Assessment Drop-in

11am Mindful Movement / Yoga with Holly

12pm A Thoughtful Experiment in Copyright / Library Help Desk Drop-in

1pm Setting Goals and Building Habits

2pm Time Management Skills

3pm Stress Management

4pm Immigration Essentials You Need to Know

Wednesday, January 6

Click for full details >> Wednesday Warm Up

9am Reading for Success

10am College Readiness Assessment Drop-in / Reading

11am Drop-in Indigenous Support: Round Room with Elder Jules

12:15pm Making the Most of LinkedIn Learning

1pm Online Learning Strategies

2pm Online Learning

3pm Students Awards & Financial Aid

4pm Making Connections

Thursday, January 7

Click for full details >> Thursday Warm Up

9am Writing for College

10am College Readiness Assessment Drop-in / Research Papers

11am Job Search – Student Employment Services

12:15pm OneSearch (Database Instruction)

1pm “Netiquette” – Professionalism in Online Learning

2pm Virtual Classroom Strategies

3pm Job Interviews – Student Employment Services

4pm Start Strong

Friday, January 8

Click for full details >> Friday Warm Up

9am Professional Power Emails

10am College Readiness Assessment Drop-in / Intercultural Competence

11am “Talk to a Peer” Panel

12:15pm Research Skills

1pm How the ASC Can Help

2pm Working in Teams

3pm Drop-in Indigenous Support: Round Room with Elder Paul

4pm A+ Success Strategies

Have questions?

Connect with us at library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us bubble during regular Library hours. We’d love to hear from you!

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

Join Us For Lunch and Learn a New Skill!

The world of information is increasingly vast and also tainted by a great deal of misinformation. Library Lunch and Learn is a series of mini-lectures designed to teach you the specifics of finding and evaluating information. We also demonstrate the ins and outs of individual databases, which offer a wealth of information catered to your area of expertise.

October/November 2020 Schedule

Below is the October/November schedule of popular Library Lunch and Learn topics. For the complete list of available Lunch and Learn videos, visit the Library Lunch and Learn page, which is updated weekly.

Monday, October 5
The New PubMed – Nursing Database

PubMed is an open-access database, created by the National Library of Medicine, that contains more than 30 million citations and abstracts of peer-reviewed biomedical literature. PubMed is used by researchers the world over.

Wednesday, October 7
Business Source Complete – Business Database

This essential database for business students contains tens of thousands of full-text journal and magazine articles as well as newspaper items and e-books. Find current news stories, case studies, industry reports, market research reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses, and more greatly enhance your understanding of the world of business.

Wednesday, October 14
Knovel – Engineering Database

Knovel is more than a database of e-books covering a variety of engineering subject areas. This unique database also features interactive tools including Properties Materials Search; Interactive Equations, the browser-based calculation software – Equation Solver, detailed Unit Converter, Steam Calculators, Interactive Periodical Table, and the ability to create and share folders of your saved results and work.

Monday, October 19
Nursing Reference Centre – Nursing Database

Designed specifically for nurses, this resource provides evidence-based information for point of care, continuing education, drug databases, nursing research, and more.

Wednesday, October 21
How Not to Drown in Information

Forget information overload, we often feel like drowning in information with nobody throwing us a lifeline to shore. From CRAAP to RADAR, pick up some quick tips to evaluate information while researching for an assignment and learn how Google/Wikipedia can work with library resources not against.

Monday, October 26
RxTx – Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Database

RxTx is Canada’s authoritative source for prescribing and managing drug therapy, providing online access to evidence-based, reliable Canadian drug, and therapeutic information. In this session, we will explore the multiple facets of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Association’s RxTx database.

Wednesday, October 28
IBISWorld – Business Database

For Business students and anyone researching industry information, IBISWorld is a go-to database. It provides access to Canadian and US industry reports containing trends, market information, industry statistics, competitive landscape, and other industry-related information.

Monday, November 2
Making the Most of LinkedIn Learning

The LinkedIn Learning videos, formerly known as Lynda.com, have found their way into course work and even our Library guides. This session provides a refresher on what it is and how to navigate the various parts of a LinkedIn Learning Course to take advantage of this powerful tool for learning.

