Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to someone busted for dealing pot, a struggling single mom, a concert pianist, or a disabled person who grew up in “the place of the belugas”? A special library event held this week provided students with the time and place to talk to these characters and others, at no cost.

McGill’s Living Library was founded on the idea of the Human Library—a concept started in 2000 at a youth festival in Denmark. The event was sponsored by a variety of campus organizations and volunteer librarians, and was first organized at McGill in 2011.

The premise is simple: each recruited volunteer personalizes a book by preparing a story about themselves.  On the day of the Living Library, students, staff, and the public visit the Living Library at the Redpath Library and look through a catalogue of books.

“It’s called the catalogue, just like a library, and it’s a listing of books that people can check out,” librarian volunteer Sarah Wilkinson said.

After reading the book descriptions and choosing a book, an appointment is made with the “book.” Some books, like The Flaming Teabag or How Catching Fire Brought Me Down to Earth are more popular than others. Appointments are made in 30-minute blocks, but it’s easy to get caught up in the story and go over the allotted time.

While the subject is telling his or her story, the viewer is encouraged to ask questions and find out more. The level of interaction is unique to the Living Library and makes for a more animated level of learning.

One of the main goals is to break down prejudices or misconceptions that each “book” feels bound by.

“If we can say that one of the tasks of a liberal university education is to provide opportunities for learning while instilling a lifelong habit of questioning cherished assumptions, then the benefit of the McGill Living Library project would be to challenge members of the McGill community to examine their beliefs and attitudes toward difference,” reads the McGill Living Library’s website.

During a slow period, June Apostol, a Masters student in library and information studies discussed why she volunteered to participate as a book. Apostol, a volunteer firefighter from Pennsylvania, represented the book The Flaming Teabag.

“I’m hoping to take this back to Philadelphia and pitch it to one of the city libraries or my hometown library. I think it’s very valuable and I think it’s very interesting,” she said.

Apostol also explained why she felt that it’s important that other libraries consider projects similar to McGill’s Living Library.

“Libraries are changing and I think that people who think that libraries are dying have an incorrect assumption about what libraries are,” she said. “Libraries aren’t just books, [or] just books and DVDs, [or] just, you know, fiction libraries and video games. They can be e-books, they can be e-audiobooks, they can be people, they can be a collection of names or individuals that know different skills.”

David Haberman, a U3 student at McGill, stopped by the Living Library to check out the book Please Don’t Shout—I’m Only Blind.

“I think it’s nice that the libraries are looking to expand [their] role because [their] former responsibility as a place to take out books has gone the way of the rotary telephone—it’s not useful anymore,” Haberman said.

Since the rise in popularity of the Internet and the legitimacy of online research, libraries have been forced to evolve their traditional services. McGill has discovered that the Living Library may be a good place to start.

 This semester, the 30-minute commute between McGill’s downtown and Macdonald campuses will become just a bit more productive, as the buses now offer wireless Internet service.

McGill announced on Jan. 9 that students and staff with McGill usernames and passwords can use the Wi-Fi free of charge on the buses.  

Gary Bernstein, the Director of Network and Communications Services at McGill University, explained that the initiative began after he traveled from Montreal to Toronto. With Internet connectivity available on the Via Rail train, but not on his return aboard a Megabus coach, he realized how big of a difference Internet connectivity can make while in transit. 

“There are only a number of things you can do on a Blackberry,” Bernstein said. “But, it is easy, in this day and age, to set up a network anywhere.”

He explained that Telus donated a few USB mobile Internet  keys and, knowing it would be free of charge to the university, he began a trial service on one inter-campus shuttle bus. The trial phase began in mid-August even though the connection was weak. At that time, it was recommended that students not use the service for software updates, calls, or important work. Nonetheless, Bernstein said that he received a lot of positive feedback regarding the trial Wi-Fi. On Jan. 9  the service became standard on the buses. 

 “There are four buses that have Wi-Fi service,” Bernstein told the Tribune via email. “The blue bus (that is sometimes used as a replacement) does not have Wi-Fi. We did not feel that it was justified to spend money on a service that would not be used frequently. We have to pay for the Internet bandwidth on a per-bus per-month basis, whether or not it is used.”

Some students are unsure whether or not the new system will provide a consistent connection. 

“The question is: It is reliable?” Tracy Mcdonough, a Master’s student in nutrition at Macdonald Campus, said. “One … of [the] buses doesn’t yet have Wi-Fi, so you don’t know [if the bus you’re] going to be on [will carry service].” 

