Monthly Archives: November 2018

An Exceptional Day of Mourning

By Julien Couture, Assistant Archivist at McGill University Archives On November 30, 1933, Canada lost one of the greatest war heroes of its young history. On this centennial of the end of the Great War, it is important to look back and reflect …

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A Hyakumanto Dharani – among the earliest surviving examples of printed text

In 1968, McGill acquired a copy of the Hyakumanto Dhāraṇī (百萬塔陀羅尼經), one of the earliest surviving examples of printed text, along with the miniature wooden pagoda within which it was stored more than a thousand years ago. A dhāraṇī can be described as a charm used …

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Small wonders tell big stories at Rare Books & Special Collections

La version française suit By Elis Ing, Liaison Librarian, Rare Books and Special Collections Before delving into the trove of tiny books at McGill’s Rare Books & Special Collections, it’s worth asking a few questions. To start with, how tiny …

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And though she be but little, she is fierce: Miniature engravings of musical instruments in Shakespeare by Gerard Brender à Brandis

Figure 3: Gerard Brender à Brandis, Tambourine, Positive Organ, Bells, and Hornpipe, from the series Concord of Sweet Sounds: Musical Instruments in Shakespeare, 2006-2009, hand-tinted wood engravings, 40 x 35 cm (mat). Visual Arts Collection, McGill University Library 2018-020.13-020.16.

La version française suit By Vanessa Di Francesco, Assistant Curator, McGill Visual Arts Collection Tiny is trending, big time. From micro-homes and minimalist design to microbreweries and small-batch production, the downsizing wave is cresting. But tiny has always been trendy, …

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A rainbow of microscopic specimens in McGill University Archives

La version française suit By Frédéric Giuliano, Archivist, McGill University Archives What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of the word “archive”? A dusty old yellowish manuscript paper or maybe a box of old black …

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A tiny window into Montreal’s role in the history of reproductive health

Ortho 1 Lapel Pins

La version française suit By Mary Yearl, Head Librarian, Osler Library of the History of Medicine Among the recent arrivals at the Osler Library of the History of Medicine is a set of three lapel pins decorated with an accurately …

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Many Women, Many Voices; Stories from McGill Collections

Guest Contribution by Hannah Deskin. ROAAr launched its recent book Many Women, Many Voices; Stories from McGill Collections with a fanfare, a successful sale, and an excellent turnout on November 8th.  ROAAr–that is the Rare Books & Special Collections, the Osler Library of the …

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Stories, Stats & Surveys: Recognizing student society support of the Library

Student worker Alyanna Jamal

The Library constantly explores new and innovative ways to be more responsive, reliable and timely in the development and delivery of our services and resources. One of the ways that we grow services to meet user needs is by partnering …

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McGill at War: Commemorating the Centenary of the End of the First World War

This exhibition commemorates the centenary of the armistice of November 11, 1918, which saw the end of a war which profoundly marked the bodies, minds, and spirits of those who experienced it, both in and out of uniform. The First …

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Osler Day 2018

Please join us in celebrating Osler Day 2018!  Osler Day is typically held on the first Wednesday of November. For the Osler Library of the History of Medicine, it is a day to mark Sir William Osler’s legacy. We start …

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