Redpath Book Display: Welcome to the Digital World!

The Humanities and Social Sciences Library presents our next book display: Welcome to the Digital World, where all the same wonders and struggles of life outside of the internet manifest in new – and sometimes not-so-new-  ways online. Through this display we aim to show the many aspects of digital spaces and what it means to be a digital citizen. 

With a discussion as big as the virtual world, the topics are nearly endless. In order to better understand different aspects of digital citizenship, we have curated different sections of interest, including:

Digital Citizenship- These books take you on a deeper dive into what online citizenship means in the context of communities, relationships, and society.

Social Media – How do we express ourselves online and how does this digital space shape our identities? Take a closer look at vibrant online communities and individuals.

Online Psychology – The online world has an unquestionable unique effect on our emotions and psyche. This section looks at the ways being online helps and harms your mental health, and how to prioritize self-care in the real and virtual world. 

Work and Online – Now with work, school, and extracurriculars online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, how do we maintain motivation and continue to grow?  Take a look at this section for books on how to improve your work/life balance at home. 

Empathy – How does gaming, virtual reality (VR) and more, affect our ability to relate to one another? Can VR be a tool for actually stepping into someone else’s shoes? 

Love – Currently, 20% of Canadian committed relationships began online. This new medium of contact has profoundly changed the way people connect romantically.  How has our approach to dating changed, if at all, within the last few decades of apps, websites and services that match you up?

In addition to books, the display includes suggested videos, documentaries, games, and more to explore this topic of digital citizenship. Happy browsing!

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

Redpath Book Display: Privacy, Surveillance, and Big Data

There has been a proliferation of writing in the last decade or so about Big Tech, Big Data, privacy and surveillance issues, and the societal impacts of algorithms, AI, and social media monopolies, and for good reason. As Silicon Valley continues to significantly influence and shape how we live, work, and communicate with each other, we must think critically about the rise and concentration of these corporate powers. How much of our lives are truly private and what does this mean for how we lead our lives? What are our data privacy rights and how is our information being used? The books on this month’s book display examine these questions and much more. Visit the virtual Redpath Book Display to browse print books, e-books, and documentaries on a wide range of subjects in this area.

See also the Privacy Resources LibGuide to discover tools to enable better privacy practices in your day-to-day life, articles, websites, and more.

Data Tunnel, Pixabay

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

The 2020 Cundill History Prize Shortlist

Each year the Cundill Prize, administered by McGill University and selected by an international jury, recognizes the book the “embodies historical scholarship, originality, literary quality and broad appeal.” It is the most lucrative prize of its kind, with winners receiving an award of US$75,000 and two runners-up receiving US$10,000.

To highlight the achievements of these authors, the Humanities and Social Sciences Library has put together a virtual book display showcasing the ten shortlisted books for this year’s prize:

Roderick Beaton, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
Vincent Brown, Tacky’s Revolt: the Story of an Atlantic Slave War
William Dalrymple, The Anarchy: the Relentless Rise of the East India Company
Richard M. Eaton, India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765
Kim Ghattas, Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry that Unravelled the Middle East
Kerri Greenidge, Black Radical: the Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter
Rashid Khalidi, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: a History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017
Paul Lay, Providence Lost: the Rise and Fall of Cromwell’s Protectorate
Claudio Saunt, Unworthy Republic: the Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory
Camilla Townsend, Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs

Visit the display and borrow one of our ebooks!