Library News

by Wade Hemsworth

Bruce Cockburn, one of Canada’s best loved musicians and composers, has donated his archives to McMaster, including his notebooks, musical arrangements, gold records, letters, scrapbooks, nearly 1,000 recordings, and even three guitars.

“These are my tools, my rough drafts, my mementoes and my trophies. Together, they form the roadmap of my working life,” says Cockburn. “I’m pleased they will have a safe and permanent home in a place where they may be useful to others.”

The collection includes 32 of Cockburn’s notebooks from 1969 to 2002. Through their pages, one can trace the development of individual songs, sometimes from single thoughts to finished lyrics, all set randomly among pages of sketches, observations, budgets, set lists and other notes. The notebooks offer a real window into the artist and activist’s imagination, creative process and his life as a working musician rising to international prominence.

“Bruce Cockburn is an iconic and respected figure in Canadian and international culture,” says McMaster Provost and vice-president (academic) David Wilkinson. “For him to choose McMaster as the recipient of this collection, while he is still contributing to our culture, is a true honour. We are grateful for his gift, which will impact generations of students and other researchers across multiple disciplines, including those involved with McMaster’s highly regarded music program.”

Among the papers Cockburn has donated is correspondence from notable figures such as Adrienne Clarkson, Lloyd Axworthy, David Suzuki, Vanessa Redgrave, Anne Murray and John Crosbie. There are fan letters, photos and more in a collection that requires 64 pages just to list all the items that will be available to researchers at McMaster’s William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections.

“We are delighted to receive such a rich resource that will benefit students, faculty members and other researchers studying not only music and poetry, but social activism, politics and the creative process itself,” says McMaster’s acting University Librarian Vivian Lewis.

Cockburn was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from McMaster in 2009.

The University’s archives also include personal collections from such notable thinkers and artists as philosopher Bertrand Russell, authors Pierre Berton, Margaret Laurence and Farley Mowat.

Source: http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/article/bruce-cockburn-donates-archives-to-...

Related stories:

• The Hamilton Spectator
  http://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/2550392-bruce-cockburn-donates-his-...
• CBC News Network http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Arts+and+Entertainment/ID/2383477533/
• CBC's national website http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2013/05/02/hamilton-mcmaster-bruce-coc...
• The Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2013/05/06/bruce_cockburn_don...
• The Globe and Mail
  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/in-photos-bruce-cockburn-donat...

UPDATE: Tomorrow, Friday April 26th is the last day for the pet visits to Mills!

Feeling stressed? Need a break from studying? The Student Health Education Centre has teamed up with on and off-campus organizations to bring students stress-reducing events, including animal visits to Mills Library! The Hamilton-Burlington SPCA has generously agreed to bring in animals like dogs and guinea pigs for stressed-out students to cuddle with on April 15th, 18th and 26th, from 1-2 pm, in the Mills Library's Connections Centre (just off the main floor lobby).

SHEC will also be hosting "Mindfulness Meditation" sessions on April 17th and 24th, from 1-2pm, in MUSC  302. All are welcome to attend!

If you want to talk to someone about stress management or any other personal or health related topic, SHEC will have peer-support hours from 11am-3pm daily in MUSC 202.

Remember that taking a break while studying helps you come back more refreshed and productive. 

This year you will once again have lots of options when it comes to late night studying during exams.

Thode Library will be open 24/7 from April 10th to April 29th^.   The Reactor Café will be open 10am to 10m, from Friday April 12th to Sunday April 29th. Don't forget there is an ATM to Thode so you will have easy access to cash for use at the café and the vending machines.

The lower level of Thode is the Quietest Study Area in the building, with the 2^nd floor designated as Quiet but more difficult to enforce due to noise floating upwards from the 1^st floor. We are working to resolve this issue and hope to have a solution in place for this set of exams. Additionally, there is a new small Silent Study area on the lower level.

Mills Library moves to extended hours this week – the main library will be open 8am to 10:45pm, 7 days per week. 

The Mills Learning Commons (2^nd floor) is open 24/7 until April 29th.

The entire 6^th floor of Mills is designated as a Silent Study Area and we will do our best to patrol this area.  Feel free to send an email to quiet@mcmaster.ca if students in the area are not respecting the Silent Study guidelines (no talking, no socializing, no cell phones, no music). A large area on the  4^th floor is  designated as a Quiet Study Area.  During exams, all seating areas on the upper floors (3^rd – 5^th) are considered Quiet Study Areas and will be signed as such.

Innis will also move to extended hoursthis week – Monday to Friday 8:30am to 10:45pm / Saturday 10:30am to 5:45 pm / Sunday 1pm to 7:45pm. 

You will find  more information on the various study spaces available in our libraries here.

All libraries have bookable Group Study Rooms.  Please remember that these are to be used by groups of 2 or more, and cannot be booked for more than 2 consecutive hours by one group. The library reserves the right to remove bookings which do not follow these guidelines.

Food and beverage vending machines in all libraries will be stocked daily during exams.

Good luck on your exams!

UPDATE #3: As of March 14, 2013, 1:20 pm, the Library's website is functioning normally. Apologies for any inconveniences caused due to yesterday's disruption. The IT Dept continues to investigate. Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

UPDATE #2: As of March 13, 2013, 4:30 pm, the Library's website is experiencing intermittent issues, such as slowness. The IT Dept is investigating. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

UPDATE: As of March 13, 2013, 10:50 am, the catalogue search on the Library's homepage is gradually returning to normal.

We are experiencing difficulties with the main search box on the library home page.

To access the Library Catalogue directly go to http://catalogue.mcmaster.ca/catalogue/

We will update this page once this problem has been resolved.