Noteworthy Spring 2016

noteworthy news from the university of toronto libraries Spring 2016 Lana Peters is the name adopted by Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Josef Stalin IN THIS ISSUE Spring 2016 12 “35 years of Degrassi” event exhorts audience to “just do it” [ 3 ] Taking Note [ 11 ] Other Events [ 4 ] Going for Gold: 50 Years of the University of Toronto Archives [ 12 ] Friends of the Libraries Lecture Series [ 5 ] Understanding Canada’s Oldest Profession [ 12 ] Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library Events [ 6 ] Eureka! U of T Music Librarian Chances on Long-lost Treasure [ 14 ] Supporting Scientific Research [ 6 ] Ursula Franklin Collection at UTARMS [ 15 ] Exhibitions and Events [ 7 ] Renowned Philosopher Donates Books and Archives to UTL Special Collections [ 8 ] Rare Times at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Cover image: Letters written by Josef Stalin’s daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva. Above: Degrassi’s Linda Schuyler hams it up with fans at a Friends of the Libraries Lecture. [ 2 ] TAKING NOTE noteworthy news from the university of toronto libraries WELCOME TO THE SPRING ISSUE In 2009, the founder of the worldwide Chief Librarian of Noteworthy. Our cover presents a fascinat- web, Tim Berners-Lee, gave a TED talk Larry P. Alford ing recent acquisition of the letters of about Linked Data, essentially calling for Editor Stalin’s daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva, to a action on the transition from documents to Megan Campbell friend over a couple of decades before her data on the web. In practical terms, this death, through which the devastating means publishing information online in a Designer Maureen Morin effects of her father’s legacy may be under- way that can connect to other web resources. stood in personal terms. This will make research Contributing Writers This wonderful addition tools far more sophisti- Houman Behzadi, Megan Campbell, Jesse to the Fisher Library is a cated and time efficient, Carliner, David Fernández, Alexandra Kordoski, rich resource to scholars exponentially increasing Erica Lenton, Jack Leong, Vincci Lui, Loryl MacDonald, Maureen Morin, Christopher Piché, in many fields, and has the richness of informa- Liz Ridolfo, Karen Suurtaam, Lanie Treen, garnered much attention tion available to scholars. Marlene van Ballegooie, Lauren Williams in the media. It comes to In the U.S., the mind as a powerful Library of Congress and Photography example of how the other larger research Paul Armstrong, Gordon Belray, Robert Carter, knowledge in our collec- libraries are spearheading Charles Chiu, Sebastian Fiedler, Johnny Guatto/ University of Toronto, Jessica Lewis, Vincci Lui, tions will be shared on an initiative for the tran- Amanda Wagner the web. sition from MARC to Let’s imagine you are Linked Data which will a student at U of T allow libraries to present editorial board today tackling research for a psychology and share bibliographic data in new ways Megan Campbell essay on the social effects of totalitarianism, online. Within this framework, in 2015, Director of Advancement, and your professor requires you to use U of T Libraries gathered together partners University of Toronto Libraries primary sources. From your seat in a portico who formed the Canadian Linked Data Maureen Morin in Robarts Library, you begin by searching Initiative, which includes University of Graphic Designer, Information Technology Services, Stalinism on Google. Chances are, even British Columbia, McGill University, University of Toronto Libraries though you could access the original letters Université de Montréal, University of Jesse Carliner of Stalin’s daughter just steps away in the Alberta, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales Acting Communications Librarian, Fisher Library, you will be oblivious to their du Québec, and Library & Archives Canada. University of Toronto Libraries actual existence, let alone that they are liter- In Canada, we are in the early days, ally moments away from you. Not only that, learning from others whose work is evolv- Blanche Christensen your search won’t yield any immediate ing and devising our approach collabora- Editorial Assistant results about U of T’s holdings relevant to tively. A possible candidate for your topic. The problem: information on implementation of linked data is our noteworthy libraries’ holdings is contained in silos, Discovery and Early Development of (ISSN 2293-3964) is published twice yearly by accessible through each organization’s cata- Insulin digital material. One of our first the University of Toronto Libraries. logue, but not web-friendly. The solution: digitized collections, it is part of UNESCO’s Comments should be addressed to: transform information about our holdings Memory of the World Register and lends to a format that is connected to other data itself well to a pilot in linked data. I will Megan Campbell available on the web. look forward to providing highlights to our 130 St. George Street Toronto, ON M5S 1A5 The introduction of the format, the community as our work takes shape. telephone: 416-978-7644 MARC record, to automate library cata- I hope you enjoy this edition of email: [email protected] logues was pioneered in the 1960s in part at Noteworthy. In its pages you will learn about the University of Toronto Libraries. Today, future activities, Libraries’ outreach and The University of Toronto respects your we are participating in a similar worldwide celebrating our donors. privacy. We do not rent, trade or sell our development, preparing to move away from mailing lists. the limitations of MARC — and it’s all LARRY P. ALFORD If you do not wish to receive Noteworthy, about Linked Data. chieﬂ [email protected] please contact us at 416-978-3600. [ 3 ] CELEBRATION over 300,000 photographs; 39,000 print Going for Gold: 50 Years of the items; as well as thousands of audio/visual recordings, architectural drawings, and University of Toronto Archives student records. The Archives also has the private papers of more than 1000 individu- ON NOVEMBER 10, 2015, THE Principal UTSC, spoke about the University als and groups affiliated with the University University of Toronto Archives held a Archives’ vital role in the academic commu- of Toronto such as Harold Innis, Claude reception to celebrate its golden anniversary. nity and its impact on his students’ work Bissell, Ursula Franklin, and C.B. The event brought together over 125 indi- and on his own research. Macpherson — to name a few. viduals — archival donors, researchers, The University of Toronto Archives For further information about our University officers, UTL colleagues, and officially opened in January 1965 within the history, see Harold Averill’s The University former staff — who supported the Archives Department of Rare Books and Special of Toronto Archives: a potted history available over the years. We were especially delighted Collections, with Helen Miles as the first online at http://utarms.library.utoronto.ca/ that former Chief Librarian Robert University Archivist. When the archives university-toronto-archives-potted-history. Blackburn, who in 1962 first proposed the moved into the Fisher Rare Book Library creation of a University Archives, was in in 1972, it had 1,500 metres of materials. attendance. UTL Chief Librarian Larry Today, the University of Toronto Archives Clockwise from left: University Archivist Loryl MacDonald with Alford welcomed guests and provided a houses over 11,400 metres of archival Bruce Kidd; Marian Brown, Head of Rare Books and Special Collections, in the stacks; a student and a Tippett & history of the University Archives. Dr. records and is now the largest university Richardson mover unpack books in the stacks of the Bruce Kidd, Vice-President U of T and archives in Canada. The collection includes: Department of Rare Books and Special Collections. [ 4 ] CURATION Understanding Canada’s Oldest Profession THE RECENT EXHIBITION IN in research into this significant public Map and Data Library, devoted to docu- Robarts Library, Canada’s Oldest Profession: history. menting early sex trade landscapes of Sex Work and Bawdy House Legislation, “Discrimination on the basis of class, race, historic Toronto (1867–1914). The maps explored the relationship between city life ethnic origin and sex,” writes legal histo- produced feature locations tied to the and sex work through historical texts and rian, Constance Backhouse, is a “hallmark history of sex work in the city such as broth- archival images. With an aim of enhancing of the Canadian legal response to prostitu- els, johns’ houses, and bust sites. public understanding of the history and tion.” Long before the Canadian govern- Bertram said, “Researching the lives of implications of sex work legislation, debates, ment’s passage of Bill C-36 in 2014, nineteeth-century Canadian sex workers and cultures in Canada, the exhibition was numerous laws have attempted to end “the poses numerous methodological challenges, supported by several University of Toronto world’s oldest profession” in Canada. and so I used Robarts and the Fisher Libraries libraries and departments. Beyond stopping the exchange of money for as extensions of our classroom for this semi- With much collaborative effort, Canada’s sex, however, these laws have also frequently nar. UTL resources, librarians and space Oldest Profession was co-curated by Professor been used to police a range of communities were essential for creating hands-on, chal- Laurie Bertram of U of T’s history depart- based on race, class, gender, and sexuality. lenging research opportunities for students, ment and Megan Ross, an SJD candidate in Exploring the makings of this history, and launching our public history installation. the Faculty of Law. Librarians Jesse Carliner the exhibition focused on various aspects, Several of my students plan to highlight this and Kyla Everall of Robarts Library from pieces of legislation, to individuals credit and the skills they acquired through provided coordination and support, and related to the application and repeal of the our mapping project in current and future fifteen graduate and undergraduate students bawdy house laws.

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