As teaching continues to evolve alongside emerging technologies and changing student needs, McMaster University Libraries is investing in the people who work with faculty to support information, data, AI and other literacies in the classroom.
This summer, the libraries’ team hosted two conferences that brought together over 100 library workers from across the GTA, Canada and the United States. These events, presented in the Health Sciences Library's Jan and Mien Heersink Reading Pavilion, encouraged library professionals to learn from one another, explore emerging opportunities and challenges and strengthen library teaching practices.
One of those events, the True North Science Boot Camp, focused on library workers who support faculty, staff and students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Held on June 18 and 19, this conference explored interdisciplinary teaching and research through faculty presentations, librarian-led sessions and local site visits.
“Science Boot Camp is a unique opportunity for science librarians and library workers to immerse themselves in the disciplines they support,” said Katie Merriman, chair of the True North Science Boot Camp and STEM teaching and learning librarian. “We get to see what our peers are doing but also dive into the disciplines and better understand what students are learning outside of our own instruction.”
The Teaching and Learning Mini Conference, held June 17, welcomed academic library employees to explore teaching and learning in library settings through presentations and networking opportunities. Talks examined artificial intelligence, misinformation, data literacy, game-based learning and supporting research in an evolving information landscape.
Participants connected with colleagues from other institutions, continued discussions during networking opportunities and explored future collaborations on teaching and research initiatives.
Although each event served a different audience, both reflected McMaster University Libraries’ ongoing commitment to building a collaborative community of educators dedicated to student success.
For Katie Harding, co-chair of the Teaching and Learning Mini Conference and OER and STEM teaching and learning librarian, these professional development opportunities ultimately come back to student learning.
“These events give us space to examine how we’ve been teaching students and consider how we might change or adapt what we’re doing,” said Harding. “They give us new ideas to try in our own practice, with the goal of creating more effective learning experiences for students.”
These events build on the libraries’ long tradition of hosting conferences, including the Workshop for Instruction in Library Use in 2025, and the upcoming Access 2026 this fall.
Learn more
For more information on these events, visit the True North Science Bootcamp webpage and the Teaching and Learning Mini Conference webpage.
