Tag Archives: redpath library

French for Beginners

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With Bill 96 in the works and many discussions about the preservation of the French language in Quebec, it is a good time to begin or continue learning French. The McGill Library has many resources in the collection if you’re a beginner. Below will highlight some key online resources for you to drive into student mode. Remember to make this process fun: a new language uncovers a fresh way to look and interact with the world. 

Si, sans plus tarder, commençons! (Let’s begin!) 

Unsplash// Adrien Olichon

A Few Great E-Books:

French essentials for dummies 

This guide focuses on just the core concepts you need to communicate effectively in French. The dummies franchise has perfected the way of making you an expert in numerous topics.

Table of Contents: 

  • Getting down to basics 
  • Narrowing the gender gap 
  • It’s happening in the present 
  • Being descriptive and connecting your thoughts 
  • Connecting with prepositions
  • Asking and answering questions 
  • Uncovering the past 
  • Foreseeing the future 
  • Recognizing verb moods
  • Ten important verb distinctions 
  • Appendix: Verb charts.

Learn French in a hurry : grasp the basics of français tout de suite!

Learn French in a Hurry features:

  • Common French phrases (days of the week, numbers, letters)
  • Pronunciation and conjugation tips and tricks 
  • Grammar made easy
  • Useful words and terms
  • Helpful French-English and English-French dictionaries

With Learn French in a Hurry, you’ll master le francais right away!

For Audiobooks: 

The McGill Library Overdrive has a great selection of audiobooks for  the French language learners. There’s also an app called Libby you can use to listen along while you’re on the metro or walking to campus. 

You can use specific filters to view the whole selection, or check out these suggestions: 

Essential French in Two Hours

by Paul Noble

“In this audiobook, Paul will introduce you to the basics of the French language and guide you through 2 hours of practical, everyday scenarios that will build your confidence. A native-speaking French expert will help you to perfect your pronunciation as you progress through the course and allow you to quickly make your new knowledge work for you in a variety of practical situations.”

Learn French: Level 4: Beginner French

by Innovative Language Learning, LLC

The hosts are really fun in this one and as they chat after each lesson you learn a little more about the culture and grammar of the French language. “Interactive. Effective. And FUN! Discover or rediscover how fun learning a language can be with the future of language learning.”

Other Resources:

A major component of learning a new language is listening to others speak it. Our collections grant  access to French movies and even children’s song books, and whole albums. Immerse yourself in the language. 

If you would like to find out more, learn about Quebecois-French or even just practice reading in French, the curated library guide, Ressources en langue française, from Micheal-David Miller, Liaison Librarian for French Literature, is a great place to go. You can find even more resources to start engaging in French media through different outlets.

No matter your style of learning there is something at the McGill Library for you. Grab your headphones, journal, or conversation buddies and start today.

Bon chance!

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

New Interactive Signage at HSSL!

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This fall, when new students arrive at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library for the first time, they will be greeted by new interactive signage made possible by the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS). This new system will help them get from A to B more quickly and to feel right at home in Library spaces.

The project includes wayfinding for 40+ locations across the McLennan-Redpath Complex. Also included is integrated Waitz data for each floor, letting users know the busyness of study spaces in advancecall number ranges by floor, isometric-designed floorplans; and quick navigation to washrooms, copiers, the service desk, and cafeteria.

Thank you, AUS, for improving the student experience and for your continued support of the Library!

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.