McPherson Library Wireless Network Coverage

Computer and Systems Services (CASS) is now supporting wireless coverage throughout the McPherson Library. Areas of coverage can be viewed at:

http://gateway.uvic.ca/lib/admin/wireless_coverage/default.html

The UVic Wireless Network allows students, staff, and faculty to connect laptops, PDAs, and other wireless devices to UVicNet and the Internet at high-speeds. All you need is a laptop, PDA, or other wireless device with a Wi-Fi compatible card, a web browser, and a Netlink ID. Information on connecting is available at:

http://web.uvic.ca/wireless/connecting.html

Further information on wireless access at UVic is available at:

http://web.uvic.ca/wireless/index.html

Please keep in mind that a wired connections still provide a more reliable, more secure and much faster access to the internet. If you have any questions regarding coverage or setup of wireless please contact the CASS Help Desk.

Donna Signori Retires

Donna Signori, Head of Collections and Preservation Services, is taking early retirement after 28 years with the UVic Libraries. Her last working day was Thursday, March 31.

Donna received her MLS from the University of Toronto in 1975 and began her career at UVic on April 1, 1977 as a General Librarian in the Collections Division. She was appointed Acting Division Head in June 1990 and became Head, Collections Management Services, in 1992.

Donna has played a significant leadership role in a number of areas throughout the Libraries. Her most notable contributions include development of the McPherson Library collection during a time of fiscal restraint, coupled with significant graduate program growth; streamlining a variety of collections related processes and procedures including preservation and disaster recovery; implementing the liaison librarian model; initiating digitization projects including electronic theses and dissertations; and enhancing the Library’s relationship with faculty members. Throughout her career Donna has been a quintessential Collections Librarian who will be sincerely missed by all her colleagues.

Joanne Henning will be Acting Head of Collections & Preservation Services until a decision has been made regarding how to fill the void left by Donna’s retirement.

McPherson Library Extended Hours

McPherson Library will be open extended hours during the exam period. From April 8-26 the McPherson building will be open daily until 11:00 p.m.

Hours are posted on the Library's Gateway. For the full schedule, click here.

Pierre Berton’s Victoria College

The University Archives has created a new display, “Pierre Berton’s Victoria College.”

Canadian author Pierre Berton (1920-2004) had life-long connections to Victoria and the University. Berton attended Oak Bay High School and Victoria College – the predecessor to the University of Victoria. In the late 1930s, Berton was an assistant editor and principal cartoonist for "The Microscope" - the Victoria College student newsletter. During these years, Victoria College was located at Craigdarroch Castle. In fact, still visible today is Berton’s autograph, carved into the wood paneling of the Castle’s Dogwood Room (see the Fall 2003 issue of UVic’s Alumni magazine "The Torch", Libraries call # LH3 T6, or read it on-line ). Berton received an Honourary Doctor of Laws from UVic in May 1983. In 2003 during UVic’s 100 Years of Education celebrations, he was the University’s special guest at the re-dedication of the Historical Cairn marking the original site of Victoria College, on the grounds of what is now Central Junior High School.

The materials selected for the display come from the Archives Historical Photograph Collection, the Victoria College Principal’s Office fonds*, and the McPherson Library Collections – including publications from Archives and Special Collections. Of particular note is a selection of Berton’s cartoons and his satirical detective story “The Curse of the College” from "The Microscope" (Berton also illustrated his later publications, including "Cats I have Known and Loved", 2002).

We invite the community to view this display between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays to Fridays in the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room of the McPherson Library.

For more information, you may contact Lara Wilson in the University Archives at 472-4480.

* Fonds is an archival term, meaning all the documents, regardless of form or medium, created, received and accumulated by a person or organisation.