Since the University College Library has been on Twitter since January (@UCLibrary_UofT), I am no longer posting to this blog (but am keeping the existing blog entries for archival purposes).
UC Library on Twitter: twitter.com/uclibrary_uoft
Posted in Uncategorized
I see from the library catalogue that not one of U of T’s copies of Us Conductors, by Sean Michaels, is currently checked out (including the UC Library’s) — unlike the other Giller Prize-shortlisted books, which are by better known authors.
But I doubt this will still be the case tomorrow, since this first-time novelist won the Giller Prize this evening!
Posted in Uncategorized
Here’s where you’ll find the Giller-Prize-shortlisted books at the UC Library (the winner will be announced Nov. 10):
Meanwhile, it was announced today that a book from last year’s Giller shortlist, Caught by Lisa Moore, will be adapted for TV and will star Allan Hawco of “Republic of Doyle.”
Posted in Literary Awards
The Laidlaw Wing of University College was officially opened 50 years ago, on October 5, 1964. A Globe and Mail article the next day (“LePan installed as Principal of College”) includes a photo with the caption “Officially opened yesterday, Laidlaw Library, which closes quadrangle of University College.”
The 1965 issue of the University College Bulletin features a description of “The New Wing,” with some nice photos of the Library and the Refectory (in the basement). Here’s an excerpt about the Library (which at that time occupied two floors) — note the mention of the latest 1960s library technology!
“The main and upper floors house the Laidlaw Library, planned to meet the needs of First and Second Year undergraduates in the College. A controlled-access book collection, which will ultimately comprise 40,000 volumes, and a reference room with a capacity of 4,000 volumes cover the main floor. The upper floor is designed as reading room space. The central area contains both large tables and individual desks. There are also a number of small reading-rooms for informal group study; these will accommodate typewriters, record-players, and microfilm readers. […]” Here is a link to the whole article, scanned from the UC Bulletin, 1965, pages, 33 to 37:
Posted in Libraries, University College
Our latest display at the front of the UC Library is “Fall into an autumn read,” with books like Autumn Rounds by Jacques Poulin, My October by Claire Rothman (which is longlisted for the Giller Prize), and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell. As always, you are welcome to borrow the books in the display!
Posted in Uncategorized
You have probably heard about the upcoming expiration of U of T’s agreement with Access Copyright on Dec. 31, 2013. I’ve added some information to the UC Library website about the new copyright situation for U of T instructors as of January 1st:
Posted in Uncategorized
The theme for the next CBC Canada Reads is “the novel that could change the nation.” In case you want to start reading the contenders in advance of the debates (on CBC radio in March), most of them are currently available at the UC Library.
The exception is The Orenda: five U of T libraries, include UC, own a copy of this recent novel by Josepha Boyden, and all five copies are checked out. Given this (and given how popular Joseph Boyden’s previous novels have been!), I have just ordered two additional copies for the UC Library.
Here are the five contenders:
Posted in Literary Awards
I caught part of the 2-hour Nelson Mandela special on “Q” this morning, where the interviews were punctuated with some wonderful songs.
There are lots of books about Mandela at Robarts and other U of T libraries, including his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.
Posted in Events
I was curious to see which bestsellers have been borrowed the most from the UC Library since we launched our Bestsellers collection last Fall (Sept. 2012). (I’m only counting actual loans — not renewals.)
Here are the winners!
IN FIRST PLACE — OUR MOST POPULAR BESTSELLER! — WITH 15 LOANS:
TIED FOR SECOND MOST POPULAR — WITH 14 LOANS EACH:
IN THIRD PLACE — WITH 12 LOANS:
TIED FOR FOURTH PLACE — WITH 11 LOANS EACH:
TIED FOR FIFTH PLACE — WITH 10 LOANS EACH:
TIED FOR SIXTH PLACE — WITH 9 LOANS EACH:
It isn’t a totally fair competition: it would be hard for books we just bought this Fall to “catch up” to books we’ve had since last Fall. Also, a few of our bestsellers were so popular in the first year that I bought a second copy a few months ago, and that gives them even more chance to rack up loans.
Even so, I find this a pretty interesting list: Non-fiction appears to be even more popular than fiction! And it’s interesting that some books that were first published years ago are still going strong, including Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes Itself (2007) and Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers (2008). The stats above are for the paperback copies in our Bestsellers section, but the hardcover editions of these two books have also been very popular with UC Library patrons, ever since they appeared.
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Lately I’ve been working on expanding the UC Library’s collection of graphic novels, and we now have over a hundred — with more on the way!
Our recent display at the front of the library featured graphic novels by women, and our library assistants reported that the books “went like hotcakes.” The authors included:
Several of these authors are discussed in the book Graphic women : life narrative and contemporary comics.
Posted in Uncategorized
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