Wednesday, November 4
MarketLine – Business Database

Business and Marketing students need to locate quality business information. Be sure to familiarize yourself with Marketline to access 50,000 industry, company, and country profiles. Profiles offer standardized market data, competitive analysis, and other insights into business organization and function. You will also find socio and macroeconomic insights.

Have a question?

During the Library’s regular hours, a friendly staff member is available to chat with you online. Just click on the Ask Us bubble at library.rrc.ca.

Whether you’re at home or on campus, Library Services is here to support you and help you reach your goals.

In honour of Truth and Reconciliation Week (Sep 28 – Oct 2, 2020), RRC Library has compiled three “cinematic journeys” that address topics central to this annual event. The first two collections (“cinemas”) portray residential school experiences and stories of violence against Indigenous women — serious and sensitive topics that may disturb some viewers. The third cinema is a tribute to Indigenous women, revealing the strength, honour, and respect they bring to families and society as a whole. Through real-life stories and perspectives, these films are intended to encourage understanding and participation in the healing process of Truth and Reconciliation.

Explore Further

We encourage you to explore beyond these films by visiting the Truth and Reconciliation webpage developed by RRC’s School of Indigenous Education. Also of interest are the Library’s Indigenous Education Guides and the National Film Board’s listing of Indigenous Cinema.

Cinema 1: Residential Schools

We Were Children (2012, 1 h 23 min) The profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

Holy Angels (2017, 13 min) A powerful portrayal of Canada’s colonialist history using impressionistic images and the fragmented language of a child. Filmed with a fierce determination to not only uncover history but move past it, Holy Angels speaks of the resilience of a people who have found ways of healing—and of coming home again.

Stories are in Our Bones (2019, 11 min) Filmmaker Janine Windolph takes her young sons fishing with their kokum (grandmother), a residential school survivor who retains a deep knowledge and memory of the land. Reconnecting with their homeland is a cultural and familial healing journey for the boys, who are growing up in the city. It’s also a powerful form of resistance for the women.

Second Stories – It Had to Be Done (2008, 22 min) Explores the legacy of residential schools through the eyes of two extraordinary women who not only lived it, but who, as adults, made the surprising decision to return to the school that had affected their lives so profoundly. This intimate and moving film affirms their strength and dignity in standing up and making a difference on their own terms.

The secret path (2016, 1 h) This powerful animated film tells the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Ojibwa boy who died of exposure in 1966 while running away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario.

Cinema 2: Violence Against Indigenous Women (MMIWG)

Finding Dawn (2006, 1 h 13 min) Acclaimed Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh brings us a compelling documentary that puts a human face on a national tragedy – the epidemic of missing or murdered Indigenous women in Canada.

Stolen Sisters (2007, 43 min) Stolen Sisters takes viewers inside this contentious issue, from the rolling farmland of Saskatchewan to the haunting depths of the dark alleys in Vancouver’s dangerous Hastings district. You will hear the stories of the missing and witness one family’s desperate search for their loved one.

Cinema 3: Honouring Indigenous Women

Mother of Many Children (1977, 57 min) Alanis Obomsawin honours the central place of women and mothers within Indigenous cultures. An album of Indigenous womanhood, the film portrays proud matriarchal cultures that for centuries have been pressured to adopt the standards and customs of the dominant society.

Our Dear Sisters (1975, 14 min) Alanis Obomsawin, a North American Indian who earns her living by singing and making films, is the mother of an adopted child. She talks about her life, her people, and her responsibilities as a single parent. Her observations shake some of our cultural assumptions.

Martha of the North (2008, 1 h 23 min) In the mid-1950s, lured by false promises of a better life, Inuit families were displaced by the Canadian government and left to their own devices in the Far North. In this icy desert realm, Martha Flaherty and her family lived through one of Canadian history’s most sombre and little-known episodes.

This Is Who I Am (2018, 11 min) A young First Nations woman struggles with her identity in the big city. After a series of events, she realizes she can still be Anishinaabe, and in fact, it is her responsibility.

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

What is National Canadian Film Day?

National Canadian Film Day (NCFD), held on April 22, was started by REEL Canada, a charitable organization that celebrates Canada through film. NCFD is a massive one-day, coast-to-coast-to-coast celebration of Canadian cinema. Why did they start it? Because “film – more than any other medium – has the power to capture the soul of a nation, and when we only watch movies from somewhere else, we lose a part of ourselves… there’s no substitute for the connection you can feel when you watch something from your own backyard” (Source: About NCFD). With that mission in mind, NCFD was born.

Honouring Indigenous Themes Through Canadian Film

We delved into the Library’s online video collection and found a number of Canadian productions based on Indigenous themes. Here is a selection of streaming titles that you can enjoy at home (log in may be required).

PASS SYSTEM (Toronto : V Tape, 2015)

Pass system

The Pass System illuminates Canada’s hidden history of racial segregation. For over 60 years, the Canadian government often denied Indigenous peoples the basic freedom to leave their reserves without a pass. Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Ojibwe and Blackfoot elders of the prairie land where this took place tell their stories of living under and resisting the system, and link their experiences to today.

STOLEN SISTERS (Toronto : V Tape, 2015)

Stolen sisters

Stolen Sisters takes viewers inside the contentious issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, from the rolling farmland of Saskatchewan to the haunting depths of the dark alleys in Vancouver’s dangerous Hastings district. You will hear the stories of the missing and witness one family’s desperate search for their loved one.

WE WERE CHILDREN (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2012)

We were children

In this emotional film, the profound impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system is conveyed unflinchingly through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

DANCING AROUND THE TABLE (Ottawa : National Film Board of Canada, 2013)

Dancing around the table (Part one and two)

Part One provides a fascinating look at the crucial role Indigenous people played in shaping the Canadian Constitution. Part Two charts the battle to enshrine Indigenous rights in the Canadian Constitution, capturing a key moment in Canada’s history from the perspective of Indigenous negotiators.

HISTORY OF TREATIES IN CANADA (Pembroke, ON : LeMay Media, 2016)

History of treaties in Canada

From the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to the implementation on of the modern-day Algonquin land claim, The History of Treaties in Canada explores the history, application on and legacy of these foundational legal documents and how they continue to shape and define the often strained relationships between First Nations and the Crown in Canada.

NO TURNING BACK (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2013)

No turning back

For two-and-a-half years, Edmonton director Greg Coyes, worked with teams of Native filmmakers, following the Commission on its journey from coast to coast. The video weaves the passionate and articulate voices of Indian, Inuit, and Metis people with the history of Canada’s relationship with its First Nations peoples.

BEHIND THE MASKS (Ottawa : National Film Board of Canada, 2013)

Behind the masks

A fascinating look at the meaning behind the masks of Indian tribes of the North Pacific coast. Expositor and lecturer is Professor Levi-Strauss of Paris, world-renowned anthropologist and authority on the structural analysis of myth.

KEEPERS OF THE FIRE (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2007)

Keepers of the fire

Mohawk and Haida, Maliseet and Ojibwe these are the voices of ‘warrior women’ — those who have been on the front lines of some of the most important struggles Aboriginal people have faced in the latter part of the 20th century.

FOR ANGELA (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2013)

For Angela

A dramatic story of racism and empowerment, inspired by the experience of Rhonda Gordon and her daughter Angela. A bus ride changed their lives in a way no one could have foreseen. When three boys harass Rhonda and Angela, Rhonda finds the courage and determination to take a unique and powerful stand against ignorance and prejudice.

PATRICK’S STORY (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2013)

Patrick’s story

Patrick Bird was “a casualty of colonialism,” having walked a dark boyhood journey of sexual abuse, neglect, foster homes, detention centres, loss, abadonment, drugs, alcohol, and self-mutilation. With the help of friends and his loving adoptive mother, Patrick begins the search for his identity and spirituality as a Cree man, while discovering his talents in music and acting.

MISSING AND MURDERED ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA (Orangeville, ON : McIntyre Media, 2016)

Missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada

Violence against women is also a serious issue in Canada, unfortunately. One particular group of Canadian women merit special attention: Indigenous women and girls in Canada experience a scale and severity of violence that constitutes a national human rights crisis. The issue of violence against Aboriginal women and girls is a systematic one with deep roots in sexism, poverty and racism.

SACRED SUNDANCE (Montreal : National Film Board of Canada, 2008)

Sacred Sundance

Under a sweltering July sky, participants in the sacred Sundance ceremony go four days without food or water. At the end of the gruelling experience they will pierce the flesh of their chests in an offering to the Creator. The Sundance is a ritual long misunderstood, and once banned – but one that is now helping to bring personal and social healing to East Coast Aboriginal communities.

