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Redpath Book Display: Works of Fiction by BIPOC authors

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According to McGill’s International Student Services, as of the 2020-2021 academic year, there are 11,942 international students enrolled at McGill from over 150 countries. In order to celebrate our internationally diverse study body, this month’s Redpath Book Display is dedicated to works of fiction by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) authors from a wide variety of countries. Our physical book display in the Redpath Library features works such as:

Hot Comb, by Ebony Flowers, is a graphic novel and collection of stories that examine the coming of age of a young Black girl living in the United States.

Celestial Bodies, by Omani author Jūkhah Ḥārithī, won the Man Booker Prize and tells the story of three sisters growing up in the village of al-Awafi.

No Knives in the Kitchens of this City, by Khālid Khalīfah, is set in Aleppo, Syria, between the 1960s and the 2000s and examines the lives of one family during that time period.

Harbart, by Nabāruṇa Bhaṭṭācārya, is a beloved cult novel in India, translated from Bengali into English for the first time.

Ms Ice Sandwich, by Mieko Kawakami, is a novella by an up-and-coming Japanese author.

Blackass, by A. Igoni Barrett, is set in Lagos, Nigeria, and is about a Black man who wakes up on the morning of a job interview to discover that he has turned into a white man.

In the Pond, by Ha Jin, is a piece of satire about a Chinese factory worker who becomes famous for drawing a political cartoon.

Five Little Indians, by Michelle Good, is a timely look at Canadian residential schools by a Cree writer, poet, and lawyer.

In addition to our physical book display, we have also curated a list of works of fiction by BIPOC authors in e-book format on the OverDrive platform. If you are in the mood for some romantic comedies to read over the holiday season, or simply to give yourself a break during exam period, then be sure to check out works such as:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown, by Talia Hibbert

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy, by Alyssa Cole

You Had Me at Hola, by Alexis Daria

Heart Principle, by Helen Hoang

Dial A for Aunties, by Jesse Q. Sutanto

The Startup Wife, by Tahmima Anam

If you would rather read fast-paced thrillers and mysteries, then look no further than the following reads:

My Sister, the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

When No One Is Watching, by Alyssa Cole

Leave the World Behind, by Rumaan Alam

The Case of the Missing Auntie, by Michael Hutchinson

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

American Spy, by Lauren Wilkinson

The Other Black Girl, by Zakiya Dalila Harris

No matter your taste in literature, we are confident you will find a great read from one of these amazing BIPOC authors!

Queer History Month – A Redpath Exhibition

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The Humanities and Social Sciences Library would like to wish the McGill University Community a Happy 2021 Queer History Month. Every year in Canada, the month of October is observed as a time to reflect and learn about LGBTQ+ history and culture.  This year’s Queer History Month theme is “Coming Together”.  

For the 2021 Queer History Month, the Humanities and Social Sciences Library would like to showcase the diversity of Queer resources you have available to you for teaching, learning and research purposes both online (see online exhibit) and in physical format. Visit the Queer History Month Calendar to learn more about the various programming during the month of October. 

Under the care the Liaison Librarian for LGBTQ+ Studies, the McGill Library has been able to acquire access to valuable digital archives such as to the Archives of Human Sexuality and Gender, Alexander Street Press’ LGBT Thought and Culture, and Adam Matthew’s Defining Gender. These primary source digital archives provide you with access to historical newspapers and newspaper clippings, personal journals, photographs, magazines and more!  

Discover Queer McGill’s History 

A small search for “Gay McGill”, present day Queer McGill, in the Archives of Human Sexuality and Gender reveals numerous digitized documents that help us relive Queer McGill’s history as one of the first and most influential LGBTQ+ organizations at McGill, in Québec, and in Canada. Learn about the 1974 Gay McGill Civil Rights Public Forum, an article published in The Gay Times. Rediscover the 1979, 1981 and 1988  Gai(e) Danse posters for the dances Queer McGill held on campus. Read what quite possibly might be the first mention of Queer McGill (formally Gay McGill) in the July-August edition of Body Politic (Toronto, Ontario). If you find any other interesting historical things about McGill and its Queer Community, let us know in the comments!  

Scholarly Articles Databases 

In addition to these primary source treasure troves, you will also find important databases for scholarly publications, like the Gender Watch and Gender Studies Database. These two databases provide access to journals that published scholarly articles on gender and sexuality studies.  

Physical Redpath Display 

Finally, we invite you to look at the physical display located in the main hallway of the Redpath Library Building. You’ll see a selection of novels, encyclopedia, and essays on various aspects of Queer Studies. Note that this is only a small fraction of the available print resources we have at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library. If there is a specific title on display that you would like to borrow, please contact hssl.library@mcgill.ca.  

Living Queer Collection 

Our libraries are for everyone and open to all. We like to extend this philosophy to our collection management practices. In this spirit, if you have purchase suggestions that you believe we should add to the McGill Library, please reach out to the Liaison Librarian for LGBTQ+. Our collection is constantly growing, and the best way to strengthen it is collaboratively.  

Happy Queer History Month to all and feel free to reach out to Michael David MILLER, Liaison Librarian for LGBTQ+ Studies for any questions, comments or suggestions. 

A special thank you to our staff who helped assemble the physical and virtual displays. 

  • Vanja Lugonjic, HSSL Outreach Assistant 
  • Kristen Goodall, Library Assistant 

Redpath Book Display: Hispanic Heritage Month

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On June 20th, 2020 Quebec’s National Assembly declared the month of October Hispanic Heritage Month. This coincides with Canada’s Latin American Heritage Month Act, which was sanctioned by Parliament in 20198. Both acts recognize the many contributions of both Hispanic and Latin American individuals to the social, economic and political development of the province and the country. The McGill Library is joining the celebrations with our October book display, which features books and films written by Hispanic and Latin American authors.  You can view the physical display on the main floor of the Redpath Library or check out our online version.

Hispanic and Latin American: Is there a difference? 

While many people tend to use terms like Hispanic, Latin American, Latino/a, or Latinx interchangeably, they represent different cultural or ethnic origins. Here is a quick primer:  

Hispanic: A person of Spanish or Spanish-speaking origin or ancestry. This includes Spain as well as Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.  

Latin American: A person from the Latin American region regardless of language.     

Latino or Latina: In English North America, a person of Latin American origin or ancestry living the USA or Canada. The term was adopted by the community as a rejection the word Hispanic for the latter’s connection to Spain and Spanish colonization.  

Latinx: A gender-neutral option for Latino and Latina.  

There are even more descriptors individuals in these communities may prefer to use. Some would rather identify with their country of birth or ancestry and choose to use terms like Boricua (from Puerto Rico) or Chicano (Mexican-American). Others choose descriptors that reflect the intersection of their ethnic and racial identities like in the case of Afro-Latinas, Afro-Caribbean, Latinasians (Latin Americans of full or partial Asian descent) or Indigenous Latin Americans. 

 Below is a video that better explains the complexities on these identities: