Happy April Fool’s Day!

We are so excited to announce a new workshop coming to HSSL: The History of the Slip and Slide ™ 

The event will be lead by Liaison Librarian for Architecture, David Greene, and the Liaison Librarian for Chemistry, Math, and Physics, April Colosimo, who is also an expert in patents. The workshop will feature the history of patents, as well as how the slip and slide came to be. With many rare slip and slides in our ROARr collection, we are excited to draw on the existing materials for inspiration.

Slip and Slides were trademarked by the endearing Robert Carrier, who patented the idea in 1961. Come register to learn more about the evolution of the iconic summertime activity. In the meantime, you can check the article by the Smithsonian Magazine. 

With summer months around the corner, this workshop on April 35th, will be a perfect way to celebrate the sunshine.  

Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/accidental-invention-slip-n-slide-180975236/  
 

Additionally, we will be hosting the first ever HSSL Slip and Slide on Lower Field on April 36th from 2AM-4AM! Come with friends, a bathing suit and get ready to partake in the beautiful practice of slip and slide. The purpose will be to dissect the mechanics and architecture of what goes into a good “aquatic play equipment.” Each hour we will make an improvement based on the group’s consensus to learn some of the practical skills of building such equipment for outdoor play.  
 

Destress after a semester of school, spend time with library staff, and make the most out of our workshops. Registration opens soon so be on the lookout.  

We hope you join us on a sunny afternoon as we find out what makes the best slip and slide.  

Finals are hard, and after a long day at the library the last thing you want to do is walk home alone. Stay safe and warm with these services that help you get home. No matter what the reason, SSMU Walksafe and Drivesafe are here for you.

WalkSafe

Operating every day from 9pm-12am, if you have a late night at the library you have a safe companion home. Just call 514-398-2498.

For more information follow them on facebook here: @SSMUWalksafe or check out their website here: https://walksafe.ssmu.ca/

DriveSafe

Operating Monday to Friday 10PM-2AM, DriveSafe offers the option for those who live a little farther from campus.

They are only picking up passengers from campus, and due to limited resources 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.

There is one car each night! Call (514)398-8040

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!

For more information, @McGillSSMUDriveSafe

For their website: https://drivesafe.ssmu.ca/

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

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

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

McGill Librarians and Archivists are proud to announce the Open Access Statement for McGill University Library. The timing could not be better as libraries all over the world have closed their doors and stopped circulating their print materials in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. These closures have highlighted the need for open and online scholarly resources, now and in the future. That said, free and equitable access to publicly-funded research has always been key to building a healthy and fair society.

What are the benefits of publishing in an open access venue?

– Increased visibility, usage, and impact of your research
– More efficient dissemination compared with traditional publishing models
– Retention of some or all of your copyrights
– Contribution to societal good by providing scholarly content to a global audience
– Rigour of traditional peer-review before publication
– Ongoing feedback through social media

If you want to learn more about how McGill Librarians and Archivists have framed their commitment to open access publishing, please read the full statement here: https://www.mcgill.ca/library/about/open-access-statement

Feel free to contact the Library with any questions or comments about this statement: https://www.mcgill.ca/library/contact/askus

Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash