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What's going on at Dalhousie Libraries

Category: Featured News

On May 5 we honour the lives of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+)

May 5 marks Red Dress Day; a day to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+), and to stand in solidarity with their families, communities, and loved ones.

Red Dress Day began with the REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black. Lone red dresses displayed in public spaces have become a stark and haunting reminder of those no longer here. They represent absence and loss. They represent the enduring presence of those whose lives were taken.

May 5 spotlights a national crisis rooted in systemic inequality, colonialism, and ongoing discrimination. Indigenous women and girls continue to face disproportionately high rates of violence in Canada. Red Dress Day is a day of remembrance and a call to action. We have a shared responsibility to confront the ways this violence persists. It requires meaningful commitment to the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and to the broader work of decolonization, reconciliation, accountability, and systemic change.

Student Innovation on Display: MacRae Library’s 3rd Student Research Poster Competition

By: Jaclyn Chambers Page, Copyright Librarian + Faculty of Agriculture Liaison Librarian

The MacRae Library hosted the third Student Research Poster Competition for Dal’s Agricultural Campus (AC) students on March 18, 2026. Students representing topics from across departments in the Faculty of Agriculture came together to share their research with one another and an audience of students, faculty, and staff from across the AC community.

The audience engaged with researchers one-on-one to learn more about the research featured on the posters, serving as judges in this “people’s choice”-style contest, selecting their top three favourite posters based on a provided rubric.

The winners were:

1. First Place ($100): Prakhar Talwar, Sahil Sahil, Siyi Sun, and Glen Dsouza for “Biochar: A Multifunctional Material for Sustainable Environmental Remediation.”

2. Second Place ($50): Alanna De Boer for “Effects of Blueberry Juice Concentration on Green Tea Kombucha Fermentation and Antioxidant Properties.”

3. Third Place ($25): Belle Kim for “Genome-wide Association Studies of Feed Efficiency and Resilience Traits in Canadian Duroc Pigs.”

All students associated with the Truro Campus, from any academic level, were welcome to submit to the competition. This year, the competition featured undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students from areas related to animal science, plant science, and engineering. Microsoft Co-Pilot (Microsoft, 2026) accurately identified the following key themes evident across the breadth of entries:

Sustainable and climate‑resilient agriculture

  • Developing environmentally friendly technologies, materials, and systems to support low‑impact, resilient agricultural production.

Animal welfare, behaviour, and precision livestock monitoring

  • Using genetics, sensors, and housing design to improve animal health, welfare, and productivity.

Functional foods, fermentation, and nutritional bioactives

  • Leveraging natural bioactive compounds, fermentation, and innovative food processing to enhance nutritional or therapeutic properties.

Plant–insect interactions and integrated pest management

  • Understanding how pests and pathogens respond to environmental and chemical cues to improve crop protection strategies.

Dalhousie Librarians Erin MacPherson and Jaclyn Chambers Page organized and hosted the competition, supported by Elaine MacInnis, Acting Dean of Libraries, Head of MacRae Library, and Associate Dean, Library Services.

We are grateful to the students, faculty members, and community members who came to support our student researchers, including the Dean of Agriculture and Campus Principal, Dr. Heather Bruce, and the Faculty of Agriculture Associate Dean Academic, Dr. Dian Patterson.

For more information about the competition, please contact the MacRae Library at macrae.library@dal.ca.

Left to right: Jaclyn Chambers Page, Prakhar Talwar, Sahil Sahil, Alanna De Boer, Belle Kim, Erin MacPherson

References

Microsoft. (2026, March 19). Identify key themes [Generative AI chat]. M65 Copilot. https://bit.ly/40D9uWT

Dal Agricultural Campus Fine Arts & Crafts Exhibit

The Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Community Fine Arts & Crafts Exhibit is back, showcasing the artistic talents of the Agricultural campus community. This annual event celebrates creativity in all its forms, and we invite you to join us at the opening reception.

Event Details

  • Opening Reception: Thursday, February 26,  6:00 – 7:30 PM
  • Exhibition Dates: February 26-April 4
  • Location: MacRae Library, 135 College Road, Truro
  • Admission: Free!