Many commuting students say they are enjoying the new service. 

“I have used it once or twice, and it seems to be working properly,” Brianna Kovarik, U0 education, said. “I always see laptops and iPads everywhere.”

When questioned whether the service is going to expand to other areas of campus, Bernstein presented a positive outlook that there will be greater Wi-Fi connectivity around campus and on other McGill-run shuttle buses, such as the shuttle buses travelling between the various hospitals operated by McGill University and its downtown campus. 

A new application will allow on-campus smartphone users to call for emergency campus support at the touch of a button. On Jan. 19, Guardly announced the release of a free mobile security application for students, faculty, and staff at 67 universities and colleges across Canada, including McGill University. This is the first time such a service has been made available to Canadian students.

“Our technology brings the capabilities of code blue emergency phones typically found sparsely on campus paths and in buildings onto students’ smartphones, which we believe will reduce response times for those calling for help,” Guardly CEO Josh Sookman explained in an email to the Tribune.

By downloading the Guardly app onto any iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, or Windows Phone 7 device and registering it with your university email address, campus members can access its services.

Guardly’s service was inspired by the difficulties of witnessing slow responses to 911 calls and trying to reach close friends and family during an emergency, Sookman explained.

“Inspiration for this free service for students came from better understanding how calls for help generally occur on university campuses and how archaic the systems are.”

“It was a natural evolution of our technology, to enable a service like this for students,” Sookman said in a press release. “Given the high prevalence of sexual assault against women and increases in violent acts on some campuses, we feel this innovation should be something provided to students for free.”

When in an emergency situation, students simply launch the app, which initiates a one-to-one voice call with the university’s campus security. In addition, the app allows students to notify up to 15 personal contacts via email, text message, and automated voice calling.

“When Guardly is activated, a group of contacts will receive alerts describing the nature of the emergency, the location where Guardly was activated, and the name of the emergency group triggered,” Sookman said.

In the wake of the presence of riot police on the McGill campus on Nov. 10, this new app may hold greater significance to the McGill community. However, this app was in development starting in the fall of 2010, and the timing is simply a coincidence.

Commenting on the events of Nov. 10 however, Sookman noted that “the incident shows the value that a service like Guardly could bring to help people communicate and spread the word of news of campus much faster.”

When asked about potential abuses of the service, Sookman replied, “Like any emergency service (including 911), it is up to people to act in good faith and use the system appropriately. Often, it is worth the risk to have a few false positives than not to have the service in place at all.”

 

– Kyla Mandel

From Jan. 12 to 20, SSMU hosted (Reclaim Your) Education Week, a seven-day series of workshops, discussions, and presentations that sought to raise awareness about a number of issues on the McGill campus, including tuition hikes and the struggles of marginalized groups on campus. 

Education Week was made possible by collaboration between SSMU, the Quebec Public Interest Research Group at McGill (QPIRG), the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS), and the November 10th Community Alliance. 

Education Week was a completely student-based initiative, inspired by questions that arose in the context of recent events, such as the MUNACA strike, Nov. 10, and Dean Jutras’ report on the events of Nov. 10. 

“Students hear a lot of things, have many questions, but get little answers,” PGSS VP External Mariève Isabel said. “They wanted to share their concerns and their hopes for the future of McGill … while reclaiming that they also should be part of the decision-making process.”

“Education Week was also inspired by a similar week of events at University of California Davis,” SSMU VP External Joël Pedneault said. “We thought it would be a very useful type of thing to organize at McGill.”

According to Pedneault, the primary goals of Education Week were to spread awareness, and to “re-energize mobilization.”

Workshops covered a large variety of issues relevant to McGill students, ranging from racism and street tactics to social equity and neo-liberalism. 

Among the many workshops offered, one in particular offered a chance to discuss colonialism, decolonization, and solidarity concerning indigenous communities and their struggles.  

Facilitators Cleve Higgins and Dan Lazarus, both former McGill students, led a discussion on the ongoing legacy of colonialism and the many conflicts with the Canadian government in which indigenous communities find themselves. 

Many indigenous populations in Quebec and throughout Canada continue to be disenfranchised for the purpose of resource extraction, an issue especially prevalent today with regard to the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline in British Columbia. 

The thorny issue of tuition hikes received considerable spotlight throughout Education Week. The week served as preparation for the “ongoing and upcoming fight again tuition hikes,” according to the event’s website.  

