UofC " This Is Now

Libraries and Cultural Resources combines the expertise and services of the University's information providers – the University Archives and Special Collections, the University Library, The Nickle Arts Museum, and the University of Calgary Press – to assure provision of full access to the best recorded knowledge and creativity in a variety of formats and media.

Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR) offers students, faculty, and staff easy access to a wealth of research materials, expertise and services. In September 2011, these resources will be housed in the new six-storey Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL), a unique combination of library, centre for scholarly communication, student success centre, alumni office, and the centre for arts and culture including the archives, special collections and art gallery.

All of these resources come alive with technology that encourages exploration and new ways of learning, making the Taylor Family Digital Library one of the most information-rich facilities in Canada.

The Library is ranked among the largest research libraries in Canada, with a collection that spans over nine million objects including books, journals, maps, artifacts, works of art, rare books, special collections, music scores.

The Learning Commons on the first three floors of the TFDL is the hub of activity for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Students take advantage of desktop and software support to do research, complete assignments and work collaboratively. Knowledgeable staff assist with reference questions, information navigation, and technology support. The new Learning Commons is a light-filled area with comfortable furniture, 100% wireless and cellular coverage, collaborative work rooms, individual workstations, and access to plug-ins for laptops. For student convenience, the Learning Commons is open 24 hours for maximum study time during term.

The upper floors on the TFDL house more than half a million of the latest and most frequently used books, journals and research materials. The Centre for Arts and Culture encourages closer study of fine art and archival materials, while researchers can browse the wealth of resources on performing arts, art, architecture and music.

The Taylor Family Digital Library is located at the heart of the campus, with five branch libraries situated near the faculties or departments that use their services most frequently: Gallagher Library of Geology and Geophysics, Health Sciences Library, Bennett Jones Law Library, the Doucette (Education), and the Haskayne Business Library.

The University Library is open 90 hours each week, offering access to the resource materials as well as reference assistance, specialized information consulting and instruction in the skills and process of information retrieval and management to equip independent learners for success in the knowledge era.

Library resources and services are also 'delivered to your desktop' via our online information system, featuring the Library catalogue, an extensive selection of networked databases, electronic information resources and services for distance learning.

Telephone: 403.220.5962
Fax: 403.282.1218
Email: libinfo@ucalgary.ca
Web: http://library.ucalgary.ca/

Archives and Special Collections is comprised of three units, Canadian Architectural Archives, Special Collections and University Archives that together acquire, maintain and provide access to print and archival collections of enduring value to support inquiry, learning, teaching, research and effective recordkeeping at the University of Calgary.

Canadian Architectural Archives collects, preserves and ensures access to the records of twentieth century Canadian architects and architectural firms to support learning and teaching through instruction, reference, exhibitions and publications. Web: http://caa.ucalgary.ca/.

Special Collections acquires, preserves and makes accessible print and archival collections with a strong focus on Canadian literature, art, music and Western Canadian history. It includes archives of authors like W.O. Mitchell, Mordecai Richler, and Alice Munro, and rare books and incunabla including a leaf of the Gutenberg Bible. http://asc.ucalgary.ca/sc

The University Archives preserves and builds the institutional, administrative, research and cultural heritage of the University of Calgary by acquiring, maintaining and developing guidelines for the retention of all records of permanent value created and received by university. It also aggressively acquires private records which pertain to areas of research pursued on campus and in the region, including the political development of Western Canada and post-secondary education in Southern Alberta. Web: http://archives.ucalgary.ca/.

Archives and Special Collections is located on the 12th floor of the MacKimmie Library Tower. It is anticipating moving to the 5th floor of the Taylor Family Digital Library during the summer/autumn of 2011. Research services are available Monday to Friday, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Telephone: 403.220.7271
Web: http://asc.ucalgary.ca/
Email: archives@ucalgary.ca

The Visual Resources Centre provides educational media and image collections and services in support of teaching, learning and research for all University of Calgary programs, including provision of bookable viewing facilities and assistance in identifying and using these resources.