For more information: dalacart@dal.ca

Celebrate International Love Data Week 2026 with Dalhousie Libraries

In honour of ICPSR’s International Love Data Week 2026, themed “Where’s the Data?”, Dalhousie Libraries is hosting a series of free online presentations designed to deepen your understanding of how to find, manage, store, and work with data. These sessions will help you discover tools and approaches that can support your research.

Running February 9 to 13, this year’s lineup includes:

To explore even more Love Data Week programming from institutions across Atlantic Canada and beyond, visit our Love Data Week Research Guide. There you will find registration links, event details, and updates as new sessions are added throughout the week. Check back often!

Showcase Your Research at the 2026 MacRae Library Student Research Poster Competition

The MacRae Library Student Research Poster Competition returns to the Truro Campus on March 18, 2026, inviting students and post‑docs to share their research with the campus community. Now in its third year, this event offers an encouraging space for emerging researchers to highlight their work, exchange ideas, and gain valuable presentation experience.

Whether your research is new, ongoing, or previously completed, this competition provides an excellent opportunity to communicate your findings, build confidence, and connect with others who are passionate about inquiry and discovery.

How to Participate

To join the competition, complete the online application form by March 12. Participants may submit either a digital or print poster.

Digital Posters

  • Will be presented to attendees as QR codes
  • Must be easy to read on mobile devices

Print Posters

  • Must be dropped off at the MacRae Library front desk by 3 pm on March 13
  • Will be displayed on the library’s top floor from March 16 to 19

The competition is open to Truro Start, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as post‑docs. No prior publishing or presentation experience is required, and posters on all research topics are welcome. A maximum of 25 posters will be accepted on a first‑come, first‑served basis.

Competition Night & Viewing the Posters

On March 18, participants will share their posters with attendees during an evening research celebration, where audience members will also vote for their favourite posters.

Even if you are not competing, you can explore the posters on display throughout the MacRae Library from March 16 to 19. This is a great chance to see the breadth of research happening across the Truro Campus and support your peers.

Need Help Creating a Poster?

Research Camp, an online, self‑paced program offered through Brightspace, includes a module on poster presentations along with a wide range of research skills. You can self‑register anytime under Academic Support > Self‑registration > Online Community – Research Camp 2025–2026.

For questions, email macrae.library@dal.ca.

Call for 2026 OER Development Grant Applications

The Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries seeks applications for Atlantic OER Development Grants. Funding is provided by the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).

Atlantic OER Development Grants provide financial support to instructors in the Atlantic Region who create and adapt new Open Educational Resources. The goal is to support instructors in increasing the availability of high-quality, free, openly licensed resources to enhance student learning. You can apply for three different funding tiers, depending on the scope of your project. The tiers are:

Tier 1: Creating an Open Textbook (up to $7,000) – This funding is intended for the development of a new open textbook. The topic should not be covered in an already existing open textbook. This tier is meant for creation projects at a larger scale.

Tier 2: Adaptation of an Existing Open Textbook (up to $4,000) – This funding is intended for substantive adaptation projects. Sometimes it can be possible to find an open textbook that covers foundational knowledge but needs to be adjusted. For example, the textbook might require adjustments to ensure it adheres to local educational standards, or adjustments might be made to make it relevant to the local context (eg, an American business textbook may need adjustments to make it suitable for a Canadian business context), or new examples and interactive elements may be added to a book.

Tier 3: Creation of Ancillary Materials (up to $1,000) – This funding is intended for smaller creation projects. Ancillary materials can be defined as course materials that are meant to supplement and support a textbook. Examples of ancillary materials include: slide decks, interactive tutorials, and quiz and test banks. Often, ancillary materials can enhance student learning.

The application period closes on February 6, 2026.

Read more about the application process and who can apply.

 

Libraries 2024-2025 Annual Report

Happy 2026! We are pleased to share our 2024-2025 Annual Report. Amid an ever-changing academic landscape, the library remains at the heart of Dalhousie University, providing essential resources, innovative services, and spaces that foster learning and research.

Each year, our staff engage with thousands of students and faculty, while the scholarly information resources we provide are accessed millions of times. Collaborative initiatives undertaken in 2024-2025, such as the development of the Bridge into Agriculture research guide and the preservation of the Anita Martinez photographic collection, reflect our commitment to inclusive knowledge creation and responsible stewardship. Through regional and national partnerships, we also worked to ensure timely and reliable access to resources beyond our own collections and to support grant agency policies that advance open access to research.

We invite you to explore these stories and more in our  2024–2025 Annual Report and join us in recognizing the essential role the Libraries play in advancing Dalhousie’s academic mission.

Announcing the 2026 Cycle of AtlanticOER Development Grants

The Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries (CAAL-CBPA) is excited to announce the 2026 cycle of the AtlanticOER Development Grants.

The AtlanticOER Development Grant program is intended to encourage and support educators in the Atlantic region in the adaptation, creation, and curation of Open Educational Resources (OER). These grants provide financial support to educators teaching credit-bearing courses at publicly funded post-secondary institutions who are interested in creating or adapting new educational resources for their classes. There are three tiers of funding that applicants can apply for, each of which represents a different scope and type of project.

Applications for the 2026 cycle of the AtlanticOER Development Grant program open December 15, 2025, and are due on February 6, 2026. The applications are put through a single blind process, and a committee of CAAL-CBPA members reviews and ranks the applications. Successful applicants will be notified in mid to late March 2026.

An open webinar about the application process will be held on January 13, 2026. 

Get more information about the grant program and application process or check out the list of past grant-funded projects.

Dal Agricultural Campus Community Fine Arts & Crafts Exhibit – Call for Submissions

The Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Community Fine Arts & Crafts Exhibit is back, and we’re inviting the Agricultural campus community to share their artistic talents. This annual event celebrates creativity in all its forms, and we invite you to submit your artwork for the exhibition.

What is the Dal AC Art Show?

Hosted by the MacRae Library, the arts and crafts exhibit provides a welcoming space for students, faculty, and staff to display their original artwork. Whether you’re a painter, photographer, sculptor, woodworker, or digital creator, we want to showcase the creative abilities of the people who study, learn, and thrive at the Agricultural campus.

How to Participate

We are now accepting submissions for the show. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Who can submit? All Dal AC students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
  • What can you submit? Original artwork in any medium: painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, digital art, etc
  • Submission deadline: January 30, 2026
  • How to submit: complete the submission form

Why Participate?

Your art will be featured in a public exhibition at the MacRae Library, allowing you to share your creativity with the Dal AC community. It’s a wonderful way to connect with fellow artists.

Event Details

  • Opening Reception: February 26
  • Exhibition Dates: February 26-April 4
  • Location: MacRae Library, 135 College Road, Truro
  • Admission: Free!

Submit your work today. For full details and submission guidelines, visit the Dal AC Art Show info page.

For questions, please contact Stephanie Peach, exhibit curator at: dalacart@dal.ca.

Upcoming Changes: New EBSCOhost Interface Launching December 31, 2025 

On December 31, 2025, EBSCOhost databases will move to a new interface. This update will change the look and functionality of EBSCOhost. You will need to take action if you want to preserve your saved searches and alerts. All databases and content will remain the same.

Affected Databases

Academic Search Premier, America: History & Life, Business Source Complete, CINAHL, EconLit, Film & Television Literature Index, Gender Studies, GreenFILE, Historical Abstracts, International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, SPORTDiscus, and more.

Note: Dalhousie Libraries’ access to APA PsycINFO and APA PsycARTICLES moved to Ovid on October 1, 2025. Access these via Novanet or the Dalhousie Libraries Database A–Z list.

What Users Need to Do Before December 31

While saved articles and eBook records in MyEBSCO Folders should migrate automatically, saved searches and alerts may not.  To avoid losing important work—especially for knowledge synthesis reviews—we’re asking users to take these steps before December 31:

1. Save Your Search Alerts

  • Go to any EBSCOhost database via our Databases A–Z List
  • Sign in to MyEBSCO
  • Click Folder → Search Alerts
  • For each alert:
    • Click Retrieve Alert → Save Searches/Alerts
    • Name the search and select Saved Search (Permanent)
    • Click Save
  • Repeat for all alerts.

2. Export Your Permanent Searches

  • Go to Folder → Saved Searches
  • For each search:
    • Click Retrieve Saved Search → Print Search History
    • Save as PDF OR copy into a Word document
    • Include database name and date
  • Repeat for all permanent searches.

Want a Sneak Peek?

Need Help?

Questions or assistance? Contact your subject liaison librarian. We’re here to help you prepare for a smooth transition.

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