Receipt for bags of potatoes, Abraham Pastorius, Montreal, 1802. Lande John Law Collection. Rare Books and Special Collections, McGill University Libraries.

The Lande Legacy and the Art of Building Rare Book Collections

La version française suit By: Chris Lyons, Senior Curator, Rare Books & Special Collections (retired) Rare books libraries collect collectors. At first this might sound like a mercenary or macabre way to describe the work of the earnest curators responsible …

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Cover 1986 catalogue Mossman Collection of the History of Science and Ideas.

Practicum Pause: Ezra J. Teboul

La version française suit For MISt student Ezra J. Teboul, a practicum at McGill Libraries was the perfect blend of history, technology, and librarianship. With a background in the history of signal processing and electronic music, Ezra was drawn to …

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GenAI Quickstart: McGill Libraries & Concordia Library and e-Concordia Collaborate to Build AI Literacy

La version française suit In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, understanding Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is no longer optional—it’s essential. In late fall of 2024, McGill University Libraries, in partnership with Concordia Library and eConcordia, unveiled GenAI Quickstart: Foundations for …

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McGill Daily Special Supplement May 1958

Backstory: A History of McGill Student Publications

La version française suit. Originally published on August 4, 2017 in The Dark Room   Guest post by Annelise Dowd. Annelise is a graduate of the McGill University Master of Information Studies program who worked on a practicum project working with …

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Imprimé à Montréal: Montreal and McGill in the history of print

By Chelsea Thompson Quartz, SIS Practicum Student, Book Arts Lab (RBSC). This blog post is complemented by a physical exhibition in the Rare Books & Special Collections reading room, April – September 2025. Fleury Mesplet Montreal formally enters the history …

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Friends of the McGill Libraries logo against a White background.

Year in Review: Reflections from the Friends of the Libraries’ Chair

Version française suit. By Lenore Harris, Chair, Friends of the McGill Libraries Hello! It is difficult to believe that just over a year has passed since I assumed the role of Chair of the Friends of the Libraries. It has …

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Henry Robertson, Bookwus Mask, c. 1980s, Cedar Mask, 28.1 x 16.8 x 13 cm, Gift of Moira A. Hudgin from the Estate of Roger L. Hudgin. McGill Visual Arts Collection, 2023-042.

Woodn’t You Like to Know?

By Hi’iakalehuakaulei Hashimoto, Curatorial Intern for Indigenous Art (2023-), McGill Visual Arts Collection Many Indigenous peoples of the Northwest coast, including Kwakwaka’wakw, tell stories of the Bakwas, or Bookwus (wild man of the woods), a “supernatural” being who dwells in …

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Background: Study areas. Foreground: Book stacks. Birks Reading Room. Credit: Thomas Guinard.

Statement on Inclusive Description

La version française suit. The catalogues and digital collections of the McGill Libraries contain millions of descriptions to help users identify and understand resources that may be relevant to their studies and research. These descriptions enter our catalogues in various …

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Blue graphic with illustration of two hands doing a heart symbol around a heart-shaped trans flag.

Trans Rights Readathon 2025🏳️‍⚧️

By Sofie Athanasia Tsatas, Senior Reference Assistant & Cataloguing Editor at the Marvin Duchow Music Library Join us in celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31) with library resources! Every year, the Trans Rights Readathon (March 21-31), a social media …

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Student in a library holding up a colourful McGill24 poster.

McGill24 turns ten: Looking back at a decade of giving 🎂

La version française suit On Wednesday, March 12th, McGill24, the University’s annual day of giving, celebrated for its tenth year. Each gift to McGill Libraries that day, no matter the amount, gets us one step closer to unlocking challenge funds. …

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