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French for Beginners

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With Bill 96 in the works and many discussions about the preservation of the French language in Quebec, it is a good time to begin or continue learning French. The McGill Library has many resources in the collection if you’re a beginner. Below will highlight some key online resources for you to drive into student mode. Remember to make this process fun: a new language uncovers a fresh way to look and interact with the world. 

Si, sans plus tarder, commençons! (Let’s begin!) 

Unsplash// Adrien Olichon

A Few Great E-Books:

French essentials for dummies 

This guide focuses on just the core concepts you need to communicate effectively in French. The dummies franchise has perfected the way of making you an expert in numerous topics.

Table of Contents: 

  • Getting down to basics 
  • Narrowing the gender gap 
  • It’s happening in the present 
  • Being descriptive and connecting your thoughts 
  • Connecting with prepositions
  • Asking and answering questions 
  • Uncovering the past 
  • Foreseeing the future 
  • Recognizing verb moods
  • Ten important verb distinctions 
  • Appendix: Verb charts.

Learn French in a hurry : grasp the basics of français tout de suite!

Learn French in a Hurry features:

  • Common French phrases (days of the week, numbers, letters)
  • Pronunciation and conjugation tips and tricks 
  • Grammar made easy
  • Useful words and terms
  • Helpful French-English and English-French dictionaries

With Learn French in a Hurry, you’ll master le francais right away!

For Audiobooks: 

The McGill Library Overdrive has a great selection of audiobooks for  the French language learners. There’s also an app called Libby you can use to listen along while you’re on the metro or walking to campus. 

You can use specific filters to view the whole selection, or check out these suggestions: 

Essential French in Two Hours

by Paul Noble

“In this audiobook, Paul will introduce you to the basics of the French language and guide you through 2 hours of practical, everyday scenarios that will build your confidence. A native-speaking French expert will help you to perfect your pronunciation as you progress through the course and allow you to quickly make your new knowledge work for you in a variety of practical situations.”

Learn French: Level 4: Beginner French

by Innovative Language Learning, LLC

The hosts are really fun in this one and as they chat after each lesson you learn a little more about the culture and grammar of the French language. “Interactive. Effective. And FUN! Discover or rediscover how fun learning a language can be with the future of language learning.”

Other Resources:

A major component of learning a new language is listening to others speak it. Our collections grant  access to French movies and even children’s song books, and whole albums. Immerse yourself in the language. 

If you would like to find out more, learn about Quebecois-French or even just practice reading in French, the curated library guide, Ressources en langue française, from Micheal-David Miller, Liaison Librarian for French Literature, is a great place to go. You can find even more resources to start engaging in French media through different outlets.

No matter your style of learning there is something at the McGill Library for you. Grab your headphones, journal, or conversation buddies and start today.

Bon chance!

If you have any questions, email hssl.library@mcgill.ca

National Indigenous History Month – Video Resources

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June is National Indigenous History Month. For settlers, this is a time to actively engage in learning about the vast and unique histories of the many Indigenous communities and the relationship of Indigenous people with early settlers, the British Crown, and now Canada. On the national website, there are tons of opportunities to explore key figures and moments in history. We also encourage people to take the time to check out native-land.ca, an interactive map and education website, to begin to understand the ways in which colonialism and treaties currently impact Indigenous peoples. We hope that people will use this time to support and seek out Indigenous voices online, learn from individuals current personal stories, and engage in the history and future of Turtle Island. June is also a time for Indigenous Peoples to celebrate their Indigeneity. 

Wisdom of the Universe by Christi Belcourt, 2014. Photo: Craig Boyko. Found on: https://canadianart.ca/features/walking-softly-with-christi-belcourt/

CANCORE, a streaming service which features Canadian produced content, provides specific filters so you can find Indigenous only content. This is a great way to support Indigenous filmmakers and artists! We highly recommend the Amplify series, which APTNTV describes as a “musical performance art documentary series that amplifies the connection Indigenous song-writers have to the stories, culture, community, and the challenges and justice they stand up for.” Just click the “Indigenous Only Content” button in the top right corner and then find a subject you are interested in. 

If you are looking for something more specific you can use the Keyword Search mode. For example if you’d like to learn more about treaties through video there are tons of options available for you. Simply use  the keyword search bar, and make sure the Indigenous content only button is clicked. 

There are other video resources available for you. For example, this link takes you the advanced search of “Indigenous” and “Canada” and DVD format. There you can browse through 38 DVD’s on a variety of topics. If you are more into digitally accessible videos, there are tons of e-videos about Indigenous communities in Canada.

There are so many ways to continue learning about Indigenous history in Canada. McGill’s subscription to CANCORE is just one way to increase the accessibility of Indigenous content for students and staff. We encourage you explore the platform –and more– and to carry what you learn beyond June. We will be posting more throughout June on other ways you can use the Library catalogue to find more Indigenous content!

If you have any questions email hssl.library@mcgill.ca.

Your Favourite Safe Services are Back!

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It’s that time of year again, where we are staying later and later at the library. Hang in there, brighter days are ahead! After dark, SSMU provides two services to help you get home safe: DriveSafe and WalkSafe!

DriveSafe

Next week starting Wednesday, April 13th, there will be a table in the library for you to access the service, or you can always call the number (514) 398-8040! Also if you’re seeing this before then, their services are available on weekends as well if you’re planning to hit the town. To stay updated with hours and operations check out their Instagram, Facebook or Website.

The exam period boundaries are restricted to:

East-West: Autoroute 15 to Papineau

North-South: Rue Jean-Talon to Verdun

If passengers would like to be dropped off outside of this designated area, they will drop them at a bus stop, metro, or train station near the edge of the boundary.

Also some key information:

  • If its an emergency, don’t wait for DriveSafe, call 911!
  • Opened alcohol is not permitted at anytime in a DriveSafe van.
  • Volunteers have total and absolute discretion as to who to allow into their van and where to go.
  • It is service aimed at bringing students home safely, not a taxi service for transporting you from place to place!

A HUGE thank you to all the volunteers who give their time to make their peers safer and happier.

WalkSafe

If you live closer by and would like some company on your walk home, WalkSafe is the perfect resource. Just call  (514) 398-2498. They operate from:

9pm-midnight Sunday-Thursday

9pm-3am Friday and Saturday

Also you can check out their FAQ page if you have any questions.

As always, if there’s an emergency call 9-1-1 or if you’re on campus, McGill Security can give you a hand just call  (514)398-3000 for downtown campus and  514) 398-7777 for Mac Campus.

Stay safe and take care of yourselves during the busy season. You are almost done!!

P.S. If you need a pick me up during finals check out our PetGrams as well!

If you have any questions email hssl.library@mcgill.ca or directly contact WalkSafe and DriveSafe.