Category: SIMSA News

Posted on

SIMSA as a Service (SaaS)

Hello fellow MLISers,

Today in our meeting we have decided to discontinue office hours. They were useful near the beginning of the term when many of you were just starting and had questions about the program. But now you’ve all come so far, grown so much, *sniff* that we have decided to set you free…

Instead of office hours we encourage you to email any of the executive when you have questions. We are happy to help digitally, but you are also welcome to arrange a meeting with any of us. Don’t hesitate! We are very friendly and want to help you succeed.

This method may prove to be more flexible and more useful to those students with difficult schedules.

We have updated our Officers page to include each executive member’s email.

Together we can do it!!

Posted on

IM Public Lecture Series: “Mindtools: What Does it Mean to be Literate in the Age of Google?” by Dan Russell

Dan Russell
Google Inc.

Abstract: What does it mean to be literate at a time when you can search billions of texts in less than 300 milliseconds? Although you might think that “literacy” is one of the great constants that transcends the ages, the skills of a literate person have changed substantially over time as texts and technology allow for new kinds of reading and understanding. Knowing how to read is just the beginning of it — knowing how to frame a question, pose a query, how to interpret the texts you find, how to organize and use the information you discover, how to understand your metacognition — these are all critical parts of being literate as well. In this talk Russell will review what literacy is today, in the age of Google, and show how some very surprising and unexpected skills will turn out to be critical in the years ahead.  We have created powerful new tools for the mind. Thing is, those tools are constantly evolving and changing even as the things they operate on change as well. This puts us in the position of having to learn how to find tools, and understanding the substrate on which they work. Literacy in these days is not just reading and writing, but also understanding what knowledge tools are available, and how they can be used in interesting new ways.  And the role of the designer turns out to be critical in this new understanding of literacy

Biography: Daniel Russell is the Űber Tech Lead for Search Quality and User Happiness in Mountain View.  He earned his PhD in computer science, specializing in Artificial Intelligence until he realized that amplifying human intelligence was his real passion.  His day job is researching how people search and the ways they come to learn about the world through Google.  His 20% job is teaching the world to search more effectively.  Dan enjoys teaching, learning, running and music, preferably all in one day. Dan blogs at SearchReSearch (http://searchresearch1.blogspot.com), teaches search skills classes online at PowerSearchingWithGoogle.com, and teaches live search/research classes live throughout the civilized world.

Lecture Details
Wednesday, October 21st, 2015 from 5:30pm-6:30pm
Room 3089, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, 6100 University Avenue

Posted on

Returning and Outgoing Student Practicum Reference

First off, thanks everyone for replying so promptly to my email for this list! I hope that this list will assist you first years in choosing a practicum that better matches your librarian leanings. At the very least it should give you a better idea of what is out there if you’re having troubles deciding.

Students that have moved on (graduated, so it may be harder to contact them if you want to)

  • Kaitlin Anne – Capital Health – http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/health-sciences-library
  • Stephanie Anne –  NS Advisory Council on the Status of Women – https://women.gov.ns.ca
  • Emily Beth – Nova Scotia Legislative Library – http://nslegislature.ca/index.
  • Alieda Blandford –  Children’s services at HPL
  • Laurie Chase – Nova Scotia Archives
  • Elliott Gish – Captain William Spry Public Library
  • Andrea Kampen – “info literacy” practicum with Lindsay McNiff.
  • Jaq-Lin Larder – Mount Saint Vincent University Library – http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/library/default.aspx
  • Karine Lelievre – Dieppe public library, New Brunswick public library system
  • Alison Manley – Bedford Public Library
  • Tam Proulx –  IWK
  • James Ross –  Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education, Planning, Research, and Accountability Division.

Posted on

Revised Office Hours

The SIMSA executive has reconfigured the office hours to be in larger blocks of time to allow students more freedom for when they choose to come in. The new hours are as follows:

Mondays 11:30 – 2:30,
Tuesdays 11:30 – 4:00,
Thursdays 11:30 – 1:00

SIM office hours

Posted on

SIMSA Fall Potluck!


Its that time of year again, that time where everyone brings a bunch of tupperware for us all to share. The food in the tupperware… not the tupperware itself. First take time to give thanks with your family (blood or otherwise) this weekend, and then come celebrate with us on Tuesday!

Come one come all to a lovely feast in the SIM common room on October 13th, 2015 at Noon until the food is cold or gone.

Here is a link to the google sign-up if you’d like to contribute to this delicious feast!

Please note if there are any allergens in your culinary creations, or if they are going to be particularly suited to any dietary restrictions.

Posted on

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Info Session – September 21st

In this information session, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) representatives will outline employment opportunities within the CSIS Information Management Division for MLIS students and graduates.

Currently, there are two employment opportunities at CSIS for MLIS students:

Incoming students can apply for Position A:

  • CO-OP/Internship PROGRAM – 4 month work term during completion of your MLIS program (NOTE: this position would count for the extended work placement for INFO 0590 Practicum)

Potential 2016 graduates can apply for Position B:

  • GRADUATE PROGRAM – 12 month work term after MLIS Program completion.

Those interested in these positions are encouraged to attend this session. Information will be also provided concerning security clearance the application process and timeline. There will be a question and answer period.

This event will be held in Room 430, Jacob Slonim Conference Room, Goldberg Computer Science Building, 6050 University Ave at 12:00 pm – 1:30 on September 21st, 2015.

Visit their website for more information about CSIS in general: https://www.csis.gc.ca/bts/role-en.php

security