Library staff reveal their McGill Moments | McGill24 2019

McGill24, the University’s fourth annual day of giving is almost here. On Wednesday, March 13, 2019, the international McGill community will come together in a celebration of McGill Moments. Giving on that day will help ensure that the next generation has a chance to create McGill Moments of their own.

Here, Library staff members share campus memories that have impacted them over the years.

Jacquelyn Sundberg, Grants and Special Projects Administrator, ROAAr

Manuscript 73 is an impressive 15th-century Italian antiphonal containing plainchant, which is stunning for its size (nearly 3 feet wide when open), beauty, and (for me) the temptation to sing the music in its pages. When I first saw it, I didn’t break the hush in the reading room by bursting into song. Since then, however, we have brought music to the stacks and rooms of rare books.

Working with Prof. Julie Cumming of McGill’s Schulich School of Music, we brought together a group of singers and we performed selections for a full house.

I think even the manuscript itself was happy to have been shared with so many people and to have the music in its pages once again voiced by a group of singers. Now valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, it was purchased in 1930 for $250(!) thanks to the support of donors.

Michael David Miller, Liaison Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Library

C’est difficile de choisir un moment qui définit mon temps jusqu’à présent à l’Université McGill, car j’ai tant de beaux souvenirs. Tous les jours j’interagis avec des usagers et usagères de la bibliothèque à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur de la bibliothèque où je les aide à naviguer et à découvrir les vastes collections de nos bibliothèques et des autres bibliothèques du monde. Cependant, j’étais particulièrement touché par la volonté de la direction des bibliothèques et de mes collègues de me soutenir dans les activités de #FiertéBiblio ces dernières années. Lors de la #FiertéBiblio on fêtait la diversité LGBTQ+ dans nos bibliothèques en même temps que Fierté Montréal. Cela m’a rappelé que nos bibliothèques sont véritablement ouvertes à tou-te-s.

Elis Ing, Liaison Librarian, Rare Books and Special Collections

My McGill moment was, in fact, on the day of my McGill job interview. Shaking with nerves, daunted by the task ahead, I made my way to campus. I had made a special “I can do it!” playlist for the metro, but still I sweated. I wore a pin that reminded me of my family, who I knew were rooting for me, but still I sweated. I took a deep breath and walked into the McLennan Library lobby. There, proudly on display as part of a ROAAr exhibit, was a wooden box full of delicately crafted antique glass eyeballs. A lifelong adorer of all things curious, the box of eyeballs disarmed and distracted me from my nervousness. They were exactly what I needed in order to put my best, true self out there. Almost a year later, I’ve learned so much and enjoyed every day that I’ve spent amongst colleagues who care for special treasures like those eyeballs, and so so many more. For more information on the eye-catching eyeballs, click here.

Giovanna Badia, Assessment Librarian

The first time I visited McGill was as an elementary school student. I remember attending a 1-day young author’s conference in Leacock 132, and thinking that the university was an enormous and exciting place. Years later, coming on campus every day still excites me. Interactions with faculty, staff, and students inspire me to do my best on a daily basis. I am happy to be able to give back by serving the McGill community.

Katarina Daniels, Liaison Librarian, Nahum Gelber Law Library

When you’ve completed 3 degrees, met your partner and all your closest friends, and landed your dream job all at the same institution, you would think it impossible to select just one McGill Moment to highlight the importance of this place.

And yet, this is the task at hand. There have been many moments that have defined my time at McGill, but one recent one stands out: the first time my husband and I brought our newborn son to walk on campus this past summer. He was just over a month old, and slept through his selfie with the statue of James McGill, but on that day, we dreamt of all the incredible memories he would eventually create here, just as we had, from Frosh week to Convocation, and everything in between, and it could not have been any more special.