Introducing Veronica: Liaison Librarian for Kinesiology and Physical Education, Linguistics, and Philosophy

Our Passionate Liaison Librarian with a Knack for Connecting People and Information

We are delighted to introduce our newest team member, Veronica Bergsten to the Humanities and Social Sciences Library as the new Liaison Librarian for Kinesiology and Physical Education, Linguistics, and Philosophy. Veronica is a dedicated librarian with a passion for serving the community and a love for all things music. Her journey into the world of libraries began with a deep-rooted desire to help others and an insatiable curiosity for information.

Veronica Bergsten is a young woman with long dark brown hair and glasses. She is smiling widely with bright red lipstick. She is seen from the chest up, wearing a dark blue shirt.

Veronica’s pursuit of a career in libraries was motivated by her innate love for finding information and connecting with new people. After completing her undergraduate degree, she was drawn to the idea of a profession that would allow her to continuously search for knowledge while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. Little did she know that librarianship perfectly encapsulated both of these passions.

As Veronica delved deeper into the profession, she discovered the incredible potential to utilize the skills she had acquired while working in a university setting. Her experiences at the University of Alberta, from her role as a student worker at the University of Alberta Libraries to supervising the ONEcard program, cultivated a service-oriented mindset that became the cornerstone of her professional practice.

During her Master’s of Information Studies program, Veronica further honed her expertise as a Graduate Student Reference Assistant (GSRA) at McGill Library. Here, she had the opportunity to answer reference questions and collaborate with other librarians to conduct workshops. Upon graduation, Veronica embraced the role of a Teaching & Research Librarian at Concordia University Library, where she fostered connections with students, faculty, and researchers across various disciplines. Notably, she played an instrumental role in creating an educational mini-series that explored emerging trends and technologies in the realm of information.

Now, with an array of rich experiences under her belt, Veronica is thrilled to return to McGill and embark on new endeavours in her latest role. Her past experiences have shaped her into a librarian who is committed to helping users on their academic and lifelong journeys. She finds immense joy in teaching users the skills and resources they need, and this unwavering motivation propels her to continuously strive for excellence.

Outside of her professional life, Veronica is a true connoisseur of music. Her free time is often spent attending concerts and scouring record shops in Montreal, a city renowned for its vibrant music scene. Whether it’s discovering new artists to see live or expanding her eclectic vinyl collection, Veronica’s love for music knows no bounds. She even enjoys knitting while listening to her favourite records, creating a harmonious blend of relaxation and creativity.

As our readers appreciate getting to know the individuals behind the library services, Veronica’s diverse range of interests and hobbies truly adds depth to her character. She eagerly welcomes recommendations for record stores and concert venues, always seeking new avenues to explore the world of music:)

We are delighted to have Veronica join our library team, bringing her passion for serving the community, her wealth of experience, and her vibrant personality. Her dedication to connecting people with the information they seek is bound to enhance the services we provide. Let’s give Veronica a warm welcome as she begins this exciting new chapter in her journey as a librarian!

Recommended Summer Reads from BookTok

Having become a popular social media platform in recent years, TikTok offers all types of content for users worldwide. On this app, BookTok has allowed people around the world to share their favourite books and give recommendations to others. The BookTok community has become more significant than just the platform itself, with bookstores and libraries now having displays containing the recommendations stemming from the platform.

Through the McGill Library, the community has access to a wide variety of books. More specifically, the Library OverDrive for web browser and the Libby app contain a wide selection of e-books and audiobooks available to borrow, including books recommended through BookTok!

Below are just a few of the hundreds of available books on the platform, all perfect for the summer and BookTok approved!

Every Summer After

Carley Fortune

Beach Read

Emily Henry

The Spanish Love Deception

Elena Armas

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Jenny Han

It Happened One Summer

Tessa Bailey

Happy Place

Emily Henry

If you have any questions about how to access these titles or more, contact hssl.library@mcgill.ca.

“Our story in our words”: National Indigenous Peoples Day Display

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Established by the Government of Canada, this is a day for all Canadians to celebrate and recognize the diverse cultures, unique heritage, and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.

To honour this day, as well as National Indigenous Heritage Month (June), we have curated a selection of memoirs and autobiographies by Indigenous authors that are now displayed in the Redpath Exhibition Case. This genre represents a powerful and personal way for Indigenous authors to transmit their stories and experiences: Dä kwändur Ghày Ghàkwadīndur (our story in our words), as described by the Kwanlin Dün First Nation in their richly illustrated book of traditional stories told by elders.

Cover of Dä kwändur Ghày Ghàkwadīndur by Kwanlin Dün First Nation

Many of the books on display highlight the individual triumphs and challenges faced by Indigenous Canadians. For example, Jody Wilson-Raybould’s recent book “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power tells her story from being raised to be a leader in her home community of We Wai Kai in British Columbia to becoming Canada’s first Indigenous Minister of Justice and Attorney General in the Cabinet. Ma-Nee Chacaby’s A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder recounts her life story from a challenging childhood in a remote Ojibwa community to leading the first gay pride parade in Thunder Bay. Eddy Weetaltuk’s From the Tundra to the Trenches traces an Inuk’s experiences of military service and world travel.

Cover of "Indian" in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power
Cover of A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder

Other books on display are collections of stories from many individuals, such as Daughters of Aatentsic: Life Stories from Seven Generations which considers the lives of seven Weⁿdat / Waⁿdat women. Disinherited Generations: Our Struggle to Reclaim Treaty Rights for First Nations Women and Their Descendants recounts the struggles of two Cree women to secure legal rights for Canadian Indigenous women. And What We Learned: Two Generations Reflect on Tsimshian Education and the Day Schools includes the recollections of two generations, elders born in the 1930s and 1940s and the subsequent generation born in the 1950s and 1960s, on their experiences of attending day schools in northwestern British Columbia.

The display also includes some audio-visual sources, such as Des Muffins Pour Grand-Maman, a 2013 film in which several Indigenous elders recount their experiences in residential schools. Gently Whispering the Circle Back also shares the personal stories of survivors and allies from a Residential School Symposium series held in Alberta. Many more films by and about Indigenous Canadians and on diverse topics are available on DVD as well as streaming and can be found on the Indigenous Studies Research Guide.

We have compiled a list of Indigenous memoirs and autobiographies available through the McGill Library in both physical and electronic formats: physical items and electronic items.

You can also celebrate National Indigenous History Month by attending this year’s event series sponsored by the School of Continuing Studies.