On Wednesday January 19^th, SIM’s Special Libraries Association student chapter hosted a tour of two libraries of the Capital Health region located within the IWK Hospital: the Health Sciences Library and the Family Resources Library. Librarian and SIM alumna Darlene Chapman – Manager of Information Sources- began the afternoon with a tour of the IWK’s Health Science’s Library. This library is open to the public and primarily serves the staff and students of the Capital Health system. It is difficult to imagine that fifty years ago this was instead a specialized medical library open only to physicians; things have changed significantly. Darlene and her staff of 1½ library assistants serve all Capital Health staff at all levels, as well as its affiliated students in a variety of ways:

• assistance in all information needs, including literature searches and interlibrary loan, and document delivery
• instruction in how to use the library’s in-house and online resources
• assistance and training in using audio visual and Telehealth equipment & software
• photographic services

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Yesterday I was handed a section of the Toronto Star by my father. He said, “Read this article and explain to me why you haven’t got an official publication yet.” Gingerly, I took the paper and read the article entitled “Kid’s report beedazzles U.K. science journal” (Oddly the online article differs in title from the print version, but I assure you the content is the same).

It turns out that a group of 25 students aged 8 – 10 years old from Blackawton, England had a report they wrote on bees published in the international science journal Biology Letters.

Okay, okay, so I’m simplifying things a little. The kids were aided by a neuroscientist from University College London who came up with the idea, guided the research, transcribed the children’s words into text “which was done with smaller groups of children at the school’s local village pub” (Lotto, 2010), and probably pulled some strings to get the article peer reviewed (that would be peer reviewed by adults scientist, not by 8 – 10 year olds). However, the kids came up with their own hypothesis, designed, and conducted the experiments mostly themselves and so credit is indeed due.

I am happy to say that Dalhousie University Libraries subscribes to Biology Letters. This link will provide  access the full report, Blackawton Bees.

Of course this is a context quite different from that which surrounds students of SIM seeking publication of our own research and writing. Still, I decided to share this for several reasons. Firstly, to remind those of us headed for public and academic service of children’s capacity to reason at a level on par with adults (thus possibly giving us adults credence to reason on the level of children in return!). Secondly, this evidence will hopefully provide further impetus for those of us who have yet to get an essay published to do so. If an eight year old has thoughts worth publishing in scholarly journals we’d better believe we do as well! And finally, because a feel good, diversion story is always nice around the holiday season.

All the best,

Matt Cole

(Lotto, R.B. (2010)

This evening I am trying to decide whether or not I am happy there is no horizontal rain. Ultimately, I decide, I am happy. The reason for my concern is that this, the evening of Nov. 29^th, 2010, is the night that two of my peers, Deirdre O’Reilly and Amy Paterson, and I are to give CLA president Keith Walker a tour of Studley Campus. Keith Walker works from Medicine Hat Alberta and I am keen to have him experience the Atlantic Coast in all its glory. Since the skies are clear I am glad that the three hosts Mr. Walker will soon meet have enough hospitality and character to compensate for the lack of local weather systems.

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Now that classes are done and the holidays are pretty well here, time to catch up on some pleasure reading–and nothing says pleasure and holidays like Canadian literary criticism! Second-year MLIS student Nicole Dixon’s polemic essay in Canadian Notes and Queries (CNQ), entitled, “The Other F-Word: The Disappearance of Feminism from Our Fiction,” is the lead essay in issue #80. You can purchase the beautiful magazine (illustrated by Seth) in Halifax at Atlantic News (at the corner of Morris and Queen) or read the article online here. The essay is already generating a buzz on the blogosphere–check out why!

Second-year MLIS student, Jennifer Grek Martin, will be teaching the new Cartography course offered next fall.  Check out the Dal News article featuring Jennifer’s course (http://bit.ly/i40Jkc).

2nd year MLIS student, Leah Brisco, was present during the decorating of the SIM office and was so inspired that she composed a Christmas poem for us.  She has agreed to share her composition and start the Christmas spark on the blog.  Feel free to jump in with your seasonal contributions!

Twas the second of December, and all through the Rowe

All the creatures were decorating, with tree and with bow, 

Old boxes of ornaments, Santas, and more

Were pulled from the closet and put on the floor, 

Then one said to another, do you want this old stuff?

We don’t need it all – we’ve already enough! 

I said “oh yes please!, my apartment’s quite bare,

And it would make such a difference, to deck the halls there”. 

And what to my wondering eyes did appear?

But a box full of candles, tin plates, and other gear. 

And I thanked them all quietly, as I walked out of sight, “Merry

Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

The School of Information Management (SIM) is pleased to announce that the following three Master of Information Management (MIM) students will be the first to receive a Graduate Diploma in Information Management from Dalhousie University during the Fall convocation:

• William Bembridge, Senior Systems Integrator with Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency;
• Charles Bloom, General Manager, Information Systems & Technology, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA);
• Jennifer Woods, Manager, Integrated Information Systems, Privy Council Office.

The MIM program, which is designed for mid-career professionals who have information management responsibilities, was successfully launched in 2008, and is the first program of its  kind in Canada.  The program is offered through a distance blended learning model, with on-line learning as well as on-site intensives.  The Graduate Diploma is awarded to students after completing six courses.  We congratulate these students on their achievement, and look forward to honouring them at the completion of their degree.