The most exciting of news! We have received confirmation of funding for the new MRU library, to be known as the Riddell Library and Learning Centre. Planning has moved into high gear and we look to have shovels in the ground this summer. We are excited to be sharing the building with some other partners such as Student Learning Services, the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the Department of Education and Schooling and the Academic Development Centre amongst others. We think that students and faculty will appreciate having so many key services co-located.

Having longer hours is something that our students have frequently requested. This fall we initiated a pilot project to keep the library open until 1 am during final exams. The project was so successful that we are doing it again at the end of the winter semester and expanding it to include the week before final exams. Another pilot project that we had success with this year was to collaborate with the Student Association on a project to purchase high cost textbooks for the reserve collection.

An ongoing goal at MRU Library is to reach out to students and faculty. With this in mind we have created the Student Library Advisory Committee who have been a great source of information and feedback on library services and initiatives. One of those new initiatives is the library sponsored Award for Excellence in Scholarly Endeavours . This award gives $1000 to recognize a student who has produced an outstanding scholarly project, including essays, films, posters and more. Another project is a library discussion series Big Ideas Lounge where we engage community members in facilitated discussions of “hot topics”. Some of the topics have included: Respect, Rights and the Secular University, Idle (K)No(w) More, and the Occupy Movement. Library faculty will also be presenting two sessions at the annual Mount Royal Faculty Association retreat – Reviewing Peer Review – Is it Time for a Change? and Dirty Secrets Revealed: Journal Publishing and Marketing, Impact Factors and Access to Scholarship. We hope to share information and initiate discussion around current issues and trends in our field that may affect other faculty.

We would like to welcome the new staff who have joined us this year Melinda Topilko, Denise Upton, Madelaine Vanderwerff and Nicole Palanuk and offer our sincerest thanks and fond farewells to several retirees Sandra Munn, Mabelann Gathercole and Judy Trafford.