The VRC is comprised of the Media Library, which has a multi-disciplinary collection of over 10,000 DVD/VHS/film titles and the Image Library, with a collection in excess of 250,000 slides and 50,000 digital images addressing subject areas from prehistoric civilization to modern gardens. These educational collections can be used by individuals or in classroom situations.

E-mail: vrc@ucalgary.ca
Location: MacKimmie Library Block 040, Lower Level (downstairs from U of C Service Stop)
Website: library.ucalgary.ca/vrc

The University of Calgary Press publishes 15 scholarly books a year and provides its imprint to ten nine scholarly journals. Each of our publications is peer-reviewed, and we publish emerging and experienced authors from the University of Calgary and around the world.  In the coming year we will be publishing in print, eBooks and open access formats.

Publishing interests include: Art and Architecture; African Studies; Environment and History; Latin American and Caribbean Studies; The West, Northern Studies, Cinema, and Canadian defence and strategic studies.

Journals: Journals currently published under the UC Press imprint are: ARIEL - A Review of International English Literature; Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education; Canadian Journal of Counselling; Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Canadian Journal of Philosophy; Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation; Journal of Mind-Body Regulation; Currents: New Scholarship in the Human Services; and Mouseion - Journal of the Classical Association of Canada. Many of our journals can now be accessed online through the Synergies project http://synergiesprairies.ca/.

U of C Press offices are located in the basement of the MacKimmie Library Block. Usual business hours are 8:30 am to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.

Telephone: 403.220.7578
Fax: 403.282.0085
Email: ucpress@ucalgary.ca
Website: http://www.uofcpress.com

The Institutional Repository is a stable, sustainable model for dissemination of research results and accompanying material consistent with the requirements of granting agencies. Collections like the Students’ Union Undergraduate Research Symposium and the University of Calgary Theses provide access and exposure for student work alongside faculty research collections. Graduate students may deposit their theses and any accompanying files or other digital material in the repository. Some faculties also deposit senior undergraduate projects and posters.

Email: digitize@ucalgary.ca
Website: http://dspace.ucalgary.ca

Note: The Nickle will be closed for exhibitions after September 17, 2010 as it prepares for its move to the Taylor Family Digital Library and its grand re-opening exhibition in September 2011. Some programs will continue during this phase. Please check our website for special events and programming during the transition.

The Nickle Arts Museum (the Nickle) is an outstanding centre for object based learning, academic research and aesthetics. Originally located on the west campus next to MacEwan Hall, the Nickle offers a full program of exhibitions and events addressing compelling social, historical and contemporary cultural topics. The Nickle opened in 1979, built with a bequest to the University of Calgary by the late Calgary oilman Samuel C. Nickle. The later donation by his son, Dr. Carl Nickle, created the base of the museum's exceptional numismatic collection.

The museum promotes critical thinking, visual literacy, and experiential learning through provocative exhibitions, tours, lecture series and symposia. The Nickle's programming is centred on modern and contemporary Canadian art, on numismatics, and on carpets and textiles and extends to historic and international art, indigenous heritage, archaeology, anthropology, history, and popular culture.

The Nickle Arts Museum is home to outstanding collections of art, numismatics and textiles. The art collection concentrates on Western Canadian art of the twentieth century and extends to artists of national importance. The numismatic collection now comprises approximately 20,000 items, the majority of which are from the ancient Mediterranean region, but also includes paper money and ethnographic numismatic items from around the world. The carpet and textile collection is the largest in any Canadian museum, consisting mainly of the tribal or cottage woven carpets of Central and West Asia. These collections and exhibitions support teaching and research from across the University of Calgary, and are available to visiting scholars and classes from all disciplines. The Nickle is central to the minor degree in Museum and Heritage Studies offered through the Faculty of Arts.

The Museum Shop offers a wide selection of unique giftware, stationery and jewelry, in addition to an excellent selection of art publications.

Telephone: 403.220.7234
Fax: 403.282.4742
Email: nickle@ucalgary.ca
Website: http://www.ucalgary.ca/%7Enickle