Category Archives: Announcements

Bidding Welcome to A New Member of the HSSL Community

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Getting to Know Dr. Kristen Howard

As we look outside the McLennan and Redpath windows, campus is buzzing with excitement as our newly-graduated students take a step into their future (congratulations to them!). But have you wondered what is going on the other side of these windows? Why we have welcomed a new member into our Humanities and Social Studies Library (HSSL) Community! 

We are pleased to present Dr. Kristen Howard, a recent McGill graduate who will be taking up the position as Liaison Librarian for History and Classical Studies, and Government Information at HSSL. 

During her Masters in Information Sciences at McGill, Kristen did a practicum at the Jewish Public Library where she curated the Lilly Toth Miniature Book Collection. This became one of her most prized projects. 

Kristen is not only a historian, and a newly-crowned Liaison Librarian, but she is also an avid knitter! Previously, she collaborated with the McGill Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections to helm a number of workshops, such as Rare Stitches: Knitting Inspired by Illuminated Manuscripts and Knitting in Code with Kristen Howard. She speaks of the workshops as:

“… fun ways to use our library resources. I’m really interested in creative uses of Rare Books and Special Collections. Not everyone may have studied the Classics or Latin, but you can still appreciate the beauty of a Latin manuscript, even if you can’t read it. These workshops were a way to bring people who might never use a Latin manuscript because they can’t read it, and show them how beautiful it is, that it can inspire something”.

During that deep time in the pandemic when everyone shied away from reading apocalyptic literature, Kristen discovered one of her favourite book collections; the Lady Astronaut Series. It eloquently puts forth an alternate account of how we might have done space travel in the 1950s if women had received equal opportunities within the industry. 

As a newly-admitted member of the HSSL community Kristen looks forward to working in collaboration with the faculty and students. 

Please join us in welcoming Kristen to our library, we are excited to get to know her more! For questions related to classical studies, government documents, and history, feel free to reach out to kristen.howard@mcgill.ca for help. 

Bidding Farewell to Macy Zheng

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Picture of Macy Zheng in front of the CJK collection.

This February we bid farewell to an important member of our team, Ms. Macy Zheng. Macy has left us after 20 years of wonderful work as the Liaison Librarian for East Asian Studies (EAS). Though we are sad to see Macy go, we wish her well in her retirement! Macy first joined the McGill Library in 2001 and over the years has been responsible for EAS and the development of the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) Collection. We will miss her dearly!

Access to EAS resources remains available through Macy’s extensive East Asian Studies Subject Guide, which includes print and electronic resources for Chinese studies, Japanese Studies and Korean Studies. 

The physical CJK Collection, can be accessed in the Basement of the Redpath Library Building, in the area marked pink on the map below. 

source: https://www.mcgill.ca/library/branches/hssl/spaces/floor-plans

Alternatively, you may direct all general inquiries and specific questions related to your research or interest in East Asian Studies to the Humanities and Social Studies Library (HSSL) through email.

Welcome to the New Heads of HSSL

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September 2021 has brought great change to much of the McGill campus, but here at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library we are especially excited to announce the promotion of two of our Liaison Librarians. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Svetlana Kochkina as the new Head of Lending and Access Services and Eamon Duffy as the new Head of Liaisons!

A blonde woman sits near a grey metal bookshelf. She has a bright smile and her hair is pulled back. She is wearing glasses, a pink scarf, and a black blazer. Her left hand is casually lifted across her chest.
Dr. Svetlana Kochkina, Head of Lending and Access Services

Svetlana previously served as a Liaison Librarian in the Nahum Gelber Law Library, as the interim Copyright Librarian, and as the Coordinator for the Digital Scholarship Hub. Svetlana now manages the operations for Lending and Access at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library, The Birks Reading Room, and the Education Curriculum Resources Centre.

A man with brown, short hair is smiling with closed lips at the camera. He is wearing glasses and a sweater and can only be seen from the neck up.
Eamon Duffy, Head of Liaisons

Eamon previously served as the Interim Head of Liaisons for the Humanities and Social Sciences Library for the past year, as well as serving as a Liaison Librarian. Eamon will continue as the Liaison Librarian for History, Classical Studies, and Government Information, in addition to his new role, managing the Liaison Librarians who support the faculties of Arts, Management, and Education.

We are very excited to have Svetlana and Eamon stepping into these roles as Heads in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library.