Community

‘Tis the season of hosting, visiting and making merry — with the COVID caveat that we keep our social groupings small. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about customs and etiquette in Vietnam. So if your small holiday gathering includes someone who is from Vietnam, or if you are planning a trip to this beautiful nation (COVID willing) in the future, here are a few…

As an alumna of the University of Alberta, one of my most valued undergraduate experiences was my time as a resident at Lister Hall [🎵 3 Henday, 3 Henday, 3 Hendaaaaaaay 🎶]. Amongst the many benefits of living in a large communal environment, I was blessed with the greatest floor mates in history. These folks are valued friends to this day, and they taught this introverted, pseudo-rural bumpkin much about life outside…

Today we shine the spotlight on authors of Vietnamese ancestry. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War (also known as the American War) and the fall of Saigon in 1975 there was a great exodus and many refugees eventually found their way to Canada. By 1982 more than 120,000 had been resettled in Canada (Canadian Red Cross) – considered our largest humanitarian undertaking to that point.  Many of these families made their…

This December we’re turning our attention towards the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam and some of the wonderful aspects of Vietnamese culture. Vietnam and China have been entwined throughout their histories due to the Chinese Empire’s expansion into Southeast Asia in 3rd Century BC. As a result, Vietnamese culture demonstrates a Chinese influence. Despite this, and the influence of 19th and early 20th century French colonial powers, Vietnam retains a distinctive flavour.…

By Kelsey Kropiniski With final exams being right around the corner, us UAlberta Library workers wanted to drop in with a few mental health and stress relief resources that we offer here at the library!  My name is Kelsey, and I work in Rutherford library as a second-year Masters of Library and Information Studies student. I think it’s pretty safe to say that for most folks here on campus, finals season is…

I have personally been fascinated by the sari. One of my early memories of a fashion piece that mesmerized me, was my mother’s “adapted” sari-styled deep blue attire. With our celebration of India during the month of November, and the place that saris hold in India, I decided to learn a bit more about saris. These are some of the resources that I found on this subject at University of Alberta Library…

As many of us are already keenly aware, textbook costs contribute significantly to the cost of learning for students. The last few semesters have presented additional barriers for getting learning resources into the hands of students, from shipping delays to campus closures.  That’s why we’re so thrilled to see the Students’ Union (SU) and the Registrar’s Office team up for the pilot ZTC (Zero Textbook Cost) indicator in BearTracks, which highlights low-cost…

Does it sometimes seem that there are celebration days for just about any topic or interest group? My personal favourites – World Chocolate Day (July 7th), Library Workers Day (April 6th), and International Coffee Day (October 1st) – I tend to celebrate year round… However, when I saw “World Hello Day” coming up in my calendar on November 21st, I thought that this was one date that deserved a closer look and…

I am in love with Ismaili cuisine. It has been a source of deep comfort for me and my family over the course of the pandemic. My interest in Indian cuisine started in my 20s, where I explored some of the excellent restaurants in Edmonton and then it grew exponentially after moving to an Ismaili community in Nairobi, Kenya for an internship via UAlberta International. Living in the Nairobi neighbourhood of Westlands,…