Library news


In Conversation with Librarian Courtney Lundrigan

As for a typical day, one of my favourite things about being a librarian is that it’s rare for a day to be ‘typical.’ The variety of projects and responsibilities was one of the selling points for me in working in libraries. Since arriving at UVic, I’ve been into everything from participating in Thunderfest, teaching first-year classes, planning events, and supporting projects that have us engaging directly with students.

Broken Promises exhibit

The capstone of the Landscapes of Injustice project’s seven year multi-institutional, community engaged research, Broken Promises puts names and faces to a dark chapter of Canadian history. It is a reminder of the power of racism, the many Canadians who were complicit in this injustice, and the legacies of dispossession that persist to this day. The exhibit is open to the public, and free to visit.

Gallery exhibit: Salvage

Salvage is a collection of driftwood books salvaged from the beaches of Vancouver Island and the Cascadia bioregion of the Pacific Northwest. Collected over a ten-year period, they have not been altered in any way, and suggest through their height, weight, width, depth and shape the conceptual idea and physical embodiment of the codex.

Survivor-led repatriation art project

This repatriation project was funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant held by the MRSGI membership, Dr. Andrea Walsh (Anthropology), and Ms. Lorilee Wastasecoot (Indigenous Curator of Collections and Engagement, Legacy Art Galleries). Repatriation work was carried out in collaboration with Maureen Matthews at the Museum of Manitoba. Funding for the production of the banners was received through Canadian Heritage.

Transgender rights in British Columbia

Visitors to the Diana M. Priestly Law Library will now be greeted by a new display featuring some of the special collections from UVic Libraries. The display focuses on Transgender Rights in British Columbia and Canada and features archival material from the UVic Transgender Archives, books from the shelves of the law library, and QR codes leading to some of the online resources that UVic Libraries has to offer.

Let’s talk belonging

On May 5, 2023, nearly 200 library staff members from across the region gathered on lək̓ʷəŋən territory at the University of Victoria for the 8th annual Vancouver Island Library Staff Conference (VILSC). The conference planning committee developed the theme “Let’s Talk Belonging” and potential presenters responded to the call for proposals that asked: “What does ‘belonging’, or conversely, ‘not belonging’, mean to your work, to library services, and to peoples’ experience of libraries?”

Librarian climbs to new heights with Mountain Legacy Project

Geospatial Librarian daniel Brendle-Moczuk participated in an expedition to assist UVic’s Mountain Legacy Project led by Eric Higgs. The team summited four peaks in 12 days to take approximately 50 repeat photographs from various historical surveyors, such as the photographs taken by Allison B. Grant of Mount Alderson in 1953.

Crafting Civilizations: Egyptomania in Nineteenth-Century Girls’ Crafts

"In my four years at the University of Victoria I was taught to write essays well, but with the rise of AI language processing tools, having an English degree can be a scary prospect. Through the university’s opportunities for scholarship that combine creative projects with technical writing skills, I was reaffirmed in my program of choice. The Lowens-Libraries Fellowship program demonstrates how hands-on learning paired with analysis and public-facing outputs reveal wider trends and meaning in material from Special Collections and University Archives."

From Paper to Stitch: Exploring the Intersection of Art, History, and Trans+ Narratives

"As a sociology master's student, this fellowship process has been particularly meaningful as it has allowed me to explore the intersection of art, history, and social issues, shedding light on the importance of preserving marginalized narratives and challenging societal norms through creative expression. In addition, it allowed me to witness art and community-engaged activities' real transformative power."

Collaborating to create a meaningful difference

"Prior to arriving at UVic Libraries I worked as a research and learning librarian at the University of Calgary, initially as a joint business and medical librarian, and eventually shifting over to solely support the undergraduate business programs. It is here that I learned and obtained extensive experience supporting evidence synthesis in a variety of disciplines."

Libraries and museums shaped a love of knowledge and nature

“I lived in the library during my geography degree at UVic,” says Michael Dunn (BA ’74), the libraries’ nomination for a 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. On April 13, the UVic Alumni Association celebrated the remarkable accomplishments of 16 graduates across three categories: the President’s Alumni Award, the Emerging Alumni Award, and the Indigenous Community Alumni Award. Michael was honoured as a Presidents' Alumni Award winner for his long commitment to environmental stewardship.

Adding Indigenous voices to the library collection

Read about a day in the life of Indigenous Initiatives Law Librarian Jessie Lampreau: "I have enjoyed learning about the different services that the library has to offer, and learning about different initiatives that my colleagues are involved in. I also really enjoy meeting with students and hearing about the projects they are working on, and sharing information about resources and services that will support them."

Team effort creates digital feminist newsletter collection

UVic Libraries is pleased to announce the availability of a new digital collection, Victoria Feminist Newsletters, via our digital asset management platform, Vault. As with our previous collections of digital primary sources, the creation of this new resource was a team effort with libraries personnel from the Digitization Centre, Metadata Unit, and Special Collections & University Archives.