The proposed tuition hikes, which consist of a $325 increase per year, over a period of five years, will affect all students.  

“All students pay a basic amount of tuition, which is what is charged to Quebec residents,” Pedneault said. “Since this base amount is being raised, everyone will be affected by tuition hikes.”

While many student groups face a number of challenges in the context of tuition hikes, increased tuition for graduate students poses extra financial stress, which helps explain PGSS’s active participation in spreading awareness.  

“Graduate students often have more responsibilities and more expenses [than undergraduate students],” Isabel said. “A huge proportion of students do not complete their degree.”

Isabel suggested that this may be the result of financial obstacles. 

The workshops that addressed tuition hikes aimed to educate students about the facts and consequences of the proposed increases, as well as the logistics of student strikes, a topic that has recently been addressed more intently. 

SSMU Arts Councillor and U2 economics and women’s studies student Jamie Burnett facilitated  a workshop called “Demystifying Student Strikes—History and Practice.”

“Student strikes are a tactic—[they] come out of people deciding that they’re concerned about something,” Burnett said. “If you look at the major student strikes in Quebec, they’re mainly about student fees and financial aid.”

The workshop also addressed the different forms of strikes as well as the effectiveness of each.  

“There exist one-day strikes, which can be pretty effective … in getting the message across,” Burnett explained. “But looking at major victories in the history of student strikes in Quebec, the more successful ones are the general unlimited strikes.”

However, a lot of thought, planning, and effort are necessary for the successful implementation of a student strike. 

“It does take work to look at the policy, look at the budget and have students understand that a strike is worth it,” Burnett said. “Strikes need to involve the active participation of a lot of students. It is not enough to say you’re on strike.”

Another large-scale demonstration against tuition hikes in Montreal is planned for March 22.  

Despite having been organized in only a matter of weeks, Education Week attracted considerable attention.  

“I don’t think that the McGill community has seen such a level of activism on campus since the 1990s,” Isabel said. “It was quite impressive to see the students … building on each other’s knowledge [about these issues].” 

“With a bit of luck, this event series might become an annual fixture of the SSMU calendar, similar to Culture Shock or Social Justice Days,” Pedneault said.

In 2011, Pakistani student Zohaib Asad earned a record-breaking 28 ‘A’s in the University of Cambridge International O-Level Examinations, a high school examination program run by the University of Cambridge that’s  taken in over 80 countries.   

This month, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani invited Asad, who is now in his first year at McGill, to the Prime Minister House in order to congratulate him on his achievements. 

“It was a great honour for me and my parents to be personally invited by the Prime Minister,” Asad said. 

Asad is presently pursuing an undergraduate degree in economics and international development. He chose to come to McGill because of its excellent reputation in Pakistan and because he has friends who attended McGill in the past. 

“The best thing about McGill are the students,” Asad said, when describing his new school. “[They are] friendly, helping, [and] mature which is what matters the most when you are away from home.”

Before coming to McGill, Asad attended a Beaconhouse international school in Pakistan, where he balanced his academics with his duties as head boy and member of his school’s football team. Beaconhouse is a global network of private schools with a large presence in Asia. 

“Studying for O-levels is hard, scoring well is even harder since each subject demands you to think in a specific way rather than repeat learned material,” Asad explained. “Studying for so many [exams requires] time management skills.”

In addition, Asad noted that studying in a competitive and rigorous school environment helped him stay motivated and focused. 

“When I set a target, I don’t care what comes in the way: all I see is my target,” he said.  

Asad recognizes, however, that his previous academic achievements don’t mean that he won’t face new challenges at McGill. 

“I believe the future is independent of the past. Even in O-levels, each subject required different skills,” he said. “The same goes at university; the big difference [from Beaconhouse] is that we have to be more independent here.”

The McGill community has warmly welcomed Asad to Montreal and celebrated his dedication to academic excellence.  

“I’m delighted for Zohaib, congratulate him on his accomplishment, and wish him well in his academic endeavours here at McGill,” Morton Mendelson, McGill Deputy Provost of Student Life and Learning, said. 

McGill’s Pakistani Student Association (PSA) is also proud of Asad’s success on the internationally recognized O-levels.

“[Asad’s] achievements are the perfect example of the kind of talent that Pakistan has,” Mohammad Y. Alvi and Syed K. Raza, Co-Presidents of the PSA, said. 

After completing his degree, Asad wants to return to work in Pakistan in order to give back to his home country.  

“It is your contribution that counts in society, so never work selfishly in life,” Asad said.