UNews - L Library

U of L Library helps Cardston tell its temple stories

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:58:12 +0000

It stands today as an iconic symbol and regional landmark, and early last month, a group of citizens gathered at the Cardston library to recognize its significance in shaping the history of this southern Alberta community.

It has been 100 years since ground was broken in Cardston, Alta. for the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple built in Canada. Now, with the help of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library, The Cardston Temple: An Historical Record, a digitized collection of photographs and documents about the temple, has been created.

The digital collection represents the work and resources of many individuals and institutions, not the least of which was the U of L library and its specified software and digitization team.

The project began in 2004, when Beth Rosenvall, then Matron of the Cardston Alberta Temple, found a number of photographs under a couch at the temple. Her husband, Lynn Rosenvall, president of the temple from 2003-2006, described the pictures as "temple story photos" and a project was born.

The Cardston Alberta Temple is the oldest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple located outside the United States.

Beth Rosenvall was inspired to tap the community for more photographs, newspaper clippings, obituaries, biographies and other documents related to the temple. Perhaps most importantly, the community supplemented these documents with their knowledge and memories, connecting names to faces, dating photographs and documents, and allowing a story of the temple to emerge.

The narrative is one of a community coming together, facing obstacles brought on by war and a vast Canadian landscape, to construct an iconic building. Its exterior was made of hand-hewn white granite, quarried near the Kootenay Lakes in BC. The construction and furnishing of the building took 10 years and involved the volunteer labour of many.

Since its construction, the building has played an important role in spiritual lives and family histories of many Cardston residents of southern Alberta and beyond.

The relationship between the Cardston Public Library and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library developed after Rosenvall and her team of volunteers identified and recorded the names of the people in the many photographs that were collected. With painstaking effort, 1,300 pages of pictures and documents were compiled into 11 archival quality volumes by category and with captions. Of the photos gathered, a remarkable 98 per cent of the people pictured were identified.

In an effort to widely share these now developed temple stories, the Cardston Public Library used the Alberta Youth Initiative Program to send Nicole Walton to the U of L Library where she had access to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's infrastructure and library team to help with the digitization of the collection. Born and raised in Cardston, Walton's expertise and local knowledge proved invaluable as she entered the documents with their metadata, allowing for users to search the collection. She was also able to give insight into how the collection would be used moving forward.

"It is important that younger generations understand the hard work and sweat that went into the construction of the temple," says Cardston Public Library board chairman Vern Quinton.

"It's valuable that we are able to honour the past and prepare for the future," adds library manager Donna Beazer.

A lot has changed over the past 100 years and, certainly, technology is part of our lives in ways that those who toiled over the temple's construction could never imagine. But one thing remains true: it takes the passion and dedication of community members to build something worthwhile.

Explore this fascinating digital collection from the library's website. Go to digitallibrary.uleth.ca/cdm/collist/ and click on Cardston Alberta Temple: An Historical Record.

This story first appeared in the April 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Library offers the gift of language

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:41:33 +0000

It is always a good time to travel, and one of the great benefits of being able to see the world is immersing yourself in the culture and customs of faraway lands.

A key to many successful trips is the ability to communicate with the local populations. If you are keen to start learning a new language or want to brush up on your existing language skills, then check out Mango Languages – a full-featured languages education resource available to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community through the U of L Library.

Some of the languages featured in this resource include: Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. These are just a sample of the available language lessons; there are 23 more languages included – including the whimsical Pirate module!

With this resource, users will develop practical conversation skills through instruction on vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. Mango Languages also takes it a step beyond the normal language resource and offers users insight into the cultures of the various language groups.

Mango Languages can be accessed via the Internet and is not dependent on whether you use a Mac or Windows-based computer. iOS (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch) users can also download a free mobile application from the Apple Store.

Another great feature is that, with a microphone, you can also get feedback on your pronunciation. The lessons are not only practical but are designed to be both fun and engaging. With a user-friendly interface that tracks progress, users are able to see themselves work towards becoming an intermediate language user.

There are also language lessons for English as a second language (ESL) users. In total, there are 15 ESL modules for speakers whose native languages may include: Egyptian Arabic, French, German, Spanish and more.

Mango Languages is free for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty, staff and students. You can get started today by visiting http://bit.ly/zlFCas and creating an account for yourself.

Project turns on

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:57:45 +0000

Located on the 11th floor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library, Project Channel is the U of L Art Gallery's satellite space to provide access to a range of local, national and international video art.

