Griffin Barry started his first year at Woodstock High School with the perfect book recommendation.

A lover of manga, computers and Dungeons and Dragons, his father suggested getting into science fiction with Ender’s Game, a late 20th-century novel by Orson Scott Card.

But when Barry went to his school library to find the book, there was no longer a library worker there to help him.

Students in the Anglophone South and Anglophone West school districts returned to class in September without school library workers after those positions were eliminated last spring.

Continue reading “New Brunswick: ‘We have our grievance papers ready’: Union closely watching schools after library job cuts” →

Racialized Mashriqi and Levantine women in Canadian librarianship are invited to participate in a research study about their experiences.

The study explores experiences of access, belonging, professional adaptation, workplace culture, mentorship, and inclusion in Canadian library settings. Adult women aged 22 years and older who identify as racialized Mashriqi and/or Levantine and who work in, have worked in, or have sought work in Canadian library settings are invited to participate.

For the purposes of this study, the Mashreq (Al-Mashriq) refers broadly to the eastern Arab region, including Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region, and the Levant. The Levant (Bilad al-Sham) refers more specifically to Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine.

Participation involves one interview, approximately 45-60 minutes, conducted online through UFV-licensed and institutionally supported Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Participation is voluntary, and participants may decline to answer any question or withdraw from the study according to the consent process.

You may be eligible to participate if you:

  • are 22 years of age or older;
  • identify as a racialized Mashriqi and/or Levantine woman;
  • have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent post-secondary qualification;
  • currently work in, have previously worked in, or have sought work in a Canadian
    library setting;
  • are willing to discuss your professional experiences in Canadian librarianship.

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact:

Inaam Charaf
Applicant/Principal Investigator
Email: inaam.charaf@ufv.ca

 

Hundreds of errors, including 38 references to non-existent academic sources, were uncovered during the scrubbing of a high-profile action plan for Newfoundland and Labrador’s education system.

The Education Accord NL final report — a 410-page brick costing the provincial government $750,000 — was pulled from the government’s website last year when university professors discovered it contained a series of fake academic references they believed were created by AI.

Now, an independent analysis of the Education Accord’s bibliography and in-text citations — obtained through access to information legislation — reveals the full scope of the report’s problems.

Continue reading “NL: ‘Worse than we thought’: Scrubbing of Education Accord reveals 38 references to non-existent sources” →

Library staff in Prince Edward Island are lauding an extra layer of workplace security with the recent installation of panic buttons for emergencies at some locations.

The buttons, which look like a car key fob, can be worn by staffers on a lanyard. When pressed, they alert a third-party service which contacts 911 and police are sent to the location.

Continue reading “PEI: Panic buttons at libraries providing an ‘additional layer of security’” →

Library workers and stakeholders will be gathering in Pictou this weekend to explore emerging trends, share innovative approaches, and celebrate the vital role libraries play in the health and well-being of communities across the province.

The Nova Scotia Library Association’s annual conference is being hosted by the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library from Sept. 18-20 at the deCoste Culture Hub. The association welcomes membership from anyone interested in library service.

Continue reading “Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Library Association holding annual conference in Pictou” →

Thanks to a fundraiser featuring a bestselling Nova Scotian author, doors to all Annapolis Valley Regional Library branches may remain open beyond the end of the fiscal year.

Rachel Reid is one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary romance writers. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Game Changers series, which has been adapted into the smash hit TV series Heated Rivalry.

When asked why it was important to her to help keep the regional library’s doors open with a recent $300,000 donation and the Sept. 12 fundraising event in Wolfville, Reid said it’s because she has the ability to help and “I have been very, very blessed this year.”

Continue reading “Nova Scotia: ‘I call her a superhero’: Residents appreciate Rachel Reid’s fundraiser for Annapolis Valley libraries” →

Once a month, Caitlin McCarthy Taylor and her 15-month-old daughter take a trip to the mailbox. Inside is a brand new book and is part of a program started by Dolly Parton.

On Tuesday, Parton died at age 80 following a battle with cancer. A legendary music career isn’t the only legacy she’s leaving behind. She also leaves her Imagination Library, which has delivered thousands of books to New Brunswick children.

Continue reading “New Brunswick: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has delivered thousands of books to N.B. children” →

Dolly Parton will be remembered for many reasons, one of which is her immense impact on literacy in Prince Edward Island.

The country music icon and philanthropist died at 80 on Aug. 25 following a brief battle with cancer. Her legacy includes 11 Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, a 1999 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

But for Jinny Greaves, executive director of the P.E.I. Literacy Alliance, it’s her contributions to children’s literacy that made the biggest difference.

Continue reading “PEI: Dolly Parton leaves a ‘very powerful’ legacy of children’s literacy on P.E.I., says alliance” →