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

Earth Day Goes Digital

For the first time in history, Earth Day is going digital. With a theme of CLIMATE ACTION and voices stronger than ever, people across the globe will be rallying on behalf of the planet from their computers. The cries need to be heard for a reason: according to earthday.org, “climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable.” Would you like to be a part of Earth Day Live? To participate in online events, tune into Earth Day Live on Wednesday, April 22.

Sustainability at Red River College

On this Earth Day, we encourage you to read about the inspiring impact the Sustainability department has made at the College. Check it out in their Earth Day blog post.

Explore Environmental Topics From Our Online Library

Explore environmental topics from the comfort of home with our online collection of e-books and streaming videos. Below are some suggestions, but you may want to try entering a keyword in the Library’s OneSearch and see what it brings you. While our physical items are currently unavailable, please remember to use the filter on the sidebar to limit your search results to “Available online.”

E-BOOKS (log in may be required)

Lyme : The First Epidemic of Climate Change

Kirkus Lyme disease is spreading rapidly around the globe as ticks move into places they could not survive before. The first epidemic to emerge in the era of climate change, the disease infects half a million people in the US and Europe each year, and untold multitudes in Canada, China, Russia, and Australia. Mary Beth Pfeiffer shows how we have contributed to this growing menace, and how modern medicine has underestimated its danger. She tells the heart-rending stories of families destroyed by a single tick bite, of children disabled, and of one woman’s tragic choice after an exhaustive search for a cure. Pfeiffer also warns of the emergence of other tick-borne illnesses that make Lyme more difficult to treat and pose their own grave risks. Lyme is an impeccably researched account of an enigmatic disease, making a powerful case for action to fight ticks, heal patients, and recognize humanity’s role in a modern scourge.

Being the Change : Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution

Life on 1/10th the fossil fuels turns out to be awesome. We all want to be happy. Yet as we consume ever more in a frantic bid for happiness, global warming worsens. Alarmed by drastic changes now occurring in the Earth’s climate systems, the author, a climate scientist and suburban father of two, embarked on a journey to change his life and the world. He began by bicycling, growing food, meditating, and making other simple, fulfilling changes. Ultimately, he slashed his climate impact to under a tenth of the US average and became happier in the process. Being the Change explores the connections between our individual daily actions and our collective predicament. It merges science, spirituality, and practical action to develop a satisfying and appropriate response to global warming.

To Master the Boundless Sea : The U.S. Navy, the Marine Environment, and the Cartography of Empire

Beginning in the early nineteenth century and concluding in the first years of the twentieth, Jason W. Smith tells the story of the rise of the U.S. Navy and the emergence of American ocean empire through its struggle to control nature. In vividly told sketches of exploration, naval officers, war, and, most significantly, the ocean environment, Smith draws together insights from environmental, maritime, military, and naval history, and the history of science and cartography, placing the U.S. Navy’s scientific efforts within a broader cultural context. By recasting and deepening our understanding of the U.S. Navy and the United States at sea, Smith brings to the fore the overlooked work of naval hydrographers, surveyors, and cartographers. In the nautical chart’s soundings, names, symbols, and embedded narratives, Smith recounts the largely untold story of a young nation looking to extend its power over the boundless sea.

Coping with the Climate Crisis : Mitigation Policies and Global Coordination

Reducing carbon emissions is the most complex political and economic problem humanity has ever confronted. Coping with the Climate Crisis brings together leading experts from academia and policy circles to explore issues related to the implementation of the COP21 Paris Agreement and the challenges of accelerating the transition toward sustainable development. The book synthesizes the key insights that emerge from the latest research in climate-change economics in an accessible and useful guide for policy makers and researchers. Contributors consider a wide range of issues, including the economic implications and realities of shifting away from fossil fuels, the role of financial markets in incentivizing development and construction of sustainable infrastructure, the challenges of evaluating the well-being of future generations, the risk associated with uncertainty surrounding the pace of climate change, and how to make climate agreements enforceable.