"For decades, artists have used the low cost possibilities of video to experiment with technology, mimic popular mass media, and tell stories that are often missed by the mainstream," explains Dr. Josephine Mills, curator/director, U of L Art Gallery. "The gallery will curate selections of video art for Project Channel's set of touch-screens. Many of the videos will also be purchased to build up a collection."

Viewers can either watch the latest selection or browse through the holdings on the three screens.

"The U of L Art Gallery Project Channel's innovative approach combines the strengths of curated screenings with on-demand library viewing to create easy-to-use access to video art," she says. "We want to thank the U of L Library and V Tape for their assistance with this project. We invite everyone to come check it out."

This story first appeared in the February 2012 edition of The Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Hastings found a home at U of L

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:17:41 +0000

In the 1960s, Cora Hastings was considering a job at the newly established ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and wrote to her parents about the position. In the midst of the political turmoil in the United States at the time, her father offered some straightforward advice: "Go to Canada and make your home there."

Originally from Mercer, Penn., Hastings made the move north to accept a position in the U of L library, then located on the Lethbridge Junior College campus. Although hired as a librarian, Hastings' devotion to being, and prior experience as, a teacher were soon called upon, and she began delivering the school librarian courses then being offered throughout southern Alberta.

This Oct. 2001 photo shows the directors of the library's curriculum laboratory, including the late Cora Hastings, left, Bill Glaister and Barbara Huston.

Hastings, who recently passed away, worked at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for nearly 20 years and, heeding her father's advice, made the U of L her home. Deeply connected to the institution and always looking to the future, Hastings made a planned gift to the U of L in her will, demonstrating her passion for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"Her commitment to and engagement with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge never waned," says colleague and longtime friend Barbara Huston, who worked with Hastings in the Faculty of Education's Curriculum Laboratory.

Hastings was the first co-ordinator of the curriculum lab, a special collection of materials and resources to support teacher education courses, and was instrumental in securing administration through the Faculty of Education.

"Suffice it to say, her insight and conviction that Faculty administration would best serve everyone's interests won the day," says Huston, who took over as co-ordinator when Hastings retired. "The lab exists as a demonstration of her tenacity, persistence and sheer doggedness in getting it just right."

Benefitting from Hastings' foresight and passion, the curriculum lab continues to serve students, faculty and community users and has achieved a reputation as the best curriculum laboratory in Western Canada.

Hastings' commitment has inspired a lasting legacy – one that remembers a librarian who made herself at home at the U of L, and one that will benefit the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ well into the future.

As a result of her bequest, Cora Hastings joins the Fiat Lux Legacy Society, a group of donors who have left a legacy gift or are planning a legacy gift that will benefit the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in the future. For more information, visit www.ulethbridge/giving or call 403-329-2582.

This article first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Kainai News offers look at history

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:29:16 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library recently completed a project in which they digitized 631 issues of the Kainai News (1968-1991) newspaper, now available from the U of L Library's Southern Alberta Newspapers digital collection (www.uleth.ca/lib/digitized_Collections/sanews.asp).

The Kainai News was one of Canada's first aboriginal newspapers, and it was instrumental in the establishment of aboriginal journalism in Canada. Originally published in Standoff, Alta. from 1968-1991 by the Blood Indian Tribe, it was later published by Indian News Media.

Content of the Kainai News focused on a range of local issues within the reserve, as well as national issues such as the Indian Act, the Whitepaper and Bill C-31 . Prior to the digitization of Kainai News, access to its content was restricted to microfilmed copies held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library and the Lethbridge Public Library.

The digitized version of the Kainai News provides free access to this valuable local resource to anyone with an Internet connection. Content can be browsed by date, searched by keyword, printed or saved.

Through these initiatives, the U of L library is helping to both preserve and improve access to southern Alberta's aboriginal history, as well as strengthening our relationship with the Blackfoot people.

Internship a benefit to all

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:27:41 +0000

If you've been in the library lately, you may have noticed a friendly new face: Heather Nicholson.

Nicholson is a co-op student from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario (UWO), where she is studying for a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. She is here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for one term to gain some practical, hands-on experience in a library setting.

"This is a great learning experience, and a great way to supplement what I've learned so far in school," says Nicholson. "Working at a smaller institution like the U of L has given me the opportunity to gain experience with a wide variety of library work."

The library gains from this relationship as well, by getting an enthusiastic short-term employee with new ideas able to help out with special projects. It's not unlike the opportunity U of L students readily take advantage of when they participate in similar co-op placements.

The UWO co-op program is, like the U of L's program, an optional add-on to the degree. Students can choose up to two co-op terms of four months each. And, like the U of L program, many students may eventually find permanent employment with their co-op sponsors – something Nicholson would love to see happen.

Nicholson was previously a junior high school teacher for five years in her hometown of Edmonton. She then taught junior high language arts and social studies for three years at a newly opened Canadian school in Qatar, returning last June to begin her studies at UWO. Helping to develop the collection for the school library in Qatar piqued her interest in library science.

Throughout her teaching career she realized the importance of teaching students solid research and critical thinking skills. Becoming a librarian dovetails nicely with her interest in teaching, while providing her with an opportunity to assist students in developing information literacy skills. Working in the U of L Library, with its emphasis on personal service, leads her to believe she's made the right choice.

"I love the teaching aspect of being a librarian," says Nicholson. "I also enjoy the other parts of the job – working on the reference desk, developing collections, and constantly learning new things as you support faculty and students in their research. It's the wide variety of the job that really appeals to me."

At the U of L, Nicholson has been involved with a variety of projects, including teaching classes, co-ordinating the movement of the collection during renovations, weeding parts of the collection and analyzing the library's print and electronic serials holdings.

"Thanks to my work here at the U of L, I have been able to see the practical application of concepts we've discussed in class, and there's no substitute for actually experiencing how real-world libraries work," she says. "The library staff has been very generous in sharing their knowledge and experience with me."

The power of language

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:25:54 +0000

For Glenna Westwood (BA '84), proclaiming the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a culturally diverse campus is literally, just lip service.

By initiating the establishment of foreign language conversation groups, Westwood is helping to foster relationships at the most basic of levels – communication.

"It's not just an opportunity for students to learn and to help them with their studies, it's community-building, a good social exercise as well," says Westwood, the library's Fine Arts librarian and modern languages buff.

The project invites students, staff and faculty to meet in the library on a weekly basis to simply converse in either French or Spanish. When it debuted last fall, a Japanese component was also included.

"We're here not to just support students who are writing a research paper for their professor," says Westwood about her role as a professional librarian. "They have other learning needs and goals and I've always tried to anticipate what those needs might be and then fulfill them.
"I try to ask myself, what can we do for students apart from providing these scholarly resources?"

Her interest in language is well earned and the idea for the conversation groups was born out of a study leave she took to Mexico five years ago. While there, Westwood studied Spanish by immersing herself in the language. She enrolled in a language school with a library in a small Mexican town. Journaling her experiences, she studied what kind of library resources she used to support her learning, then returned a year later to conduct a survey and compile results for a paper she then presented at a conference in Australia. Conversation groups were a part of the informal curriculum, and she facilitated an English group while also participating in a Spanish group.

"My goal that semester was language facility," she says. "I was interested in sitting in that space, seeing what kinds of resources I used and watching the other students and seeing what resources they used. As a language librarian, I was then able to share that new knowledge with the broader professional community."

It was the kind of information she could bring back to the U of L to help her create a better learning environment for the many modern language students on campus. It was more than that though; it also provided her with an opportunity to use the library as more than a research destination but also a community space.

With assistance from the International Centre for Students as well as the Faculty of Management, Westwood recruited students as volunteer hosts of the conversation groups. After that, it was a matter of opening the doors and letting the program evolve in whatever direction it took.

"I don't participate in the actual groups, I just facilitate them and whatever experiences they have, they have," she says.
"I would say it's been a success. Really, even if just one student comes it's a success, and it's something that I want to continue."

GET THE FACTS

• Westwood has worked in the U of L Library since 1992, and was the science librarian before getting back to her roots in the fine arts and languages

• She graduated from the U of L with a BASC (Dramatic Arts) degree in 1984, then earned her Masters in Library Science from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia in 1987

• Westwood chose French, Spanish and Japanese for the conversation groups because they are languages offered as part of the U of L's Modern Languages program

• Conversation groups are open to all students, staff and faculty. Contact Westwood at glenna.westwood@uleth.ca to participate

UNews - L Library

U of L Library helps Cardston tell its temple stories

Related Topics

Library offers the gift of language

Related Topics

Project turns on

Related Topics

Hastings found a home at U of L

Related Topics

Kainai News offers look at history

Related Topics

Internship a benefit to all

Related Topics

The power of language

Related Topics