Why Are We Waiting? : The Logic, Urgency, and Promise of Tackling Climate Change

An urgent case for climate change action that forcefully sets out, in economic, ethical, and political terms, the dangers of delay and the benefits of action. The risks of climate change are potentially immense. The benefits of taking action are also clear: we can see that economic development, reduced emissions, and creative adaptation go hand in hand. A committed and strong low-carbon transition could trigger a new wave of economic and technological transformation and investment, a new era of global and sustainable prosperity. Why, then, are we waiting? In this book, Nicholas Stern explains why, notwithstanding the great attractions of a new path, it has been so difficult to tackle climate change effectively. He makes a compelling case for climate action now and sets out the forms that action should take. Stern argues that the risks and costs of climate change are worse than estimated in the landmark Stern Review in 2006—and far worse than implied by standard economic models. He reminds us that we have a choice.

Climate Shock : The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet

If you had a 10 percent chance of having a fatal car accident, you’d take necessary precautions. If your finances had a 10 percent chance of suffering a severe loss, you’d reevaluate your assets. So if we know the world is warming and there’s a 10 percent chance this might eventually lead to a catastrophe beyond anything we could imagine, why aren’t we doing more about climate change right now? We insure our lives against an uncertain future–why not our planet? In Climate Shock, Gernot Wagner and Martin Weitzman explore in lively, clear terms the likely repercussions of a hotter planet, drawing on and expanding from work previously unavailable to general audiences. They show that the longer we wait to act, the more likely an extreme event will happen. A city might go underwater. A rogue nation might shoot particles into the Earth’s atmosphere, geoengineering cooler temperatures. Zeroing in on the unknown extreme risks that may yet dwarf all else, the authors look at how economic forces that make sensible climate policies difficult to enact, make radical would-be fixes like geoengineering all the more probable.

Tweeting the Environment #Brexit

The level of politicisation of the environment has been low in the UK. Economic concerns outweigh environmental ones in political debates, public policies and political agendas. Can the rise of social media communication change this situation? Tweeting the Environment #Brexit argues that, although limited by the dynamics of the British context, the technological affordances of Twitter enabled social actors such as the Green Party, ENGOs, and their associates to advance their political and green claims in order to mobilise voters before the 2016 EU referendum and to express their concerns in order to change environmental politics in the aftermath. The interdisciplinary research employed a combination of big data applications such as ElasticSearch and Kibana and desktop applications such as Gephi and SPSS in analysing large-scale social data. Adopting an inductive and data-driven approach, this book shows the importance of mixed methods and the necessity of narrowing down’big’to’small’data in large-scale social media research.

STREAMING VIDEOS (log in may be required)

An Inconvenient Truth

Former Vice President Al Gore explains the facts of global warming, presents arguments that the dangers of global warning have reached the level of crisis, and addresses the efforts of certain interests to discredit the anti-global warming cause. Between lecture segments, Gore discusses his personal commitment to the environment, sharing anecdotes from his experiences.

We are All Related Here

The story of the Yup’ik people, an Indigenous community of Newtok, Alaska, who are being forced to relocate their village due to the erosion and flooding they are experiencing as a result of global warming. We meet some of the people who are being called America’s first ‘climate refugees,’ and learn about the history and culture of the Yup’ik people of Newtok, who are being forced to relocate their village due to the erosion and flooding they are experiencing as a result of global warming.

Hole Story

In this feature documentary, Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie continue in the same provocative vein as their earlier Forest Alert, this time turning their lens on Canada’s mining industry. Using striking images, rare archival footage and interviews, The Hole Story analyzes company profits and the impact of mining on the environment and workers’ health.

Into the Fire (Nature of Things)

Nature created it. Humans harnessed it. And now, as climate change helps light a flame to our forests, scientists are desperately trying to understand fire. In the summer of 2017, more than one million hectares of the B.C. landscape went up in smoke. In 2016, the Fort McMurray wildfire — known as “the Beast” — forced the evacuation of nearly 90,000 residents. This compelling documentary travels from Alberta to Australia to follow researchers and firefighters as they race to learn from a new generation of massive fires.

VIDEO DATABASES – SUBJECT LISTINGS (log in may be required)

Subject Listing: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE on CBC Curio

Subject Listing: CLIMATE AND WEATHER on NFB Campus

Have a question? Ask Us!

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During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button or send an email to library@rrc.ca.

In these uncertain times when many of us are unexpectedly isolated in work and study, RRC Library wants you to know that we care and are still here to assist you.